[1] Before the present building was constructed in 1863–66,[2] the site was occupied first by the pub The Golden Talbot and later by The Royal Hotel.

The Golden Talbot was recorded as being "ancient" in its 1751 mention in one of the local weekly newspapers and had been in operation during the reign of Elizabeth I.

[6] The upper façade of the building is distinctive half-timbered black-and-white, in the Tudor revival style that is typical of Chester architecture.

[8] Formerly known as The Arkle, the name of the restaurant changed in 2008 to reflect the success and expertise of its head chef, Simon Radley, who first joined the hotel in 1986.

[11] Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor, formerly known as The Arkle, until 2022, it had previously retained its Michelin star for 30 consecutive years.

Queen Elizabeth II visited the hotel when it hosted wedding festivities for a daughter of the Grosvenor family.