Overview

I loved everything about Gladstone's Library. It's amazing in every way. It was the perfect place to visit, it really uplifted and nurtured my mind and soul. The building and location are beautiful and also very accessible. The Theology Room, is gorgeous, it's like being a guest in a personal library of someone who lives in a gothic castle, and as a resident you get a fab which gives you access to the library till 10pm. the restaurant is open 8am to 8pm, and the food is outstandingly good. A continental breakfast is included in the room rate and you can pay a little extra for cooked food. Then the restaurant is open throughout the day for lunch, cakes and dinner. The menu included vegetarian and vegan dishes, and they use locally sourced foods. The quality of the food is exceptional. It's a good place to come to recharge your batteries. This is a residential library, it's not stuffy and the place and location would be good even if didn't primarily want to use the library's facilities. You could use it as a base to explore North Wales, with good accessible accommodation and a lovely restaurant, with a varied menu, or equally you could just stay on site for your entire visit. This is a place you'd like if you want a quite, peaceful, relaxing holiday. Hawarden is a small village in North Wales, with a couple of pubs, post office and a couple of shops.

Transport & Parking

I travelled by public transport to Gladstone's and it was easy, cheap and accessible. I travelled by train to Chester. Opposite Chester's train station there is a bus stop S4, next to the Town Crier public house, and from there the 4 and x4 buses to Mold depart and take you to Hawarden. Buses have one entrance/ exit with a ramp and wheelchair spaces. Buses are about every 30 minutes during the day. I didn't find the service 100% reliable, as the 2pm didn't turn up when I was travelling there and I ended up getting the next bus about 20-30 minutes later. There is a shelter and seating at the bus stop so it was ok. The journey took about 30-40 minutes and the bus driver was helpful and told me when I reached my stop, which is the Glynne Arms. From there it's a five minutes level walk to the Library. On the way back I left earlier to ensure if a bus was cancelled I would catch my train. Again a bus came 20 minutes after I had expected one, and waiting at the bus stop directly outside the Glynne Arms was difficult as there is no seating or shelter. The pub has a low wall, but I would not have been able to get up again. Public transport is a good option but just allow yourself plenty of time to travel in case buses don't turn up as planned. There is a car park for guests.

Access

Gladstone's is in its own grounds. There is a very short concreate road and a paved path once you turn off the road, the building is directly in front of you. The grounds are flat, and and have paved paths and lawn. There are benches outside and it's very pleasant to sit out. The entrance is at the front, and there is a double manual door and if required you can ring for assistance. There is a small reception office directly opposite the entrance. Gladstone's library rooms, café, chapel and two accessible bedrooms are on the ground floor and have step free access. The only exception to this is the spiral staircase to the gallery in the library, see photo, however if you require a book from there staff will assist you. Although it is a historic building it has been made very accessible. For example when they were closed for covid, the step in the main corridor was removed and it is now step free. There are 2 accessible bedrooms on the ground floor. I had room 2. This was a twin room which was furnished with good quality furniture. There was a very nice desk and two chairs, wardrobe and bedside tables. There are no TVs in the rooms but there is a Roberts Radio. There is free wifi throughout the building. The bathroom had a wheels in shower with a a fitted seat, a portable stool, grab rails and 2 sinks of different heights. The room was extremely comfortable and cosy. Residents can take most books to their rooms. My room had a fire exit door. The main library room is called the Theology Room has desks and some of the other library rooms too. When you arrive you are given a tour of the library. There are A4 posters which you can put down on a desk and your desk is reserved for you until you remove the poster. This was really helpful, as I didn't have to rush in the morning to try to get a desk, plus you can leave your books there until you are finished with them. The cafe has free standing tables and chairs. At present lunch, dinner and day time snacks are waiter service and only breakfast is self service, but staff are at hand if you need any help. There is also a chapel with free standing chairs.

Toilets

There are 2 bedrooms with accessible bathrooms. In the ground floor communal space there are 2 accessible toilets. Both have the emergency red cord and grab rails. When I visited one of the emergency cords were not working and there was a sign on the door, advising people to go to the other accessible toilet if required. This cord also didn't reach to the ground. I informed staff and they were going to arrange to replace the cord.

Staff

Staff were exceptional, nothing was too much trouble. Everyone was lovely and friendly. They were welcoming when I arrived. They came and checked if my room was ok and if I would require any assistance if the fire alarm went off. The staff on reception were also very helpful and friendly. I was having difficulty lacing up my shoes and each morning I'd go to reception and the staff would do this for me. The library staff were very knowledge and helpful. In the restaurant staff were amazing, very attentive service. I felt well looked after.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

I felt covid confident. In the building people were expected to wear masks when they moved around but could take their masks off when seated. When I raised that the person sitting opposite me in the library wasn't wearing a mask and I asked if I could move. The staff on duty immediately moved my desk so I no longer had to sit next to anyone. Staff and guests were wearing masks. There were lots of hand sanitisers around the building. I felt very safe. Weekdays at 8am there is a short service in the chapel, which includes religious and secular prose. I visited Gladstone's after hearing amazing things from friends. It really deserves its reputation. I enjoyed my three nights there and can't wait to go back. I highly recommend if you are looking for somewhere friendly and welcoming, charming and historic, in a nice, quiet location with delicious food and very accessible.

Photos