The Warrington Patten Arms Hotel is a hotel of some vintage. Little information is available about its origins. Standing opposite Warrington Bank Quay and the factories set up due to the Patten family making the River Mersey navigable during the early Industrial Revolution, its name indicates its originated about that time. The Patten Arms has kept much of the original charm of the building.
The hotel is easily accessible from the motorways M56, M6, and M62. The main line station, Warrington Bank Quay is opposite the hotel. It is centrally situated in Warrington and is ideal for exploring the district.
Our room overlooked the car park at the back. Through the open window the clanking of the trains at the nearby station drifted in. The room was clean with a double bed, wardrobe, dressing table, TV, telephone, easy chair, and tea and coffee making facilities. The room lacked an ironing board, iron, and hair dryer. The on suite bathroom was spacious.
The bed proved comfortable. Every floorboard creaked to its own particular tune as people walked along the corridor but I quickly got off to sleep. Next morning, trains making there way into and out of the station opposite wakened me at an early hour.
Next morning in The Patten Room, breakfast was an experience. Our jolly host turns up at the table and asks what we would like for breakfast. "Can I see the menu", I asked. " You can have anything you want" he replied. Not quite believing this I asked for a full cooked breakfast and a pot of tea. This presented no problem. The tea arrived – slight problem nothing to pour it into. Problem solved by fetching our own cup and saucer. Toast arrives--slight problem, no butter or jam. Problem solved by fetching it ourselves. Cooked breakfast arrived in record time. Quite all right really apart from a slight overcooking of the beans and the tomatoes not having been very well drained when they were tipped out of the tin.
The restaurant is billed as a "delightful restaurant where you can sample our mouth-watering A La Carte menu and fine wines. Food is served throughout the day until 10.00 in the evening. A delicious traditional Sunday Lunch is also available." The restaurant is " both light and airy, tastefully decorated and full of interest and character." It had character. The character was of an Irish Pub. Numerous pictures lined the walls and various bric-à-brac lined shelves and racks hung from the ceiling.
I glanced into the bar. It seemed well stocked with a good selection of ales and spirits. It seemed to be a friendly place and popular with the rugby fraternity.
I wouldn’t have missed my stay for the world. My stay was hilarious. In this part of the country they call a spade "a bloody shovel". Wonder what they call this hotel?