10 beautiful b&bs for a weekend in Bath
Bath has lots of lovely places to stay if you're visiting the city for a weekend - including many cute b&bs. Here's our pick of the best, where you'll find everything from four-poster beds and roll-top baths to city views and, of course, delicious cooked breakfasts to set you up for a day's sightseeing.
Hill House Bath
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
A first-rate b&b converted from a pub, in a terraced Georgian building dating back to 1760. It is situated in the north side of Bath, up a steep hill from the city centre. Everywhere is tastefully furnished with interesting paintings, photos and objects, and a mix of antiques and modern pieces. Owners Harry Tedstone and Douglas Yeates live in the property, and provide hands-on hospitality that goes beyond the usual call. Quirks in the six individually-decorated rooms include old fireplaces, wing chairs and chaise-longues. Try the smoked salmon and poached egg potato cake with dill crème fraîche for breakfast. Read expert review From £100per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Dukes
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This upmarket b&b is on Great Pulteney Street, Bath's most impressive Georgian thoroughfare, and occupies two Grade I-listed 18th-century townhouses. Inside, long sash windows and creaky floors abound, and furnishings are largely in keeping with the Georgian era: crystal chandeliers, period portraits and a carriage clocks. Service is pretty faultless. The 17 rooms have reproduction furniture and books on Jane Austen. Breakfast is a substantial platter, with local bacon and sausage, and top-quality Scottish black pudding. There's a little-used bar downstairs, and off it a pleasant courtyard garden. Read expert review From £90per night
Henrietta House
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The location of this b&b, which occupies a handsome, double-fronted Georgian townhouse, is ideal — in the centre yet peaceful, on a wide, curving residential street. The owner, Peter Sherwin, is an art collector, and eye-catching paintings are dotted all over the building. The 19 bedrooms have an attractive but unfussy style: think a mix of antique and good-quality and reproduction furniture. Larger rooms may have a sleigh bed. The breakfast menu is far more extensive than your average b&b: pancakes with banana and maple syrup, smoked kippers, homemade granola, and apple and cinnamon cake. Read expert review From £81per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Roseate Villa
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
A sizeable, professionally-run b&b with smart and spacious bedrooms and first-rate breakfasts, that in some respects feels more like a boutique hotel. It occupies a pair of substantial Victorian houses in a peaceful spot overlooking a park, a short and pleasant walk from Bath's city centre. An elegant, unfussy style pervades the property – for example, bedrooms come with American-style shutters or blinds rather than curtains. Read expert review From £119per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Brindleys
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This property, seven minutes’ walk from the centre of Bath, has Victorian roots and French-country-chic style. The front garden, with tables and chairs laid out on the lawn, is particularly appealing in summer months. The owners run it with a high degree of professionalism. Expect check-patterned bedheads, prints of rural France, and sachets of potpourri on plump cushions in the rooms. Breakfast is served rather late — from 9am on weekends — but it's well worth waiting for. Eggs cooked any way and locally-sourced bacon and sausages. Read expert review From £91per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Grays
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Grays occupies a semi-detached Victorian villa set on the city's southern slopes, a 15-minute uphill walk from the centre of Bath. The proprietors have designed it with flair: think sisal carpets, French-style furnishings and carefully coordinated colour schemes. In the 12 bedrooms, you can expect fresh flowers, thick towels scented with lavender sachets, and Kit Kats on the tea tay. Some enjoy expansive views over Bath's skyline. Number six has a big bay window and four-poster bed. Breakfast includes a buffet, and hot options to order such as eggs Benedict and full English. Read expert review From £79per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Paradise House
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This b&b is hidden away on a quiet back lane on the southern side of Bath, a 10-minute walk from the city centre. The striking and substantial three-storey house dates from 1735, and has later Georgian and Victorian extensions. The 11 rooms are decorated with bold colours and feature nice touches like local shortbread on the tea tray. One of the best rooms is Number Five, with a bay window and free-standing roll-top bath. Breakfast is special: cava sits alongside the juices, and hot options include toasted muffins and bagels topped with bacon. Read expert review From £94per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Apsley House
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Be warned: it’s a half-hour walk into the centre of Bath. But this is a haven of refinement, with a grand piano, ruched curtains and windows with views over the outskirts of Bath and the countryside beyond. The 12 bedrooms feature antiques, graceful extras (hand mirrors and brushes on dressing tables), and high-quality mod-cons. Bathrooms are kitted out with Molton Brown toiletries. Breakfasts are ultra civilised – think napkins in napkin rings, proper butter on dishes. I can recommend the toasted muffin topped with bacon and poached eggs. Read expert review From £105per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Tasburgh House
Bath, Somerset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
It’s 20-30 minutes from the centre of Bath, but the lovely walk, along a canal, goes a long way in making up for it. The house has attractive Victorian features, and a vast, paved terrace is laid out with statues, a fountain and tables and chairs. Owner Susan Keeling runs Tasburgh House with passion. The 14 bedrooms are named after authors, and each has a teddy bear dressed in a style related to the name of the author and a book by the writer. Breakfasts are served in a conservatory full of pot plants, and includes Somerset cheeses, full English platters and French toast. Afternoon tea is also offered. Read expert review From £67per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Three Abbey Green
Bath, Somerset, England
7Telegraph expert rating
This upmarket, but not posh, family-run b&b is on a picturesque cobbled square in central Bath. It has lots of interesting period Georgian features (fireplaces appear in some bathrooms, for example). The owners live in another building just across the square — so nearby if you need assistance, but not in your face the whole time. Expect bags of character and comfort in the 10 bedrooms, in the form of king-size beds, antiques, and smart, well functioning modern bathrooms. The breakfast spread is good, and the full English is nicely presented. Read expert review From £90per night
