Alexandra Lodge Guest House

The morning sun filters through Victorian bay windows onto polished floorboards, and you can hear the city stirring just streets away from your door.

This is one for couples exploring Chester's Roman walls and independent shops, or anyone wanting a proper bed and breakfast base with the option of something a bit different — there's a camping pod tucked in the garden if you fancy sleeping outside without giving up the guest house facilities. Dogs might be welcome, but ask ahead to be sure. Being this close to the city centre means you can leave the car and wander straight into the medieval Rows or along the Dee, then come back to a quiet residential street when the day-trippers have gone home.

Inside it's classic guest house hospitality — rooms upstairs, the pod offering a quirky alternative if you want your own space. Check about campfires when you arrive if you're podding and thinking of an evening fire. Open all year, so it works for winter city breaks as much as summer exploring. The feel is relaxed, unpretentious, city-near but not city-noisy.