Bath: surely, there are few towns around the world with names so instructive of what you’ll find within them. Founded in Roman times around naturally occurring hot springs, this West Country delight has been attracting tourists for literally thousands of years. It proved particularly popular with the Georgians, and today stands as an unsurpassed monument to their architecture, with the famous Royal Crescent one of its best known sights.
For a town famous for its buildings, B&Bs in Bath are a practically essential part of the experience of visiting. Many are themselves, excellent examples of Georgian ingenuity, crafted from the famous Bath stone. We’ve selected some of the best from their number, that make for a relaxing and comfortable stay in this beguiling town.
From £69/ night
There’s something almost impossibly homely about the Glenade, representing as it does, one of the best things in B&B culture: that you’re getting a genuine peak behind the net curtains, and discovering the interiors that the real people of a town live in. All this, and it’s got a garden, WiFi throughout, and offers an excellent continental breakfast every morning.
From £70/ night
Less than five minutes from Bath’s astonishing historic centre, this guest house is both comfortable and a practical base for exploring the city. The staff are all incredibly helpful and friendly, the breakfasts are exceptional, and it has WiFi, and free onsite parking (a real boon in a town where searching for a parking space can be something of a chore).
From £72/ night
A short walk outside of Bath proper, Wentworth House benefits from almost an acre of its own grounds and views out to the surrounding countryside. The rooms here are oh-so-cosy and traditionally furnished, coming complete with TVs, hairdryers, and tea & coffee making facilities. The full English breakfast is excellent, though probably better eaten after rather than before taking advantage of the swimming pool in the property’s grounds.
From £73/ night
The kind of bed and breakfast that gives other bed and breakfasts a good name. We’re talking a boutique hotel level of service, here, with plush, comfortable rooms, which specialise in the kind of attention to detail that we’re more used to seeing in places with a price tag of almost double this. The fact that it’s still family run, though, means that you have the best of both worlds: luxury with a human touch!
From £80/ night
Situated in a beautiful terraced house, in one of Bath’s elegant suburbs, this represents another terrific slice of value for money luxury. The rooms are comfortable and decorated traditionally, while the breakfast menu offers an embarrassment of options from filled omelettes to kippers, setting you up perfectly to explore one of Britain’s most historic towns.
From £87/ night
Being a little further from the centre of Bath than some of the other options means that a stay here can be spent with your eyes set on the beautiful surrounding country as well as the historic urban centre. Indeed, if your holiday is about getting away from it all, you could do far worse than this comfortable and spacious suburban property, with views out to the rolling hills of the West Country from its cosy interior. Modern amenities, such as TVs and WiFi are available in the traditional rooms.
From £95/ night
A clear outlier amid Bath’s other historic properties, and proof that even UNESCO heritage sights don’t only have their eyes focussed on the past, this is an ideal base for those whose tastes run more stylish and modern than cosy and traditional. It is, nevertheless, very comfortable, while the greeting you’ll get from the staff brims with old fashioned friendliness. Also a little outside of bath proper, a stay here can be as much about stomping through nearby fields as exploring the Roman heritage.