Edgar House is a small hotel built into the line of the city wall at 22 City Walls, with the River Dee running directly below its garden. It is one of very few places in Chester where you can actually stay on the walls themselves, and the position is the main reason to choose it.

The building is a Georgian townhouse, converted into seven individually designed bedrooms rather than fitted out to any chain specification, so rooms vary a good deal – some look out over the river, some have balconies above the water. There is a lounge, a riverside garden that catches the afternoon sun, and a restaurant, Twenty2, serving lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

You are on the quiet south-eastern edge of the walled city, a few minutes’ walk from the Groves, the Roman Gardens and the amphitheatre, and about ten minutes from the Cross – close enough to walk everywhere, but set back from the noise of the centre on a weekend night. Parking is available, which is unusual this close to the middle of Chester.

It is a small operation with a strong reputation and it books up a long way ahead, particularly on race weekends and through the Christmas market period. Check current availability, room arrangements and restaurant opening directly before travelling.

Official website: www.edgarhouse.co.uk