One of the best things about living in Bristol is how easy it is to pack up and take a mini break when the mood suits, whether it's a trip to the Cornish coast, a walk in the Cotswolds, a short train ride to bright lights of London or somewhere much closer to home, a fun night is never far away. This week paul celebrated his birthday and rather than let it slip past unnoticed – which he does most years – we decided to take a mini city break in Bath, leaving F with my folks for some child free time.
It's always a treat to head over to Bath, with its limestone facades, cobbled streets and World Heritage title, it seems worlds away from the bustle of Bristol and a perfect place to relax and unwind. We checked in at the MGallery Francis Hotel which sits grandly among the georgian houses lining Queens Square, and we relaxed in its luxurious interior before heading out into the city as dusk began to fall.
This post is pic heavy so click to read more.
After a few recommendations from friends we started the night at Circo Bar for a cocktail or two, all served with popcorn before our tummies rumbled and the idea of dinner crossed our minds. We really wanted to try Sotto Sotto which sits under the streets of Bath serving exquisite Italian cuisine, but as it was fully booked we decided to try something a little more adventurous and opted for a Tibetan restaurant, which proved to be quite fun. Drinks continued at the Opium bar and they may well have been some dancing late on into the night.
As we meandered back to our blot hole, we slept soundly on the most heavenly bed until late morning, with no early wake up call from F. We spent the morning wandering around, drinking cups of coffee, browsing books shops, people watching and generally shaking off the fun from the night before. As a special treat we booked in for a half day spa session at Thermae Bath Spa, were we floated in the roof top pool, sun blazing down and felt ourselves unwind before testing out the four steam rooms and jacuzzi the spa has to offer. For anyone visiting the city, the rooftop pool is a must with beautiful views of cityscape set against the distant hills.
After a delicious lunch at Jaimie's Deli fashioned with hanging Edison lightbulbs and vibrant bar stools, we made a quick stop at one of my favourite stores, Anthropologie where I oohed and aahed at the beautiful objects within before leaving with a plant pot for my Aloe Vera at home.
I often forget how wonderful Bath is to visit, with all of its fine eateries, quirky shops, riverbank walkways, cobbled streets and coloured doorways. We checked out of our beautiful home for the night and said goodbye to MGallery Francis Hotel, with the promise we would be back to stay again and sample all delights the city has to offer.
*Rooftop pool image courtesy of Thermae Bath Spa
Disclosure: We were given a night's stay at the Francis Hotel and pass to the Themae Bath Spa as part of this post. All views and opinions are my own.
Hi! What a wonderful getaway! I visited Bath some years ago, but I only saw the Roman baths, not baths you can actually use! I'd love to go to the Themae Spa next time I'm in England. Best regards from Barcelona,
ReplyDeleteMarta
A Bilingual Baby blog
Oh you should definitely try them when you are back in the UK, nothing like being in a hot pool with cold crisp air around you. Thanks for stopping by :) x
DeleteI feel pretty lucky to be living here after reading that! I'm dying to get into Anthropologie - it opened up just before the summer holidays & there is not a chance in hell that i'm taking three kiddos in there ;) Next week, i'm on it!!
ReplyDeleteVisiting Anthropologie was like a kid in a sweet shop! You have to go check it out! x
Deletelooks like a lovley weekend away, haven't spent time in Bat {though we got stuck driving through the rush hour traffic on the way home a few weeks ago!!}
ReplyDeleteSo worth a visit, I love exploring all the cobbled streets. x
DeleteI love Bath, if I could afford it I would move there in an instant. This looks like an amazing weekend! x
ReplyDeleteIt's all so pretty! We had loads of fun acting like tourists ;) x
DeleteGorgeous photos lovely, I used to come to Bath once a month for work and it is one of my most favourite cities. I stayed in the Mercure a few times actually. x
ReplyDeleteWow you lucky thing, I really loved the hotel. I should make an effort to visit more often. x
Deleteoh i love these photos! i've wanted to go to bath for ages ..now i want to go even more :)
ReplyDeleteWow looks like you had an amazing and much deserved night away. We stayed at this same hotel earlier in the year and loved it - also visited some of the same bars :) The food at Jamies look divine and I love all your photos :)
ReplyDeleteLaura x
Looks like you had an amazing time, and gorgeous photos. If you go again you really should check out Bath Canoe Club - seeing things from a completely new angle - it's magnificent.
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