Something a bit different (Hotel Chocolat)

Member Name: jennikitten

Product:	Hotel Chocolat
Date:	23/11/08 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gorgeous chocolates, well presented, nice store

Disadvantages: Price!!!!

I'd never heard of Hotel Chocolat until I'd moved to Nottingham - there's one in the city centre. Upon entering it, my eyes grew bigger and rounder and I became more high pitched as the seconds ticked by.

If you're looking for luxurious chocolate in England, this is definitely the place to go. They are also very creative with the chocolate - sets, oils, drinks, big slabs of all different flavours, gifts, dipping sticks, and of course regular boxed chocolates.

The decor is a lot more stylish, being monochrome but mainly black, compared to say Thornton's which tries to be more traditional. Hotel Chocolat definitely tries to be modern and European. The layout of the one in Nottingham is good, which shelves and tables spaced well apart so you can actually see things and not feel crammed in or pushed out of the shop. Often the same products appear in different places around the shop so if someone is standing in front of something, you can usually find it something else to have a proper look at it. They also have a display or two of seasonal goodies - good to come back to out of season for reduced price things - but don't expect a bargain.

Yes, the main drawback is the price. The chocolate is deliciously creamy, and there's something for everyone's taste, but the price it comes at is very expensive. It's not unusual to pay upwards of £30 for an Easter egg or box of chocolates, which makes it good for special occasions or a small treat (e.g. small boxes of 6 chocolates), but definitely not an all time thing. They are good for impressive presents though. They also have a chocolate club you can sign up to where they send you chocolates etc. (again very expensive). They also (in my experience) don't offer personalisation or a fountain like Thornton's do.

Summary: A very occasional treat or for gifts