KCR Spring Summer 2026 Mag final - Flipbook - Page 42
The Best of Both: Rural Relaxation
and Cultural Edi昀椀cation in Bath
Where to Stay
Where to Eat
The real beauty of The Bath Priory (aside from its Georgian grandeur,
fragrant gardens, Rosette dining and L’Occitane spa), is that you can
park in the driveway long before check-in time and wander into the
centre of town in under half an hour.
But let’s just circle back to those 昀椀ner details, shall we?
The house itself, built in the 昀椀rst half of the nineteenth Century, is made
from that distinctive, warm-toned Bath Stone you’ll notice throughout
this UNESCO world heritage city. Draped in ivy, the hotel provides a
decadent and architecturally gothic backdrop to your stay with several
acres of garden to explore.
The Royal Suite is lavishly spacious, with two double rooms and a living
area complete with a chess table. The bookshelves are well-stocked
with classic and contemporary reads, and you may well 昀椀nd yourself
borrowing literature for use at the breakfast table, alongside your choice
of newspaper.
If it’s spa-fuelled relaxation you’re looking for, The Bath Priory’s
L’Occitane o昀昀er won’t disappoint. Sauna temperatures give the Romans
a run for their money and the pool is the perfect size to squeeze in a few
lengths before dinner. In my experience, the hallmark of a 昀椀ve-star hotel
is not if it has a swimming pool, but whether or not is has a swimsuit
dryer, for there’s nothing worse than carrying soggy togs around for the
remainder of your trip. Rest assured, The Bath Priory will not leave you
high and dry in this department.
The Priory Hotel itself has two incredible restaurants on site, but if
you’re hoping to stretch your legs, The Scallop Shell is a strong
contender. After a long walk around Prior Park Landscape Garden, we
arrived rather muddier than we would have liked at Bath’s fabulous,
family-run 昀椀sh and chip restaurant, where the menu is both reassuring
and surprising. Staples like cod, haddock, pollock and 昀椀shcakes abound,
but also more left-昀椀eld options like Chicken Stew with White Wine,
Mushroom and Tomato, as well as top quality shell昀椀sh.
To start, the house prawn cocktail was exquisite, as were the grilled,
hand-dived Orkney scallops in garlic and fresh herb butter. To
complement mains of haddock & chicken stew, we opted for a side of
winter cabbage and pancetta and rounded things o昀昀 with a classic
chocolate mousse and clotted cream ice cream. Just the sustenance we
were craving! Great atmosphere too, especially for a mid-week lunchtime.
thescallopshell.co.uk
visitbath.co.uk
By Estella Rua
Image below: Lucas Carlini
After dinner in the 3 AA Rosette restaurant (or the more relaxed
Pantry), be sure to save time for a game of Scrabble in the drawing
room.
thebathpriory.co.uk
Where to Explore the Great Outdoors
With your motor safely deposited in the hotel car park, you’re at liberty
to jump on the Tootbus to Prior Park and Landscape Gardens. The park
is a National Trust site, but with no parking available, the best access is
via the Tootbus Skyline Tour, which departs from near the train station.
These minor logistics are worth getting in place well in advance, because
you won’t want to miss out on the stunning Palladian bridge – one of
only four in the world – which dates from the eighteenth Century. In
Springtime, you’ll 昀椀nd plenty of toads en route, and even a king昀椀sher if
you’re lucky.
tootbus.com/en/bath
nationaltrust.org.uk
Where to Get Your Culture Fix
Bath’s association with Jane Austen is well-documented, but did you
know that Mary Shelley wrote a good deal of Frankenstein whilst living
at the Abbey Church Yard, right around the corner from the Roman
Baths? In her honour, you’ll 昀椀nd a small plaque at the site of her former
home, but also a whole centre dedicated to her masterpiece at Mary
Shelley’s House of Frankenstein on Gay Street. With escape rooms,
cinema screenings and plenty of quirky memorabilia, this is an
attraction you’re unlikely to forget.
Other visits o昀昀 the beaten track include the Herschel Museum of
Astronomy, dedicated to the brother-and-sister duo who discovered
Uranus, and the Museum of East Asian Art, which houses a beautiful
collection of artefacts and contemporary artwork.
houseo昀昀rankenstein.com
herschelmuseum.org.uk
meaa.org.uk
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW
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