...AND
TO STAY
Chester’s fantasy hotel is
a beautiful addition to the
boutique hotel scene...
he Oddfellows Hotel is the brainchild
T
of four people - Izzy Grey, Gary Carter,
Wellend Lister and Ken Roscoe – who
have achieved an absolute fantasy world for
us to share in.
Operating as Lister Carter Associates, they have
created a specialist bar, restaurant and hotel design
group with an illustrious portfolio.
In the centre of Chester this Georgian neo classical
building has been lovingly restored at a cost of over £2.4 was sponsored by Hennesy, stocked with the
million, a fact which is evident as soon as you cross the finest brandies and aged malt whiskies - a real
threshold. connoisseurs’ delight.
Oddfellows is Chester’s new open house members’ Walking through the reception area we
club; a place of eating, meeting, fine dining, champagne entered a wide open hall with bespoke glass Gilbert the model pig with a tray on his back for drinks.
sipping, cocktail shaking, afternoon tea, dancing and desk, leading into the champagne bar with The members’ lounge can only be described as
general enjoyment. its oversized drinks cabinets, tables and a visual extravaganza with fab décor and fabrics
Everything is designed to make the usual unusual; candlesticks. You could just imagine how Alice everywhere, two oversized state of the art screens, a
the ordinary extraordinary. Décor veers from gracious in Wonderland must have felt. personally commissioned bespoke Yellow mirrored
sophistication to dramatic intensity. Nothing matches, The clientele were a mixed age, all smart bar. Each blind on the window has a colourful image
but everything makes complete sense. and no doubt networking as well as socialising. of a dog, except the one in the loo which features
When we arrived we were greeted by our hostess Most seemed to be regulars or members of Paris Hilton – cheeky!
and operations director Izzy Grey, who has worked all the club, Oddfellows VIPs, which, for a yearly After our champagne and wonderful guided tour
over the world and has brought more than 10 years of subscription, includes the use of the exclusive it was time to eat in the Grown up Restaurant, all
experience to the hotel. members’ lounge on the first floor and the open decked out in unique designs.
We start our tour in the magical Alice in kitsch (terrace). As we climbed the stairs that had been worn away
Wonderland room with oversized furniture, candelabras The evening was perfect for alfresco dining by years of scurrying servants from times gone by, we
and tables and chairs on the ceiling. The dining with the brassiere leading onto a large walled were welcomed into a bedroom with beamed rafters
room leads to a vault with a solid steel original door, courtyard with a number of different eating and and luxurious crisp linen and a walk-in shower to
a romantic table for two with all the glamour of a drinking areas all set around a candlelit pond. accommodate two. Beautiful mirrored trunks were set
crystal chandelier and the privacy for romance, this has For six or more people there were Bedouin tents as side tables.
now become known as the proposal room were the all equipped with heaters. We also came across Oddfellows was a purely pleasurable experience
romantics amongst us will go down on one knee. two more very unique areas: the forest of tall and so different than anywhere else we have been to
Entertainment in the next room, a private dinning legged tables and then the gnome garden - a for a long time. So go on, indulge yourself.
room, includes a stereo with a selection of old LPs crazy jigsaw shaped table with gnome stools. Oddfellows Chester, 20 Lower Bridge Street,Chester
and an honesty bar with a difference, a tall original Other features included the naughty chair CH1 1RS. Telephone 01244 400001, email:
S Whithers & Co safe that has been restored and by Philippe Starck, a Swarovski chandelier, and
hello@oddfellows.biz or visit:
www.oddfellows.biz.
magazine 15
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