1 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁designated ▁as ▁a ▁Gra de   II ▁listed ▁building . ▁ ▁Hotel ▁and ▁restaurant ▁The ▁upper ▁fa ç ade ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁is ▁distinct ive ▁half - tim ber ed ▁black - and - white , ▁in ▁the ▁T ud or ▁rev ival ▁style ▁that ▁is ▁typical ▁of ▁Ch ester ▁architecture . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁hotel , ▁it ▁is ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁offering ▁five - star , ▁lux ury ▁accommod ation ▁and ▁service . ▁The ▁hotel ▁has ▁ 6 8   gu est ▁bed rooms ▁and ▁ 1 2   su ites , ▁a ▁fit ness ▁centre , ▁a ▁sp a , ▁a ▁l oun ge ▁and ▁bar , ▁board rooms , ▁a ▁Paris ian ▁style ▁family ▁restaurant ▁La ▁Br asser ie ▁and ▁a ▁highly ▁acc laimed ▁restaurant , ▁Simon ▁Rad ley ▁at ▁the ▁Ch ester ▁Gros ven or . ▁Form er ly ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Ark le , ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁restaurant ▁changed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁success ▁and ▁expert ise ▁of ▁its ▁head ▁chef , ▁Simon ▁Rad ley , ▁who ▁first ▁joined ▁the ▁hotel ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁restaurant ▁was ▁awarded ▁its ▁ 2 4 th   con sec utive ▁Michel in ▁star . ▁One ▁of ▁only ▁four ▁restaur ants ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁to ▁have ▁retained ▁a ▁star ▁for ▁that ▁length ▁of ▁time , ▁it ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁only ▁restaurant ▁in ▁the