Hotel Chocolat food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Colchester
Hotel Chocolat holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 July 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 21 Culver Street West, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JG
How it compares in Colchester
That puts Hotel Chocolat among the 1,200 places in Colchester holding top marks, 89% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,200 | 89% | ← Hotel Chocolat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 83 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 50 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 302 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Hotel Chocolat none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Hotel Chocolat, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopstix Noodle Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 27 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| BBQ Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 35 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2024 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Cafe at Number 21 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 130 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| Bills Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2024 |
| Caffe Nero at Fenwicks Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| Carluccio's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2023 |
Questions about Hotel Chocolat
What is Hotel Chocolat's food hygiene rating?
Hotel Chocolat has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 2 July 2024.
Is Hotel Chocolat safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Hotel Chocolat last inspected?
Hotel Chocolat was last inspected on 2 July 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Colchester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Hotel Chocolat?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Hotel Chocolat compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and Hotel Chocolat is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Hotel Chocolat and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Hotel Chocolat and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Colchester inspects and rates 1,651 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Colchester →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.colchester.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →