Special feature: The Chester Residence, Edinburgh, UK

We have just returned from a very relaxing stay at The Chester Residence in Edinburgh, Scotland, where we stayed in a 2-bedroomed Mews Apartment (apartment 7/2 on Rothesay Place). The Chester Residence consists of 4 Georgian townhouses in a peaceful location and yet just a short walk from Edinburgh’s many attractions and shops. We arrived after a 3-hour drive through sleet and snow to warm, cosy accommodation and a generous ‘welcome basket’, bottle of wine, some snacks and a fridge well-stocked with a choice of beverages.

Our apartment had two bedrooms – one double with en suite shower room, and another bedroom that could be configured as a double or twin, next to a separate bathroom.

The second bedroom makes this particular apartment an ideal choice for families.

Both bathrooms were stocked with a generous supply of Molton Brown toiletries, in addition to flannels, towels and bath robes.

In addition to the bedrooms and bathrooms, there is further living space in the form of an airy, open plan lounge, with flat-screen TV, satellite and DVD player (with a wide selection of DVDs to choose from at reception), and a modern, well-equipped kitchen and dining area just off from it.

The kitchen is well-equipped with oven, induction hob, microwave, dishwasher, kettle and coffee maker, as well as pots and pans and all the usual utensils in case you want to try out your own culinary skills.

It was dark outside when we arrived but in the morning, we drew back the curtains to find a light dusting of snow on the ground. Pictured below is the view from our window – it shows the beautiful Georgian architecture that can be found in this prestigious part of the city, and that is also typical of The Chester Residence.

Breakfast was ordered the night before an ddelivered to our room. I chose the Scottish smoked salmon, mozzarella, salad of watercress and wholemeal baguette dressed with lemon.

The Chester Residence is almost a cross between an hotel and luxurious self-catering accommodation. You are provided with all the services that you might expect from a hotel, including a 24-hour concierge service, but have the privacy and independence that’s normally only afforded to self-catering.

On an evening, this also means that you can either cook for yourself or dinner can be brought to you for you to eat in the privacy of your own accommodation. On the Saturday evening, we chose from the following menu:

Smoked duck, celeriac remoulade and fondant beetroot
Crispy polenta with sauted wild mushrooms, seasonal leaves
Prawn and langoustine ravioli, buttered leek and cream sauce

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Braised shoulder of lamb with balsamic and thyme,
glazed root vegetables and pomme dauphinoise
Braised short rib of beef, red wine sauce, fine beans, potato and celeriac gratin
Slow-roast belly of pork, beetroot and celeriac gratin, glazed seasonal vegetables

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Hot chocolate fondant, almond and honey ice cream
Almond and quince tart with clotted cream and whisky ice cream
Roast poached pears, filo crisps and ginger ice cream

It was brought to us with instructions, ready for us to simply heat up and enjoy at our convenience. This really is ideal for parents of little ones who are never quite sure how long ‘bedtime’ is going to take! Here’s the ‘before and after’ of the prawn and langoustine ravioli with buttered leek and cream sauce.

All that was required was to boil the pasta for five minutes, heat the sauce and pour it on top, and ‘voila’. Please forgive my lack of presentation skills but, I assure you, it was delicious!

The food was extremely good though, to be honest, the starter was a meal in itself! Our children were also well catered for, and there was a real attention to detail, a recognition of the needs of families, and a friendly smile from all the staff we encountered. The staff can really make or break a place and it was evident here that they were very attentive and approachable.

The Chester Residence has clearly worked hard to achieve its current ranking on Tripadvisor where it is ranked #1 of 129hotels in Edinburgh – a ranking which I would say, on the basis of our visit at least, it richly deserves.