KCR Summer 2025 Mag V2 - Flipbook - Page 48
No. 15, Bath
Two hours drive from London and only 90 minutes by train from London’s Paddington Station, and set, like Jerusalem and Rome, amongst
seven hills is the city of Bath (www.visitbath.co.uk). The city centre is
fantastically accessible and walking about is a real pleasure both visually
and practically. Very at ease with itself with a vibe that’s genteel and
civilised and very clean. Here is the Abbey, clean and light with its fan
vaulting to heaven, and the beautifully-preserved Roman Baths. Here
are Pulteney Bridge supporting an arcade of shops (reminiscent of Venice’s Rialto and Florence’s Ponte Vecchio) and Royal Crescent and The
Circus: such stunning constructs from the world of Jane Austen whose
250th birthday is celebrated next year.
Discretely promoted halfway along Great Pulteney Street, one of Bath’s
widest and longest Georgian streets, in e昀昀ect a grand promenade, is the
creative and classy hotel No. 15, Bath
(www.guesthousehotels.co.uk/no-15-bath/). It has the famous Holburne
Museum at one end, and Great Pulteney Bridge at the other. The street
is otherwise purely domestic so everything felt very home-from-home.
This listed building has a gorgeous façade and is lined with 昀氀owerpots.
It’s a combination of three interconnected classic Georgian townhouses
and the vibe is urbane and civilised. It opened in 2011 and is part of
Guesthouse hotels who have sister hotels in York and Margate and one
soon in Brighton. Their mantra is to create “wonder-昀椀lled, happy hotels”
and certainly there was much to delight upon in this elegant boutique
hotel.
natural, organic products. I came away glowing, so radiant was my skin.
The experience had genuinely taken the weight o昀昀 my feet and granted
me the chance fully to unwind. As restorative as the Roman baths must
have been.
No. 15, Bath goes the extra mile with its own magazine and its second-昀氀oor pantry full of complimentary snacks and treats. There’s a cargo bike to collect one from the station with one’s bags and No. 15, Bath
has its own car park. The clientele is youngish and pets and children
are well accommodated. Perhaps it’s too modest as its hotel status far
exceeds its Guesthouse brand and the restaurant its name The Bar. No.
15, Bath really is a true gem. Pearls and all.
Adam Jacot de Boinod
FACT BOX
Adam had support from Great Western Railway (WWW.GWR.COM)
www.gotobermuda.com. He was covered by online travel insurance
specialist, CoverForYou www.coverforyou.com, 0207 183 0885
The decor throughout all the rooms on six 昀氀oors, you could call
Cotswolds-cum-Nordic with its painted wooden 昀氀oorboards and jute
rugs, its neutral and natural tones set in tasteful taupe. All o昀昀set by imaginative themes and collections of art and objects. Behind the reception
there’s a dolls’ house with the room keys and a model of London’s Big
Ben. Every 昀氀oor has its decorative twist as, up and down the staircases,
are displayed colourful top hats and walking sticks, paintbrushes and
palettes, brushes and brooms, cornets and bugles. Quirky and creative.
All added to its sense of theatricality by the sweeping curtains and the
eclectic crystal chandeliers.
The 36 Rooms (with starting rates of $195) comprise a Small Guest
Room, Guest Rooms, Large Guest Rooms, Coach House Guest Room.
Coach House Large Guest Room, Henrietta Rooms, Pulteney Rooms
and The Hideout in ascending order of grandeur. I loved my Henrietta
room and the beauty of every need was met in such minimal fashion. So
homely and snug within my shuttered windows and without the view
over the buildings on the surrounding hills and countryside beyond.
Roberts radios and Crossley record players gave my beautifully-昀椀nished
room a glorious twist. Luxury was o昀昀ered with my cashmere mattress
and Egyptian cotton linen and the marble washstands played home to
luxurious Wildsmith bathroom products.
I loved my dinner at the hotel’s restaurant called The Bar at No 15, Bath.
To o昀昀set the traditional curtains and swags and tassels were artefacts
and cabinets of curiosities. I sat spaciously before a table of pearls, fans
and curios. The perspex tops and counters worked so cleverly in creating
space and visibility. Chunky gorgeous oval mirrors re昀氀ected the 昀椀shscaled pattern of the bar.
My 昀椀rst course, from a reasonably-priced and typically British menu,
consisted of harissa cauli昀氀ower and red onion, hummus and pomegranate and was extremely creative while, to follow, my sirloin steak from a
locally-sourced farm, was just perfect.
Breakfast was served beneath its earthy-coloured ceiling in an elegant
basement dining room, now decorated with modern portraits and once
the Wig Room, where gentlemen would remove their headpieces.
In a city devoted to physical wellbeing, where better than the hotel’s
very own subterranean spa. I waited in a boudoir-cum-salon adorned
with apothecary bottles amongst the stone vaults
to savour what was truly a treat of a treatment. It felt clean, spacious
and recently decorated so luxurious was the 昀椀nishing. I opted for a
‘couples massage and facial’: a side-by-side treatment for two using 99%
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW
PAGE 48
