An Autumn Weekend In Cheshire

Tom and I recently drove down to Cheshire for a weekend break, where we enjoyed making the most of both the country and the city. We found plenty of romantic things to do in Chester and the surrounding areas – including a restaurant we’ll remember for a long time!

We stayed at a charming little cottage in a sleepy village called Malpas, which is just 30 minutes drive from Chester city centre. It’s available to book on Airbnb.

Inside Bay Cottage: my review

Bay Cottage Cheshire has recently been renovated and the interiors remind me a lot of the Eden Locke Hotels chain – I stayed in one in Edinburgh a while back. The walls are painted in muted pastel tones, the kitchen and bathroom tiles are the sort I hope to have in my own home one day, and the soft furnishings and modern amenities make an otherwise cosy, traditional hideaway pleasing for modern travellers.

The owner Victoria, who very kindly invited us for the weekend, was the most gracious hostess. She had decorated the cottage for Christmas, which delighted me to no end. We were also very pleased to find the heating was on when we arrived because it was a chilly Autumn day.

There was a breakfast pack complete with eggs, bread and local coffee, which I brewed in a chic copper French press that matched the kettle and toaster. Victoria had even left us a lovely little welcome message on the kitchen chalkboard. It’s the little things that make big difference, isn’t it? I’m a self-confessed hotel lover, but there’s no denying the perks of the personal touch you get when you book privately-owned properties like this one.

I may need to buy the Katie Loxton guestbook for our wedding!

The fireplace was my favourite feature in the cottage. The couch can also be pulled out to reveal a double bed, so this place would be great if you had small kids.

If you had the cottage booked for a longer stretch, you really would find everything you could ever need. The small kitchen has a dishwasher and all the usual utensils.

The sunny breakfast room has a church pew!

Upstairs, there are just two rooms: a large bathroom with a big slipper bathtub and very spacious shower, and a decent sized bedroom with a double bed. I loved the decor in here: bumblebee gold foil wallpaper matching the cushions, a luxurious velvet throw to match the feature chairs and a little dressing table.

What to see in Chester

After making ourselves at home, we hopped back in the car and drove to Chester for a look around the Christmas markets. I hadn’t been to the city in years so it was great to walk among the impressive Tudor buildings again.

We were armed with a whole load of recommendations from Victoria on the best things to do in Chester, so we took her advice and popped into Storyhouse for some nibbles once we’d finished with the markets. Had we been in Chester longer than a few hours, we would have got tickets for a show there and popped up to the rooftop Garret Bar for panoramic views and pre-theatre drinks.

The Kitchen at Storyhouse serves mainly Middle Eastern cuisine and is sprawled across the ground floor, its walls lined with books. I loved the atmosphere of this place – it almost took me back to my uni days, when I’d spend whole days in the library.

We opted for a trio of dips with warm pitta. Tom ordered a local beer and even I (not a beer lover), thought it was delicious.

We couldn’t resist seeking out some of Chester’s most photogenic spots after lunch!

More things to do in Chester

• Take a cruise along the River Dee (from £7.50)
• Do a sightseeing bus tour around Chester’s heritage must-sees (from £8.00)
• Enjoy afternoon tea at Oddfellows, The Grosvenor or Mad Hatters
• Walk the city walls
• Visit Chester Cathedral
• Visit Chester Zoo

Where to eat dinner in Chester

After an afternoon browsing the shops (and a few pubs), we freshened up and headed to Opera Grill for dinner. If you’re planning a special meal in Chester, I highly recommend this place. Victoria had managed to get us a table even though they were fully booked and we both spent the few days before our trip to Cheshire slobbering over the online menu. It didn’t disappoint.

We ate on the heated terrace upstairs. As you can imagine, this Manx girl was very excited to see queenies (Isle of Man scallops) on the menu! They were deliciously buttery, with flavoursome chorizo, broccoli and romesco sauce. Tom ordered tikka spiced chicken skewers for his starter and was very happy with his choice.

I can never decide what cut of steak I like best so we decided to go halvsies: Argentinian fillet and USDA Prime sirloin. You’ll have to excuse the lack of pictures (the red glow from the heaters didn’t make for the best foodie shots), but I can hands down say these were the best steaks I’ve ever had. Tom reckons he got one in Vietnam that was better, but it must have come from a unicorn-cow hybrid if that’s the case. We’ll definitely be back for more.

We totally didn’t need to get dessert but I got greedy and ordered crème brûlée spiked with cardamon and orange flavours. It was good but didn’t live up to the main, if I’m being 100% honest. Tom’s sticky toffee pudding was excellent, though.

We got back to the cottage and flung ourselves down infront of the fire, in a state of pure contentment. We had the most perfect, cosy Autumn night there.

I seriously need to get a log burner for my next (fictional) house!

After a deep slumber, we rose to fresh coffee and church bells, then trotted over to the brunch place Victoria had recommended in Malpas. The Old Fire Station fuelled us up for a day of shopping at nearby Cheshire Oaks.

Cheshire Oaks is a lovely place for shopping but it was far too busy the weekend we visited. I’ll have to go back with more patience one day!

You can enjoy a complimentary breakfast pack when you book Bay Cottage Cheshire if you quote ‘Dannielle’ during booking for 2019.

How to get to Cheshire

You can book train tickets on Transpennine Express.

Click here to join my UK Travel Deals group on Facebook. We share lots of great ways to save money on UK trips and fun ideas for days out and places to visit in the UK.

Have you explored Cheshire? You might have noticed that a lot of my travel has been closer to home this year, and I’m really enjoying discovering more of what the UK has to offer. Recommendations always welcome!

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