"This was our first trip to the Grand Jersey (as well as our first to a Hand Picked Hotel) and I must say - we were very impressed.
The hotel has a very good location. While not exactly in the centre of St Helier, it is only a short stroll away. It’s also directly opposite the booking office for trips to Elizabeth Castle. To be honest, the building itself is pretty underwhelming but let me assure you - appearances can be deceptive. Once you step through the front door, the hotel begins to flaunt its five star credentials. All the public rooms are very well decorated and supremely comfortable. It is as efficiently run as any hotel we have ever stayed in - and we’ve stayed in a lot.
Our room (1) was a Deluxe double with park view and delivered everything expected and more. It was very spacious with a huge bed, meaning we enjoyed seven nights of blissfully quiet, undisturbed sleep. I won’t list all the amenities the hotel had - it had everything you could want. Room services were to be commended on listening to our requests and complying with them - not always a given. So for example, we didn’t want the turndown service and our request was honoured. Every day we had a note delivered, telling us that if we did require something - anything - to call reception. That level of personal service was echoed throughout the hotel and became the standout feature.
Only one word can describe the breakfast - magnificent. My wife and I both agreed that we can’t recall any hotel with a better one. On our first morning my heart sank slightly, as I spotted a menu on the table. I was thinking of the morning ritual, where I would have to describe what items of a “full English” I would like and what to omit - every single day. When I pointed this out to the excellent server, he explained that the menu was for special items such as omelettes and daily specials. In fact there was a full English buffet (along with an impressive array of “continental” items and pastries) where you could “load up” with all the items you wished. That was no idle boast, the buffet contained every item you could desire and all of absolute top quality. Breakfast was the single meal responsible for my weight gain during our glorious week. Trust me - breakfast is very, very impressive. Again, I must stress how good the staff at breakfast were. An absolute credit to the hotel.
Other dining and drinking options in the hotel were of the same level of quality. Eating, or simply enjoying a drink, in the excellent Champagne Lounge was a joy. The drinks prices (for a five star hotel) were very reasonable, as were the food prices from the extensive menu. I am aware that our exposure to food and drink prices in our home city of London, could make the Grand seem less expensive - but that would be wrong. During the week, we dined at other St Helier establishments that aimed for the standards achieved by the Grand and their prices were comparable.
I will only write a few sentences with regard to the fine dining restaurant Tassili. Suffice to say that days after returning, we still regard Tassili’s tasting menu (and accompanying wine flight) as the best we have ever experienced. For those who may think we don’t get out much, our disappointments range from a famous “sweary chef”, an Anglo-Italian lady chef (and TV star) whose food was decent but the service abysmal. Also, for almost every other tasting menu we have had, the wine flight was served in extremely small quantities - but not in Tassili. The chef Nicolas Valmagna and Lewis (apologies if I got your name wrong) the Sommelier/Maître d’ delivered exceptional flavours and imaginative presentation, with wines that complimented the food perfectly. I must also mention the lovely, friendly, Isobel who helped us relax and kept us up to date on the chef’s creations. You simply cannot go wrong here. Just make sure your stay includes a Thursday/Friday/Saturday - the only evenings Tassili is open.
In conclusion I would rate the Grand Jersey as one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. From checking in with the excellent and informative concierge Paul (it was a busy time) to checkout; the entire experience was genuinely five star. Absolutely recommended."
