The best hotel in Guernsey is the Old Government House, but if your budget doesn’t quite stretch to this 5-star hotel, the 4-star Duke of Richmond or La Fregate Hotel are both great luxury hotel options in St Peter Port in Guernsey.
It is worth noting that St Peter Port is not a big town so none of the hotels are that far from the central cobbled main street and the waterfront. The Duke of Richmond and La Fregate are a steep walk up the same hill from the town center.
1. Best Location: Duke Of Richmond Vs. La Fregate Hotel
The Duke Of Richmond is located up a hill, and you walk through the gorgeous Candie Gardens to get between this hotel and the center of town. The distance of The Duke Of Richmond from the town center is similar to La Fregaate. These two hotels are a short walk from each other and up the same hill.
La Fregate has the advantage of being at the front of the hill, offering better harbor views. The Duke of Richmond is set further back on the hill, which means you get to enjoy the flowers and birds in Candie Gardens as you walk to and from the town center. Both hotels have a great location in St Peter Port. La Fregate has a slightly better location because of its view.
2. Style & Character
The Duke Of Richmond has an eclectic character with lots of African prints. The staff are friendly, and the chessboard lobby makes it an utterly unique hotel. The rooms are vibrant, if a little dated, and the bathrooms are modern.
Review: Duke of Richmond, Guernsey
The Duke of Richmond is located up the hill, a 10-minute walk or 5-minute drive from the center of St Peter Port, Guernsey. If you're walking, you can make your way through lower or upper Candie Gardens to get to the hotel. The lower gardens are the most lovely walled gardens that you can imagine, packed full of colorful flowers, tweeting birds, and exotic greenery. These gardens are a 5 to 10-minute walk from the harbor front and Main Street. If you're renting a car in Guernsey, there's an ample-sized car park across the road from the hotel.
La Fregate is set in a historic Guernsey mansion dating back to the 18th Century. Parts of the hotel showcase the original heavily beamed ceilings and thick stone doorways that would have been part of the original construction. La Fregate has a historic staircase and bar area, but most of the hotel feels modern. The rooms are modern, and the bathrooms are very similar to those of the Duke of Richmond.
Both hotels offer a nice terrace and a restaurant. The views from La Fregate restaurant are better than those from the Duke of Richmond restaurant.
Review Of La Fregate Hotel, Guernsey
When you wake up at the La Fregate Hotel in St Peter Port you wake up to the best view in Guernsey. The vista that greets you spans from the forested hills to the right of this beautiful harbor-side town, across to the Islands of Sark and Herm in front of you, then around to St Sampsons to the North. In between you can watch the Condor chug in and out of the harbour, the many little craft and yachts making their journeys between the channel islands, and of course the numerous cruise ships that anchor off shore for the day.
3. Beach & Pools
La Fregate does not have a pool. There is a decent-sized pool in the lower courtyard at the Duke of Richmond. There are plenty of loungers to sit out on around and above the pool if you want to relax in the sunshine.
4. Rooms
The rooms at the Duke of Richmond offer faded glamour. They have air conditioning and blackout curtains, which I really appreciate, so you can get a really good night’s sleep here. The Sea View rooms have a lovely sea view and balcony, and the floor-to-ceiling balcony doors let loads of light into the rooms.
The rooms at La Fregate are more modern than those at the Duke of Richmond and are nice and modern in decor, but they do not have air conditioning and can be baking in the summer. They also do not have blackout curtains.
5. Breakfast
The breakfast at the Duke Of Richmond is a great breakfast, the second best of any hotel in Guernsey. The breakfast at the Old Government House is the best. There is fresh fruit, eggs any way you like (Royal, benedict, full English, etc.), plus pancakes and waffles. There are cheese and charcuterie trays, patisseries, and cereals. The setting is in the main restaurant with a conservatory bit and an internal part; it’s a nice setting for breakfast.
The breakfast at Le Fregate is disappointing. There is a very small buffet with cereals and a limited egg menu. I always come away from this breakfast disappointed and hungry.
6. Price
La Fregate and Duke Of Richmond tend to be similarly priced and are of similar quality. We would pick the Duke of Richmond if you like a good breakfast, air conditioning, and blackout curtains.
7. Conclusion
La Fregate has a more contemporary setting and better views but no pool. The Duke of Richmond has a much better breakfast, air conditioning, and blackout curtains. We prefer the Duke of Richmond.
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