SET in the heart of Cheltenham, The Montpellier Chapter looks just as good inside as its striking Regency façade.

Everything, from the lobby to the restaurant to the 61 guest rooms to the artwork, has been designed with an impeccable eye for detail, and the whole place oozes class.

But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the hotel is the superb service. So often at upmarket hotels, there is a sense of languor or apathy about the staff; not so at the Chapter. From a phone call to the room to check everything was to our liking 10 minutes after we arrived, to bringing us samples of their various Sauvignon Blancs to choose from after I casually mentioned that I don’t like mine too dry, they go above and beyond to make guests feel special.

Special is the most apt word for the rooms too. Besides the vast double beds and sparkling bathrooms, it is the little touches which are most notable: complimentary Zen toiletries, Egyptian cotton linen and a large roll top bath just a step from the bed being among the highlights.

After settling in, we went to the restaurant for dinner and, due to it being a Monday in January, we had the entire place pretty much to ourselves.

This gave us a chance to admire the setting at its poised best, and enjoy the undivided attention of the waitress, who was warm and full of advice on a menu with so many enticing options that choosing was a tough task.

To start I picked the marinated buffalo mozzarella (£7.50) while my companion had the ham and pea soup of the day (£5.50). For our mains, I had the baked cod and mussels (£18.95) while he chose the ragu of Cotswold venison (£17.95). I finished with the sticky toffee pudding and he opted for the chocolate twist (both £6.50). The food was faultless. Both delicious and presented elegantly, it’s no surprise the restaurant is a favourite with locals as well as hotel guests.

After dinner, we had cocktails in the bar and lounge. I had an espresso martini while he went with the classic mojito (two for £10), and we enjoyed our drinks in the tranquillity of the library area which overlooks trendy Montpellier.

So, with everything clearly so perfect, why haven’t I given The Montpellier Chapter the full five stars? Well, unfortunately, two incidents which were arguably beyond the hotel’s control almost ruined our stay.

First, the fire alarm went off at 5am, forcing all of the guests to gather outside in the freezing cold and wait for around 30 minutes for the fire service to arrive and give the all clear before we could head back inside.

Then, when we woke up in the morning we discovered that there was no hot water in our room. We called reception who promptly sent up two members of staff in a vain attempt to fix the problem, before then informing us that there was no hot water in the entire hotel due to a fault with the pump. Everyone was incredibly apologetic, but that didn’t prevent us having to brave a cold shower and then rush through breakfast at breakneck speed in order to avoid being late for work.

The member of staff in the restaurant somewhat redeemed the hotel by offering us a selection of ham, cheese and bread to takeaway for lunch, but it was difficult to leave the place in a good mood after such a stressful morning.

Of course, the fire alarm and lack of hot water were undoubtedly just bad luck on our part and not representative of the normal experience of guests, and the rest of our stay was fantastic.

So, I have no hesitation in saying that The Montpellier Chapter is well-deserving of its reputation as one of the finest hotels in Cheltenham and the wider Cotswolds.

4/5

Rooms at The Montpellier Chapter, which also has a spa and treatment rooms, start from £165 per night for two people.

themontpellierchapterhotel.com