No.15 by GuestHouse

Rooms

There are 36 rooms, and all are one-offs. They vary from 'cosy' top-floor boltholes to sumptuous suites with high ceilings, free-standing bathtubs and tall windows over Great Pulteney Street. Where you pick on the scale will depend on budget and availability.

We liked the restrained elegance of our Henrietta Junior Suite, with its khaki palette, cut-glass chandelier and playful stencils; patches of deliberately unplastered wall "tell the building's story", and a doll's house stores tea and coffee. A touch grander are the Pulteney Rooms, with bold artworks and extra sitting areas (whose sofas can be made up as beds). And in the huge, garden-level Hideout, half the space is a private marble mini-spa, with a 3-foot-deep hot tub and a glassed-in steam room.

At the other end of the scale are the Small Guest Rooms, up in the attic in what were once the servants' quarters. These are somewhat low-ceilinged, but very cosy and cleverly designed courtesy of Martin Hulbert – the man responsible for the cabins aboard the QE2. We loved the New England styling and peaceful ambience of the Guest Rooms in a separate Coach House across the rear courtyard. Some of the Guest Rooms in the main house have in-room bathtubs (if you're travelling with a less-than-intimate friend, take note!), chandeliers and distressed walls, or striking patterned wallpapers by Rossiters of Bath.

All rooms have superb Hypnos mattresses (generally kingsize) topped with toasty duck-down duvets, plus Dyson hairdryers, 100 Acres toiletries, and superfast WiFi. You also get Crosley record players and a collection of records in each room – or you can pop downstairs to the record library to seek out your favourite tunes.

Features include:

• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

A generous continental breakfast with additional cooked options is served in the hotel's restaurant, whose calming cream walls are adorned with assorted portraits, antique soup ladles and a pair of beautiful paper wigs. Superior touches include silver cutlery, loose leaf teas, goji berry granola, shakshuka with sourdough, and spiced Bloody Marys if you need a pick-me-up.

For lunch and dinner, Bath abounds with brilliant eateries - over 30 within 15 minutes' walk. When we last visited, we enjoyed Sotto Sotto (Italian), Clayton's Kitchen (upscale British), The Mint Room (veggie) and Acorn (veggie).

Or you could happily stay put at the hotel's intimate bar, which serves small plates and light bites all day until 9pm alongside crafted cocktails and an extensive wine list.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• You're in the heart of Bath's handsome Georgian centre, surrounded by stately mansions, grand curving arcades, soaring churches (including the fan-vaulted Gothic Abbey), and the Roman Baths which gave the city its name. Grab one of the hotel's Brompton bikes if you fancy exploring on two wheels
  
• The city also excels for retail therapy: we love the bohemian outlets of Walcot St (try the Fine Cheese Co and Avenida homewares), the Victoriana of the Guildhall Market, and the brilliantly bespoke bookshop, Topping & Company
  
• Just along Great Pulteney St is the superb Holburne Museum: small but packed with eclectic portraits, maiolica, sculptures, silver and china, plus leafy gardens outside
  
• Sample the hotel's apothecary-style spa, painted in Jane Austen-blue, with vegan nut-free products by Pinks Boutique. Our 60-minute body and neck massage was expertly delivered. Pre-booking is essential
  
• Alternatively, the city's Thermae Spa offers multiple steam rooms and a rooftop pool, but can get crowded
  
• The hotel can help with arranging tours - the Bridgerton tour, in particular, is very popular

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Well being

Kids

Children of all ages are warmly welcomed. There are connecting rooms and the lift is handy for parents with a pushchair. There is a library of bedtime books to choose from, and you can ask for a play tipi to be set up in your room, with wooden toys and books, as well as an Instax camera to borrow for your kids to capture some snaps of their time in Bath. My kid was particularly thrilled by the pantry where he could help himself to yummy treats.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Families of 4 should book interconnecting rooms (Small Guest Rooms and one Guest Room). For smaller families, some larger Guest rooms have a sofa which can pull out into a narrow double bed - best for 2 younger children or 1 older one. All Guest Rooms and larger can fit a cot.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

No. 15 Great Pulteney is in the historic city of Bath, midway between Pulteney Bridge and the Holburne Museum, and in easy walking distance of the Abbey, Roman Baths and other key sites.

By Air:
Bristol (32km) has limited flights from UK and Europe; otherwise try London Heathrow (165km). From Bristol airport you can take a taxi or bus to Bath; from Heathrow we recommend the train from Central London.

By Train:
Bath has good rail links from London Paddington and from the southwest. From the station, it's a short taxi ride or a 10-min walk.

By Car:
The hotel has a small private car park just off Henrietta Mews. Parking is pre-bookable, there's a nightly charge.

Detailed directions will be provided when you confirm a booking through i-escape.com.

More on getting to the UK and getting around