ABode Chester, Cheshire

The hotel is easy to pick out on a satellite map - it's the distinctive circular building across the road from County Hall. Flanking it on one side is a busy roundabout (efficient double-glazing means traffic noise isn't a problem); on the other, the green expanse of the Roodee, Chester's famous racecourse. Naturally enough, it's handy for the races, and sights such as the cathedral, Roman Gardens and the Rows are only a ten-minute walk away.

By car: Chester is a 4 hour drive from London or 1 hour from Manchester. Paid parking is available at the hotel.

By train: Chester Station is 1.5 miles from the hotel, with connections to Manchester and Liverpool. Book trains to Chester.

The hotel occupies a chunk of the HQ building, which was built in the late Noughties, and the style throughout reflects that modernity. Interiors are clean-lined and frill-free but not clinical, with little shots of glam (like a peacock blue banquette or statement chandelier) adding colour and warmth.

Service, from a young team, is friendly and largely efficient. Facilities are limited, but there's a small fitness room (with Technogym equipment) on the first floor, and a same-day laundry service is available during the week. If you're organising an event, there are several meeting rooms, one of which is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Terrace
• Gym
• Parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The hotel grades its rooms from Comfortable to Fabulous, via Desirable, Enviable and Most Enviable. Upgrading a couple of notches brings added perks like robes, slippers and freestanding bathtubs, but even at the entry-level end of things, you get a good-sized room with contemporary styling and a modern bathroom.

Room types: Comfortable, Desirable, Enviable, Most Enviable, Fabulous

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with luxury toiletries, tea and coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi

Up on the fifth floor is the glamorous cocktail bar and adjoining brasserie, both sharing green and leafy views across the racecourse to the hills. The restaurant menu is a crowd-pleaser, with plenty of classic bistro-style dishes, from French onion soup and ham hock terrine to Croque monsieur, burgers, pot roast chicken and fish pie.

The Brasserie: comforting European and British classics, sandwiches, snacks, cocktails. Open for breakfast and dinner. Mains from £13.50.