The Francis Hotel in Bath has had many lives. Opened in 1884 as the Francis Private Hotel, it is comprised of seven handsome adjoining townhouses, dating from between 1728 and 1736. Rather than a purpose-built hotel, the individual townhouses were combined over time to become the single address it is today.
Each property has its own history; Number 9 was home to architect John Wood the Younger, whose visionary town planning resulted in Bath’s Georgian legacy, while Number 10 was originally home to Solomon Francis, whose lodging house was the foundation of the current day hospitality destination.
Earlier this year the newest phase in the hotel’s storied history was completed with a £15 million refurbishment. Design studio 3DReid approached the interiors with the intention of creating a layered, residential feel that honours the hotel’s history without becoming a pastiche of the past. The result is layered, elegant rooms with panelled walls in rich jewel-tones, with padded headboards upholstered in botanical fabrics, heavy drapes and personal touches like Roberts Radios and fridges stocked with kombucha and bottled Bath spring water.
Bath is beloved for its walkability and the Francis Hotel is brilliantly located for just that. Overlooking Queens Square, the city’s first example of a Georgian square, the hotel enjoys a plum spot between the Royal Crescent and the city centre.
Thermal bathing is, of course, at the core of Bath’s history and the new Francis Spa, discreetly tucked away in the lower levels of the property, brings a new wellness therapy to the city with KLAFS ESPURO Foam Steam Baths. As guests recline in the steam room, a gentle flow of cleansing bubbles drift from the ceiling, cocooning bathers up to their shoulders. Consider it a highly indulgent take on the city’s natural spring.
Of course, a visit isn’t complete without a trip to the Roman baths that give the city its name. While the site is spectacular year-round, during the summer on Friday and Saturday nights it hosts Summer Lates, with DJs playing vinyl as guests savour the view of this iconic location under the glow of torchlight.
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The Bath bun might be the city’s culinary emblem but its food reputation goes well beyond this baked treat. Independent delis, restaurants and, of course, bakeries abound. The queues for the rotisserie chicken sandwiches at Green Street, a deli and butcher, are worth the wait while Landrace Bakery on Walcot street is one of the city’s best pastry spots.
For something a little more dramatic, Emberwood at the Francis Hotel is a live fire restaurant that takes its grill seriously. Choose from the likes of coal-roasted Cornish scallops, ex-dairy South West côte de boeuf or whole monkfish to share and settle back into the stylish banquette seating. With its handsome columns and twinkling chandeliers, the restaurant, led by head chef David Hazell, formerly of Michelin-starred Paco Tapas and Bristol’s Clifton Lido, is the jewel in the hotel's refurbishment and is true a occasion destination for both locals and guests.
After some 300 years the distinctive honey-coloured sandstone façade of this historic address may look the same, but inside the Francis Hotel is primed for its next chapter. francishotel.com
Travel to Bath from London Paddington with Great Western Railway – www.gwr.com
