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The Independent UK

Harriet Brewis

The Bath Priory hotel review

Bath

Guests enjoy the best of both worlds at this spa hotel, surrounded by four acres of lush gardens, and within walking distance of Bath’s historic city centre

Location

The Bath Priory sits on a leafy residential street, a short stroll from Royal Victoria Park. It is a 30-minute walk from the Roman baths and Bath Abbey, with the route taking you past iconic sights including the Royal Crescent and the Circus.

Regular train services run from London, Bristol and other major towns to Bath rail station, which is around a 10-minute cab ride away. The hotel boasts generous on-site parking.

The vibe

The Bath Priory is an wisteria-clad former stately home (The Bath Priory)

There is no mistaking that this honey-hued mansion was once a stately home. Like much of Bath, the hotel is museum-like in its homage to its Georgian past. The walls of the drawing room drip with oil paintings, and outside, the Gothic tracery is framed by wisteria.

While the decor may be formal and old-fashioned, the vibe is admirably un-fusty.

Log fireplaces and stacks of board games keep things cosy in winter, while a large outdoor terrace overlooking the immaculate gardens is the perfect place for a relaxing summertime drink.

Service

Staff at the Bath Priory are warm and eager to help, no matter the request. My family and I arrived at the hotel during an intense heatwave and the room was stifling as a result. The concierges responded by proffering a legion of fans, but these didn’t cut the mustard. In the end, the team hunted down and installed an air conditioning unit. We appreciated their commitment to the cause.

Bed and bath

Natural light fills the rooms at The Bath Priory (The Bath Priory)

The Bath Priory, a former boys’ school dormitory in the 1960s, has 33 elegant rooms and suites. Of these, 27 are located in the main house and six are in a large annexe known as the “Lindens” building.

Each room is named after a different flower, which is reflected in the décor. Floral headboards and curtains add a homely touch of colour to an otherwise neutral scheme.

Each room is unique and some come with traditional four-poster beds, “Romeo and Juliet” balconies overlooking the gardens, and walk-in marble showers. The suites over in Lindens also benefit from spacious living rooms.

Food and drink

The hotel’s restaurant is open five days a week (The Bath Priory)

The hotel takes food seriously, and food is inventive and of the highest quality. Highlights from the European menu at the main restaurant include white crab meat with mooli, and lamb loin with aubergine and wild garlic. This restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the less formal Pantry and its adjoining terrace are open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner every day of the week.

There is a kids’ menu and you can also enjoy afternoon tea, with gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian options available.

The à la carte breakfast at the Pantry is a real treat. I enjoyed the “Full Nourish” of crushed avocado, beet black pudding, spinach, hummus and poached eggs.

Facilities

The heated outdoor pool is open April to October (The Bath Priory)

The Garden Spa is the only in the country run by French brand L’Occitane, and boasts a sauna, aroma steam room and indoor pool. Choose from treatments including aromachology massages and luxury pedicures.

Exit the spa and you’ll find yourself in the beautifully-bordered rock garden facing the “cedar of Lebanon” – a centuries-old tree which forms the centrepiece of the award-winning gardens.

There is no gym, but guests can borrow yoga mats and instructive cards to inform their practice from reception.

Beyond the hotel’s croquet lawn you’ll find the heated outdoor pool, which is open from April to October.

Accessibility

There is a dedicated accessible room on the ground floor which has a grab rail and an emergency pull cord. Most public areas are on the ground floor, and there is a disabled space in the car park.

Pet policy

There are two dog-friendly rooms, and there’s a cost of £25 per dog, per night. This includes a dog bed and water bowl. Dogs aren’t allowed in the restaurant, library, drawing room or spa.

Check in/check out?

Check in is at 3pm, check out is at 11am.

Family-friendly?

Children are welcomed and the hotel can provide baby monitors, bottle warmers, sterilising kits, cots, cutlery and step-up stools. Kid-friendly picnic hampers can be pre-ordered and enjoyed either at the hotel or on a day out.