Bath is a city of architectural, cultural and natural beauty, home to an array of fittingly splendid hotels, which collaborate well with locally sourced food, some of the UK’s best walks and impeccable cider.
Though the city centre is compact and easily walkable, a couple of Bath’s best hotels are slightly further out, set in the gentle countryside that envelopes this Unesco-heritage city. Perfect for a retreat away from the hustle and bustle.
We have even created a separate article about the best hotels for couples in Bath, should you want a romantic retreat with your loved one.
Let’s take a look at the best hotels in Bath.
1. Bath Priory
Surrounded by four acres of English country gardens, yet only 15-minutes walk from the Royal Crescent, Bath Priory is a buttery-stone manor house with 33 bedrooms and a L’Occitane spa.
Wisteria dangles above the dining terrace which looks onto the lawn and a heated outdoor pool is flanked by sun loungers. It’s really not hard for us to class it as one of the best hotels in Bath.
Fine art hangs beneath chandeliers and above roaring fires in the lounges and standards of service are high. Bedrooms feature traditional decor, with wood panelling, gilt-edged mirrors, florals and four-poster beds.
The spa leaves guests feeling truly pampered with its pre-treatment foot baths, indoor pool, steam pod and sauna.
The upmarket restaurant has been awarded three AA rosettes for its exemplary food. Afternoon teas and picnic hampers are also available.
Booking Information
Address: Weston Rd, Bath, BA12XT
Phone Number: 01225 331922
2. No 15 by GuestHouse
Located among the fabulous Georgian townhouses lining wide and beautiful Great Pulteney Street, the bedrooms at No 15 are varied but offer the utmost in comfort.
Every room has quality Egyptian cottons, a Dyson hairdryer, a record player and a TV with freeview and chromecast.
Choose between townhouse rooms that are art-themed or – in the case of the Pulteney rooms – inspired by the Georgian splendour of the street below.
Alternatively, calm and spacious rooms are available in the Coach House behind. This large boutique hotel has a sense of playfulness and offers a shared pantry for treats, picnics, nannies for dogs and private dining.
The basement houses a small, eco-friendly spa.
Booking Information
Address: 5 Great Pulteney St, Bathwick, Bath, BA24BS
Phone Number: 01225 807015
3. The Queensberry
Proudly independent, The Queensberry is a long-standing Bath favourite which is also home to the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant.
Found in Bath’s genteel north, away from the shopping streets, The Circus and Royal Crescent are close by.
Dazzling bedrooms partner vibrant velvets with statement, patterned wallpaper, while luxe bathrooms have vintage-style fittings.
Junior Suites with grand fireplaces and ornate plasterwork were once Georgian drawing rooms. Downstairs, at the Olive Tree Restaurant, Chris Cleghorn’s meticulous, creative cooking is available in six or nine courses, plus there is an a la carte menu.
Booking Information
Address: 4 – 7 Russell St, Bath, BA12QF
Phone Number: 01225 447928
4. Hotel Indigo
This 166-bedroom hotel inhabits a sprawling Georgian terrace just along from St John the Evangelist’s church, it’s one of the best hotels in Bath for those wanting a stay near the train station.
As with other properties in the respected Hotel Indigo chain, interiors reference their host city – expect quirky nods to Georgian high society and Bath’s architecture. Bedrooms have Hypnos beds and coffee machines.
The most interesting at The Hotel Indigo are the suites housed in underground vaults, which feature exposed brick walls and bathrooms with freestanding bathtubs.
The Elder is the hotel’s popular restaurant and it has a pavement terrace for warmer weather. Inspired by country cooking, it specialises in game and presents its dishes in modern and exciting ways.
The River Avon and Bath Abbey are moments away on foot.
Booking Information
Address: 2-8 S Parade, Bath, BA24AB
Phone Number: 01225 460441
5. The Gainsborough Bath Spa
Bath’s most luxurious, centrally-located hotel has a spa that taps into the city’s natural thermal springs.
The Gainsborough’s 18th-century building has plenty of pavement appeal but its entrance is fairly discrete, giving nothing away. Inside, the spa pool sits beneath a sunlit atrium and is flanked by faux-Roman columns.
The bedrooms are immaculate. Dressed in grown-up shades of blue and gold, they make the most of their tall Georgian windows and high ceilings.
Bathrooms have underfloor heating. A new restaurant, serving modern British cuisine, is just bedding in but the hotel is steps away from Bath’s most well-known sights and its nightlife.
Booking Information
Address: Beau St, Bath, BA11QY
Phone Number: 01225 358888
6. The Yard
The Yard is small but gorgeous boutique hotel that sits in an 18th-century coaching inn.
It was transformed by a young couple who have injected an enviable sense of style into every aspect of the property. Wooden doors fold open onto a courtyard and hint at the building’s past.
The flagstones here are now home to the hotel’s tiny cafe and wine bar, where you can order cheese and charcuterie boards in the evening.
The 14 rooms are decorated with quality fabrics and splashes of ikat or florals liven up the largely neutral tones on walls and beds.
The road outside can be busy but the hotel is only a short walk from tranquil Royal Victoria Park, the Royal Crescent and the city centre. One room has a private rooftop terrace.
Booking Information
Address: 1 Monmouth Pl, Bath, BA12AT
Phone Number: 01225 448896
7. The Pig near Bath
This laid-back Grade II-listed country house has extensive grounds, a fun-filled atmosphere and great quality food and drink at The Pig.
The lounges are dressed in a shabby chic style which makes them easy to relax in. The restaurant, meanwhile, is renowned for its low food miles and its bounteous kitchen garden.
Guests can enjoy expertly-mixed cocktails from the large bar then, when last orders are called, roll into unfussy rooms that are dressed in earthy paint tones and homely textures. All rooms have their own larders containing premium local snacks.
Some rooms have freestanding roll top baths, while others have a more rustic feel and are set in luxury cabins out in the garden. Spa treatments are available in Potting Sheds and deer roam the estate.
Booking Information
Address: Hunstrete House, Hunstrete, Pensford, Bath, BS394NS
Phone Number: 01761 490490
8. Eight
Eight is tucked down a narrow passageway in an atmospheric part of Bath, close to the Abbey. It is a retreat that offers calm in the city centre, although some noise can be heard from the streets outside.
The on-trend bedrooms are elegant and welcoming, with some located in a second house that faces Abbey Green, an attractive historic square.
Smart button back chairs and headboards compliment wood-panelled walls in pastel blues and greys. Service feels personal.
The restaurant’s cooking is highly rated and involves a short menu of eight small plates (though vegetarians and vegans are also catered for). The bar is an intimate, candle-lit space that was once a refectory for abbey monks.
Booking Information
Address: 3 N Parade, Passage, Bath, BA11NX
Phone Number: 01225 724111
9. Homewood
Facing a lush and pleasant valley, a 20-minute drive outside Bath, Homewood is a country house hotel which is quirky rather than stuffy, appealing to a younger crowd.
The interiors are bold and brash but the eclecticism adds to a sense of fun – there are animal-shaped bushes dotted about the garden, for example.
The spa is a big draw. A heated, outdoor pool is surrounded by cabanas and sun loungers, plus there’s an indoor pool, sauna and various hot tubs. Some of these sit bubbling on the balconies or terraces of individual bedrooms.
There are 21 bedrooms in the main house and ten in Mallingford Mews, a lodge in the grounds. The restaurant has outdoor dining domes and serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Booking Information
Address: Abbey Ln, Freshford, Bath, BA27TB
Phone Number: 1225 580439
10. The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
Step behind the photogenic facade of Bath’s most gracious Georgian crescent to find this luxury hotel, which has a spa and pretty, formal gardens at the back. It’s called The Royal Crescent Hotel.
Taking over two townhouses in the centre of the Royal Crescent, there are 45 bedrooms, including suites with their own living rooms. Each bedroom is smartly furnished and designed by Bristol’s Jane Clayton.
In fair weather, you can sit between lavender beds in the garden and enjoy an afternoon tea that includes Bath buns. Diners at the three AA rosette restaurant can enjoy a six-course tasting menu.
The spa features a relaxation pool set behind Gothic windows, a sauna and a steam room.
Booking Information
Address: 16 Royal Cres, Bath, BA12LS
Phone Number: 01225 823333
11. The Bird
Sat behind Bath’s cricket ground, The Bird is part of a small group of hotels that includes Homewood (also in this list).
A large boutique hotel, it is close to Bath Rugby and affords lovely views of Bath Abbey from upstairs windows.
Plate, the hotel restaurant, offers casual dining menus and dining domes stand outside for set-course sharing feasts. The lounge resembles the abode of a mildly eccentric art collector.
The 29 bedrooms don’t shy away from colour either and make a striking first impression – wall of colourful ties anyone?
The best bedroom has a freestanding copper bathtub. The Holburne Museum and Great Pulteney Street are a few minutes’ walk away.
Booking Information
Address: 18-19 Pulteney Rd (South), Bathwick, Bath, BA24EZ
Phone Number: 01225 580438
I have more than a decade’s experience of writing and editing for the nationals; working for print, online, news and features, mainly at the Daily Telegraph. I moved from London to the outskirts of Bath to go freelance and currently specialise in family and hotel travel.
