Bath Priory Hotel, Bath, United Kingdom
Hotel Overview
Review of Bath Priory Hotel, by Caroline Major
Among other things, boutique hotel Bath Priory on the outskirts of Bath has the oldest cedar tree in England growing in its beautiful garden. It's large as Enid Blytons' Magic Faraway Tree with trunk so huge it would take Jo, Bessy and Fanny to wrap their arms right around. Under moonlight, the small garden with its wonderful pathways and alcoves is just like The Enchanted Forest.
The original Bath Priory building is flanked with two new buildings given away only by the newness of the limestone. As it weathers, the texture of the building will improve with age, and blend in seamlessly with the historic structure.
The facilities
Downstairs in the boutique hotel's dining area, the chef provides the top reason to visit The Bath Priory. Breakfast and dinner are both events not to be missed. A twist on kippers served with a chardonnay sauce satisfied my plonk-loving companion while I savoured the Michelin star Fry-up.
If you want to be a little more active, head to the boutique hotel's Garden Spa. Here, guests can use the gym, swim in indoor and outdoor pools and have beauty/massage treatments. There's also a sauna.
The rooms
Bath Priory Hotel has 27 individually decorated rooms, all named after different flowers. Book a garden view room for gorgeous views of the boutique hotel's extensive property - we recommend asking for Carnation, Heather or Lilac. Rooms have internet access.
The Bath Priory Hotel's newer buildings house the larger suites. Choose these if you're after a bit more living area.
Facilities
Rooms
27Come for...
- Award-winning gardens with manicured lawns and flowerbeds
- Low-key ambience
- Pretty, botanical-themed suites
- Thermal Spa nearby
Not Suitable for...
- Those who are after a central location
The Press Say
"Where is the best place to stay? Bath Priory, for its charm, style, wonderful food and romantic gardens." Telegraph 06"The quintessential English country house, set on four acres of manicured gardens and rolling lawns. Originally built in 1835, the hotel has a heated swimming pool and a sun terrace." The New York Times 06
Reviews
Review of Bath Priory Hotel, by Sarah Shuckburgh
The Bath Priory Hotel is the only boutique hotel in Bath with a Michelin-starred restaurant - an award it has held since 1999. The boutique hotel is situated in a residential area within walking distance of Bath city centre, near Royal Victoria Park and Royal Crescent, but it feels more like a country house. There are log fires and fresh flowers, and the downstairs rooms are full of antiques, comfortable sofas, and owner Andrew Brownsword's personal collection of Edwardian and modern paintings.
The facilities
The Bath Priory Hotel is built on land once owned by the priory, though almost the only hint of a priory today is a pulpit which is used as the reception desk. The boutique hotel spreads across two Cotswold stone houses - one, built in Gothic style, dating from 1835, the other, Linden's Villa, from 1905. In 1997, links were made between the two houses, adding 10 rooms and a basement spa area, which offers a range of beauty treatments, with pool, sauna, steam room and gym.
The houses
The houses still retain distinctive atmospheres, and their south-facing gardens, separated by a listed wall, are different too - one more 'Capability Brown', with lawns, huge trees, and areas of wild flowers and long grass (and interesting sculptures of a conker and a peapod); the other side, more 'Gertrude Jekyll', with shrubs and borders of perennials creating outdoor 'rooms', one of which conceals a heated swimming pool. The enthusiastic Head Gardener, Jane Moore - who won a silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2003 - runs one-day gardening workshops and longer residential gardening courses at the boutique hotel.