The Bath Priory Hotel is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Only a stone’s throw away from all the city has to offer, this gorgeous hotel has plenty of surprising treats to uncover.
OBB Rating
Location
Bath, England
Accommodation
For the penultimate night before my wedding, I wanted to find a relaxing escape for my soon-to-be hubby and I to enjoy each other’s company, before the wedding frenzy became completely all-consuming. We were set to marry in Ewen, near Cirencester, so I began by searching for nearby hotel’s
I had booked one of the hotel‘s Superior Rooms for a one-night getaway to celebrate my partner’s birthday. However, upon check-in, we were generously upgraded to a Premier Deluxe Room, complete with an adorable private balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens. We were chuffed to say the least!
The room was incredibly spacious for a country house hotel and impeccably clean. It was also cleverly designed with a modern feel to it, whilst still retaining traditional elements and classic charm in keeping with the rest of the property (while in no way coming across as too old-fashioned or ‘tired’).
My favourite part of any hotel room is almost always the bathroom, and this one did not disappoint. Again, it was spacious and had oodles of marble but the underfloor heating ensured it was always at a perfect temperature… something that can be tricky to get right in the British countryside. Particularly during the winter months and early spring.
Facilities
This is a spa hotel with both indoor and outdoor pools, and what they call ‘The Garden Spa’, located next to the main building. Sadly, I didn’t indulge in a treatment on this stay (it wasn’t my birthday after all ;)) so I again can’t speak to those, though I’d love to return and try them out. I did, however, make use of all the other spa facilities.
The indoor pool wasn’t a ‘wow’ for me, there weren’t many beds and there were a lot of kids who were being very loud, so it wasn’t particularly relaxing. They have a sauna and steam room, which were fine but nothing overly special, so overall I’ve marked the hotel as a 4/5, as I had slightly higher expectations of the relaxation facilities.
We much preferred the garden pool as it felt a lot more peaceful. You have to walk through part of the gardens to reach it, but that makes it even better as the gardens are beautiful. There were also kids playing out there, but it was nice to hear them laughing and running around (instead of the echoed screams from before). There’s nothing quite like dipping your feet into an outdoor pool on a crisp, sunny spring afternoon while you’re wearing your cosy hotel robe. Bliss. It was rather like being in a film featuring the perfect bucolic afternoon.
Food
This hotel has its own 3 AA Rosette restaurant, which we were eager to sample, but it’s rather pricey. Plus, we didn’t want to stay in the hotel the entire time, so I’m afraid I can’t actually give you any insight into the food… but judging by how busy it was even on a Sunday evening, I think it’s a safe bet. That being said, we did order a couple of cheeky Espresso Martini’s to our room before dinner and I can confirm, they were 10 out of 10.
Instead, we chose to wander into the city and uncovered one of our new favourite restaurants in Bath, Chez Dominique. This was very fortuitous as I largely chose it given that most other top recommended restaurants were closed on Sunday evenings! In case you’re interested in checking out a list of my faves, I’ve put together a handy Bath restaurant guide.
Location
This hotel is situated slightly outside the city centre. You would most likely drive or get a taxi to and from if you aren’t familiar with the area, unless you’re up for a bit of a walk. For context, it took us around 30 minutes each way to walk to our dinner reservation, but you can stroll through part of Royal Victoria Park or along the Royal Crescent, both of which are very picturesque and worth the walk!
Personal Summary
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at The Bath Priory Hotel and would highly recommend it. It was only a one-night stopover, and had I stayed longer, I definitely would have tried out their spa and restaurant. Regardless, it was an incontestably lovely base for the night that had the perfect balance of modernity and peacefulness, while still staying true to it’s countryside traditionalism.
Read More About Bath:
- Your Complete Guide to Bath, England
- Where to eat in Bath: your guide to the best restaurants
- Where to drink in Bath: the best cocktail and wine bars
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