Customers looking for “bigger, more extravagant” rooms have inspired the owners of Aberdeen’s Chester Hotel to invest in the creation of six new luxury suites.
The hotel now boasts a total of 11 suites while a further 28 rooms have been refurbished – although the amount owners Graham Wood his wife Gillian have spent on the upgrade remains hush-hush.
Mr Wood said: “As the hotel emerged from the pandemic, we noticed a significant trend of guests looking for larger, more luxurious rooms and our suites were always the first accommodation to fill.
“We believe it’s important to follow guest trends to remain relevant to our customer base. We’re also committed to continued investment in the hotel and in the north-east of Scotland.”
The rooms also feature a selection of original Scottish artwork, including one of the world’s largest collections of works by John Byrne. The Paisley-born author and painter – often described as one of Scotland’s greatest artists – was the partner of actress Tilda Swinton.
In order to expand the rooms, the smallest of the hotel’s existing bedrooms were removed and knocked into five suites.
The larger, executive suite – the Harlaw Suite, which features a fireplace and picture windows – has been created from a space previously in use as a public area.
The House – a free standing house within the grounds of the hotel which can be booked on an exclusive basis or by individuals – which has four rooms, is also proving particularly popular with overseas golfing groups and wedding parties.
More than half of the hotel’s bedrooms have also been refurbished with new carpets and decor throughout.
The remaining 24 hotel bedrooms were all created in 2019 and opened just prior to pandemic lockdowns.
The owners originally launched ambitious plans for expansion in 2018 after it had acquired the neighbouring Hamilton School buildings.
The Chester Hotel in Queen’s Road is Aberdeen’s only AA four silver star hotel.
See what the new rooms look like.
Conversation