Beau Street, central Bath · Hotel
The only hotel in Britain with its own natural thermal spa, set in two listed buildings a minute from the Roman Baths.
The Gainsborough occupies a pair of Grade II listed buildings on Beau Street, formerly the old Bath Technical College and the Bellott's Hospital site, directly opposite Thermae Bath Spa and a minute's walk from the Roman Baths. Its distinguishing feature is the Spa Village, built around a glass-roofed thermal circuit fed by the city's natural hot springs. No other hotel in the United Kingdom has direct access to thermal water in this way, and it is the main reason people choose it over the alternatives.
The bathing circuit runs through three pools at different temperatures, along with an ice alcove, infrared sauna and steam room, and is designed to be worked through in sequence over a couple of hours. Treatment rooms sit off the main hall. Access is included for hotel guests, which changes the value calculation considerably against the walk-up rates next door.
Rooms and suites run across several categories, with the larger ones retaining original features from the historic frontage and the newer ones built into the redeveloped section behind. Decor is restrained and contemporary rather than period pastiche. Dining is at Dan Moon at the Gainsborough Restaurant, with a bar and lounge for lighter meals and afternoon tea.
The location is as central as Bath gets, which is both the appeal and the caveat: you are in the middle of the pedestrianised core, with everything on the doorstep, but you are also in the busiest part of the city during the day. It suits couples and spa-focused breaks, and is a strong choice for a short two-night stay arriving by train. There is no on-site parking, though the hotel can direct guests to nearby car parks.