One of England's most beautiful cities and most popular tourist destinations, Bath is an historic beauty. Reminders of Bath's Roman and Georgian history are everywhere, whether you want to simply enjoy being surrounded by some of the best architecture in the world or to more closely examine the city’s fascinating past - you can't escape it. Our pick of the best places to stay in Bath are scattered throughout town, but there’s definitely a concentration around the centre. We’ve picked out great B&Bs and guesthouses too, along with some gorgeous Bath grande dames and bijou boutique hotels.

Bath has dozens and dozens of smaller hotels converted from 18th century houses, which are handsome from the outside, though sometimes rather cramped within. And the historical vibe tempts some hoteliers to adopt a possibly ill-advised repro/chintzy style. There’s probably a Jane Austen quote for this sort of thing…

Where to Stay in Bath? Which Part of Town?

• The unofficially titled Centre of Bath is the bit between the River Avon and George Street, the bit including the abbey, the Roman Baths, the Thermae Bath Spa, and some of Bath’s beautiful Georgian architecture. And Pultney Bridge, which was built in the 18th century, and is one of those bridges with shops and houses on it. This is also where you’ll find many of the museums, the restaurants, and a large, elegant, pedestrianised shopping precinct. This is the place most visitors assume is the best place to stay in Bath, and they’re often right, especially if it’s their first time in Bath, or they’re only here for a few days, or they’re looking for something simple and affordable. The best thing about staying in the centre of Bath is that it’s beautiful and atmospheric. And there are plenty of places to eat and drink.
• Just to the north of the centre of town, so close that you might not be able to tell one area from another, is Walcot. This is where you’ll find The Royal Crescent, arguably the most famous address in the UK (after numbers 10 and 11 Downing Street), and The Circus, which is a Georgian beauty along similar lines. Walcot is also known for its restaurant scene, and its pubs and bars. If you want to venture out of an evening then Walcot is one of the best places to stay in Bath. It’s also probably our pick if you’re looking for a romantic hotel. And it’s hip, with plenty of independent boutiques and galleries, as well as hip places to eat and drink.
• Bathwick, across the Avon from the centre of town, is another good choice if you want to be very central, but it’s leafier, and a great place to go looking for charming guesthouses and B&Bs.
• Bear Flat and Oldfield Park good bases if you want to stay somewhere a bit quieter. These suburbs are still within a 15-25 minute walk of the Roman Baths, but they’re quieter and residential, with some lovely Georgian townhouses and mansions that have been beautifully converted into small boutique hotels.
• If you stay a little outside town, you’re not really that far from the main sights, but your views will be more rural — or possibly of gorgeous Bath itself.

Bear in mind that Bath is hilly. It can be tricky for motorists too so if you are driving, so it might be relevant to check if your hotel has parking. It’s also worth remembering that the best places to stay in Bath are the sorts of small hotels that have their weekends booked up months in advance!

The Best Places to Stay in Bath

For luxury

• Our Gurus love the Bath Priory, though stress it is just on the edge of the city and not in the centre. A beautiful Georgian manor on the outside, there’s now a carefully converted hotel on the inside, with 27 luxurious, country house hotel style rooms with all the luxurious trimmings, indoor and outdoor pools, a glorious four acre garden — which also supplies the kitchen with vegetables — and an AA 3 Rosette restaurant. And our Gurus do remind me that Bath is quite small, so the centre of the city is easily accessible from the hotel.
• The Gainsborough Bath Spa is a one of a kind thermal spa hotel in the very centre of Bath, tapping directly into Bath’s original thermal springs. It has 99 rooms and suites, including some huge family suites, and all of them are extremely comfortable as well as beautiful. There’s a wonderfully elegant lounge serving afternoon tea, a fine restaurant and a chic bar. Plus you’re right in the centre of everything.
• The Royal Crescent Hotel enjoys one of the most famous addresses in Bath, and is hard to beat if you are planning a treat. Situated right in the middle of one of the most jaw-droppingly impressive pieces of architecture in Britain, there is little chance of waking up here and wondering where you are. Effortlessly combining traditional and modern interiors it is a classy delight both inside and out. And the fabulously grown-up spa is a child-free zone.

For a classic stay

• The Queensberry is also a townhouse hotel on a Georgian terrace, though a less famous one, located on the hill close to the Bath Assembly Rooms. It has 29 spacious rooms and suites, with plenty of charming original features, including grand staircases and cosy drawing rooms, but with contemporary decor and design. Its restaurant, The Olive Tree, has a Michelin star, a rare thing in Bath. And you’re just opposite the Pump Rooms.
• Georgian and elegant in honey coloured local stone, the super centrally located Abbey Hotel is just the sort of hotel people planning a trip to Bath dream of. It’s not quite a classic hotel, but it certainly looks like one, albeit slightly more trendy than some. And it’s got the facilities too, with a quirky cocktail bar, an elegant French brasserie style restaurant that’s a joint venture between Marco Pierre-White and Pierre Koffman, and a tea room known for its classic afternoon teas. There are 62 rooms and suites.
• Imposing and Georgian, the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel is outside the centre of Bath, standing in seven acres of its own beautiful, formal grounds. This is a formal feeling hotel, with 129 rooms and suites, very high service standards and attention to detail, along with an excellent spa, a pool and a restaurant which holds 2 AA Rosettes.

Some of Bath’s Best Small Hotels

• Centrally, yet quietly, located, The Kennard is a charmingly converted Georgian townhouse with just 12 rooms, ornate decor and a Jane Austen inspired garden. The helpful owners’ attention to detail and delicious breakfasts, served in a chandelier-hung dining hall and prepared with ingredients sourced from local farms, make it deservedly popular. Each room is quite different, so make sure you ask for the one that most suits your tastes.
• Eight is small and smart, with a simple, contemporary elegance in muted greys that lifts right out of the pages of a design magazine. There are just eight rooms in this converted, central townhouse, and they retain their high ceilings, fireplaces and cornices, and are now light and airy too. There’s also a restaurant serving seasonal food in a gourmet style.
• With just seven apartment-style rooms, The Halcyon Hotel Apartments are a great choice if you want somewhere small, but chic, and a bit buzzy in the city centre. There is a lively cocktail bar downstairs, and the seven large apartments upstairs, complete with their stylishly decorated private lounges and kitchens. They’ll deliver breakfast hampers to your door if you’d rather not DIY.

For romance

• Leighton Townhouse is a Victorian villa a mile from the centre of Bath, now converted into a ten room hotel. The gardens are lovely, the decor is elegant, with pale colours and elegant antiques, and all the rooms have been individually designed. They say it’s about a 15 minute stroll to the Roman Baths from here. This is the perfect spot for a romantic and relaxed weekend.
• Dorian House is very close by, in a similarly quiet spot about 15 minutes from the Roman Baths. It has 11 rooms and suites, again individually decorated with a preference for simplicity, but also an eclectic array of antiques, many of them brought back from travels by the owners. There’s a tranquil garden too.
• The Ayrlington is an imposing townhouse surrounded by award-winning Oriental gardens. There are just 16 rooms, some with spectacular views of the city, and all of them individually designed in a traditional, but very confident style. Some have four-poster beds, some have feature wallpaper and impressive antiques, and one is painted bright pink. A memorable treat in a great location just across the river from the centre of historic Bath.
• No. 15 Great Pulteney is an opulent and whimsical hotel hidden behind an iconic Georgian facade in the centre of Bath. There are 40 individually designed rooms and suites, with an eclectic range of art — think handbags on the walls and jewels in the chandeliers! There’s an excellent restaurant and bar, and an impressive spa. Rooms have garden or city views. Suave and classy.

Family Friendly Hotels

• If you’re on the look out for an affordable, family friendly hotel in the centre of Bath try Harington's Hotel, which is located on Queen Street, a cobbled alley very close to the Thermal Baths — in fact Harington’s Hotel is the closest hotel to the baths. With just 13 rooms and suites, plus a couple of self-catering apartments, decorated in bright, playful colours, there’s quite a bit of choice for families, and while there’s no restaurant, there are plenty to choose from in the local area. And it's got its own parking — albeit a couple of minutes walk away.
• Dreamstays is a collection of six chic, family-friendly apartments in a converted townhouse in a wonderfully central location. Each of the apartments is different, ranging from bolthole for two, to smart townhouse for ten, but all of them are carefully and stylishly decorated with full kitchens and plenty of features to be appreciated.

For great value

• Brindleys is a six bedroom property in a quiet, residential part of town just a stroll from the city centre. The decor feels French country chic, with white linens, furniture with those elegant shaped legs and a colour scheme built around dove grey. There’s a sunny courtyard and comfortable living room, and they serve a full, organic, breakfast every morning.
• The Roseate Villa is smart, 21 room B&B in an elegant converted house not far from the centre of town — and with wonderful views of it. Each room has been independently decorated, but there’s a pleasant simplicity throughout, with plain walls and grey fabrics, and a variety of feature wallpapers and elegant, traditionally shaped furniture.

Bath’s Best Guesthouses and B&Bs

• Brooks Guest House is a friendly boutique-style guesthouse in a Victorian row in the heart of Bath, close to the Royal Crescent. There are 22 rooms and suites, decorated in a classic style that really focuses on your creature comforts.
• For child-free quiet, try Grays, which is a very British feeling B&B just outside the centre of town. There are just 12 rooms, most with wonderful views across Bath and the Royal Crescent, and all of them are styled differently in a classic, contemporary manner. We like the way the townhouse has been converted so that the breakfast room is in the conservatory.

Prefer a self catering Apartment or Townhouse?

• If you’d prefer to stay in an apartment or private home we recommend you visit our online partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Bristol Airport is only 19 miles from Bath, and there’s a special bus, the Air Decker bus, which runs between them — though there are multiple stops en route and it takes about an hour. A taxi will take you between 35 and 45 minutes. Trains between London Paddington and Bath Spa take around 90 minutes, so you’re not far from Heathrow either.
• If you want to hire a car — which we strongly advise if you’re staying in Bath and you want to see the surrounding countryside — we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• Beautiful Bath is busy all year round. In summer there are a lot of American visitors who are doing their Grand Tours of Europe; the trees are beautiful in autumn, plus there’s the Jane Austen Festival in September; in winter there are Christmas markets and Bath looks beautiful in the snow, and in spring there’s the Literature Festival, the flower show and the comedy festival. But a lot of people come to Bath for weekend trips, so it’s often quieter if you visit mid-week - whatever the season.

Still not sure?

• You could expand your search to include all the best places to stay in Somerset
• or consider the best places to stay in Bristol which is just next door.
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

Weather

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