The Place: Positioned in the exact centre of on one of England's most famous streets – the Royal Crescent Bath – there are few more striking places to be checking in for a weekend away than here.
Built in 1774 as one of Georgian England's most striking addresses, it retains a genuine wow factor to this day. If you're thinking of arranging a surprise weekend for your other half, trust us, this choice is going to go down well.
The Experience: Housed as it is in such a grand Georgian building, you'd expect the Royal Crescent to respect its traditions and the décor and atmosphere reflects this, but there is no sense of faded glamour here. This is very much a 21st century hotel with bags of period atmosphere.
What To Do When You're There: At the rear of the hotel in a converted chapel is a small but atmospheric spa with pool, steam room, sauna and hot tubs. There's a good treatment menu too, and a well-appointed gym should temptation strike.
Out and About: You could happily hang out in the hotel for most of your stay but when you have the city of Bath on your doorstep (it's a 10 minute stroll to the centre), you're going to need to explore. The Roman Baths and Spa are obviously a big draw, but another side of Bath can be seen by a leisurely trawl of the city's pubs, from atmospheric old inns like The Star Inn and The Raven to more modern gastropubs such as the The Salamander.
Eating: The restaurant has a bar and fine-dining restaurant 'The Dower House' in the rear garden which serves up a constantly changing seasonal British menu, but if you fancy something more casual, the excellent Chequers pub just round the corner from the hotel is an excellent choice for an atmospheric dinner within strolling distance.
Esquire Recommends: After a day walking around Bath, reward yourself with an early evening Deep Muscle Massage before dinner. Hell, you earned it. Kind of.
The Damage: A grand away day like this doesn't come cheap but off-peak stays in a classic room start at a very reasonable £265 a night.
The Verdict: It's rare to find a 'city' hotel in a location this good that also feels like a country retreat. Another reason you won't regret booking a stay in this classic English hotel.
