These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bath is an excellent choice for a romantic city break. You can wallow in the naturally warm waters of Thermae Bath Spa’s rooftop pool, go for strolls along the elegant Georgian streets and the National Trust’s Bath Skyline Walk, row a boat down the River Avon, and fly over the city in a hot-air balloon. There are plenty of cosy cafés and intimate, high-quality restaurants to choose from, plus a wide selection of charming places to stay. For a lovely Somerset city break à deux, here’s our pick of the most romantic hotels in Bath.
No.15 Great Pulteney
Bath, Somerset, England
The loveliest street in Bath, running between Pulteney Bridge and the Holburne Museum, is home to this well appointed and imaginatively designed boutique hotel set in a Georgian Grade I-listed building. The owners have blended the original fittings and features with some quirky, idiosyncratic and creative touches, from the artworks by students at Bath Spa University to hand-blown glass lights, chandeliers made out of earrings and collections of kaleidoscopes, musical instruments, army uniforms, cartes de visite and other odd curios. A basement spa adds four treatment rooms cedar wood hot tub, sauna, steam room and post massage ‘retreat room’ to the mix.
From
£
162
per night
Rates provided by
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The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
Bath, Somerset, England
This luxury hotel encompasses two townhouses in Bath’s showpiece Georgian crescent. An elegant tone is set by curvaceous staircases overseen by classical busts, lounges with chandeliers and oil paintings, and extravagant suites with elaborate stuccoed ceilings. Hidden behind lies the hotel’s lovely acre of pristine garden, with mature trees and shrubs, striking modern statuary and wooden tables and chairs on lawns much used for eating and drinking in fine weather. Four further Georgian buildings at the back of the garden house the spa, a contemporary-styled bar and the pretty Dower House Restaurant.
From
£
248
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Bath
The Queensberry Hotel
Bath, Somerset, England
Despite its 18th-century surroundings, The Queensberry is less traditional than most of Bath’s other luxury hotels and has a rather modern look. The drawing room, in Farrow & Ball tones of grey, has an enticing air of relaxed informality, while a likeable jauntiness to the enterprise is in evidence in the slick-looking Old Q Bar, where the hotel’s own fun Queensberry Rules are on display. (No3: “It’s Bath, OK? With the A pronounced like the A in Arm, not the A in bat”). The hotel’s basement restaurant, The Olive Tree, has a Michelin star, and arguably offers the best fine dining in Bath. If you’re splashing out on a special occasion, consider asking for Room 4, which has a vast bathroom with two side-by-side showers and a freestanding bath.
From
£
121
per night
Rates provided by
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The Bath Priory
Bath, Somerset, England
This 1830s, creeper-covered Bath stone mansion backs on to nearly four acres of beautifully maintained gardens that include expansive lawns, ponds, and a kitchen garden. The large terrace overlooking the garden is very popular for eating and drinking in fine weather. Setting the country-house tone inside are plush lounges with squishy sofas, ticking clocks, real fires in winter and a large and enjoyably diverse array of art. The hotel has the UK’s only L’Occitane Spa which, as well as four treatment rooms, offers a sauna, steam pod and smart indoor swimming pool. A heated outdoor swimming pool, tucked discreetly away in the gardens, is a lovely spot in the summer months.
From
£
189
per night
Rates provided by
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Dukes
Bath, Somerset, England
This atmospheric b&b occupies two Grade I-listed 18th-century townhouses. The façade on Edward Street, with its double-bow frontage and pretty fanlight over the front door, is particularly striking. Inside, long sash windows and creaky floors abound, and furnishings are largely in keeping with the Georgian era. There are 17 attractive rooms which vary in style – some have coordinated, floral-patterned curtains and wallpaper; others oriental prints. Rooms on the lower floors typically have high ceilings and long sash windows, while those on the top floor are cosier.
From
£
100
per night
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Hotel Indigo Bath
Bath, Somerset, England
The hotel fills much of the length of South Parade, an ever-so-elegant Georgian terrace. Inside, the atmosphere is more informal and trendier than most of Bath’s other upmarket hotels. Competing visuals such as Regency-style portraits with blotches of primary colours obscuring subjects’ faces, animals dressed in military costumes, and historical maps of Bath riff playfully on the city’s heritage. The style continues to the bedrooms: Romance & Mischief rooms have a playing cards motif while architectural Beauty rooms feature wallpaper patterned with neo-classical arches. The central but quiet location, the large terrace in front of the property and the excellent restaurant – an intimate spot for dinner – are major draws.
From
£
98
per night
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The Bird
Bath, Somerset, England
Avian-themed décor, excellent (and good-value) food, first-rate service and individually designed bedrooms – many with expansive views – are among this boutique Victorian hotel’s draws. Interiors have been given an imaginative overhaul by experienced hoteliers Ian and Christa Taylor, who have injected a touch of fun into its look (think crockery depicting birds, and stuffed birds in the lounge). The 31 bedrooms all have different features, but can include bold bedcovers, eye-catching modern art and chandeliers, though rooms at the rear are quieter and have the views over the city. Plump for the one with its own outdoor hot tub if you’re planning an evening in.
From
£
116
per night
Rates provided by
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• The best b&bs in Bath
The Gainsborough Bath Spa
Bath, Somerset, England
The Townhouse occupies a grandiose 1820s building that started life as a hospital, and then for many years was part of Bath’s art college. A massive renovation has contemporised the look in keeping with the building’s Georgian heritage, with notable features including Roman coins from the Beau Street Hoard and eye-catching works of modern art by college students in the restaurant. The Romanesque Spa Village is an alluring highlight, especially for couples wishing to wallow in the three substantial thermal pools. Other enticements include the hotel’s prime, central location, extremely comfy bedrooms, excellent, creative food and first-rate service.
From
£
183
per night
Rates provided by
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The Roseate Villa
Bath, Somerset, England
In some respects this sizeable, professionally run b&b, with smart and spacious bedrooms and first-rate breakfasts, feels more like a boutique hotel. The property occupies a pair of substantial Victorian houses in a peaceful spot overlooking a park, a short and pleasant walk from Bath’s city centre. Inside, the look is elegant and unfussy, with a lovely light breakfast room featuring park-view bay windows, crystal chandeliers, large mirrors and Lloyd loom seating. There are 21 bedrooms in the same style; some are fairly palatial, perhaps furnished with button-back chairs or a chaise longue, and several overlook Henrietta Park. Afternoon tea with home-baked cakes is also on offer, and there’s a help-yourself honesty bar in the breakfast room.
From
£
128
per night
Rates provided by
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Contributions by Simon Horsford