A genteel stay to inspire your next trip to Bath …
VIBE A neo-classical gem with two Michelin keys.
NEED TO KNOW The hotel straddles two townhouses in Royal Crescent, an iconic Georgian masterpiece designed by John Wood the Younger, completed in 1775. Overlooking Royal Victoria Park, it’s a short stroll from the ring of townhouses known as The Circus.
ROOMS There are 45, with ceiling roses, cornices, arty touches and Jo Malone bath products – comfort without stuffiness. Mine had a terrace overlooking the pretty hotel gardens with plenty of cosy chairs for reading. Some rooms are pet-friendly. Residents can enjoy a complimentary drink in The Library, also referred to as Alfie’s Lounge, named after the hotel’s cat.
DO Venture out. The No 1 Royal Crescent museum will fill you in on the history of this prestigious address. Bring your walking shoes for navigating cobbled streets which provided inspiration for authors including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Mary Shelley, Anna Sewell and Henry Fielding, among others.
DINING The Montagu’s Mews restaurant is in a listed Georgian building, named after Elizabeth Montagu who used the building to run a women’s literary discussion group, the Blue Stockings Society. It’s the elegant setting for breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner.
DO Order one of the signature cocktails before dinner. Chef Martin Blake’s six-course tasting menu is popular at weekends. In better weather, guests can dine on the lawns and terrace.
SPA The Bath House is small but charming with a gym and exercise studio, relaxation pool, Himalayan saltinfused sauna, herbal steam room and treatments by Peigín Crowley’s Ground Wellbeing brand and mani-pedis by Jessica Nails.
DO Investigate some of the additional experiences including a private perfume masterclass with Parterre Fragrances or a shopping experience at Pockets, a beautifully restored Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse boutique which stocks international designers such as Moncler, Max Mara and Dries Van Noten.
VERDICT Grown-up and gracious, it’s worth the splurge. Overnight stays with breakfast start from £410stg; www.royalcrescent.co.uk.
SEE MORE: Checking In – Regency House, Belfast
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