Broad Street Townhouse, Somerset

Overview

You'll find this boutique townhouse inn in the heart of historic Bath, about five minutes' stroll from the Roman Baths and 10 minutes the train station - it's a cracking city bolthole.

The traditional Bath limestone building retains many of its original architectural features and offers a truly authentic stay in the city, with 11 stylish and very comfortable ensuite bedrooms set over three floors above a cafe-bar on Broad Street, renowned for its independent shops.

Eye-catching from the street, the cafe-bar has floor-to-ceiling windows and offers a cosy, relaxing vibe all day, with its French cafe-style marble-topped tables, eclectic mix of furnishings - note the plush Victorian sofa by the window and the vast gilt-framed mirror - and unusual stone alcoves for seating. Rugs on board floors, a classical bust and fine brass chandelier complete the quirky picture - perfect for enjoying morning coffee and pastries, lunchtime salads and sandwiches, afternoon tea and cake, and intimate evening cocktails, when the lights dim and the room becomes and cool little bar.

Next door is the Pig & Fiddle, sister venue and vibrant town-centre pub popular with Bath rugby supporters.

Rooms from:

11 doubles: £140

Good to know

Major credit cards accepted

Rooms not suitable for less abled

Alfresco dining

Cafe-bar

Charlotte Street car park (10mins walk)

No dogs overnight

Pig & Fiddle

The vibrant sister pub next door is an iconic Bath pub - busy on rugby days and popular on sunny days for its alfresco drinking terrace.

Bath

Bath is a beautiful Georgian city with fantastic architecture and lots to see and do just a stroll from the inn, from the Abbey and Assembly Rooms to the Roman Baths that gave the place its name. Great shopping too - the city's streets are full of independent shops.

Rooms

Quirky modern prints line the steep winding stairs that lead to the 11 stylish, individually furnished bedrooms that ramble across three floors of the Townhouse.

Although rooms vary in size, from very cosy Snugs to elegant and spacious Signature and Superior rooms, each room features high-spec gadgets, welcome home-from-comforts, and smart bathrooms with jazzy tiled floors, big walk-in rain showers and organic Bramley soaps and lotions - the best has a roll top tub too.

All have French-style beds with crisp Egyptian cotton linen, feather duvets and pillows, and bright throws, plus interesting prints and paintings, retro mirrors and antique furnishings. Pleasing detail touches include coffee machines and home-made biscuits, Roberts radios, digital safes, Smart TVs, and a fully-stocked mini-bar with fresh milk, local goodies, complimentary bottle of Stateside Session IPA and a small bottle of Prosecco. The largest have space for upholstered chairs to relax in after a day exploring Bath, so best to upgrade to a Signature or Superior room if you can.

NOTE: you'll find air-conditioning units in each room - the building is Grade II listed and the sash windows don't open.

Restaurant & bar

The ground floor cafe-bar offers a delicious all-day selection of pastries, sandwiches, salads and light meals - come evening it becomes a cool little bar where you can sup craft beer, decent wine and classic cocktails.

Breakfast is also served in the cafe-bar, so wake early to bag a window seat to watch the world go by with excellent artisan coffee, fresh croissants, granola and yoghurt, or an imaginative cooked option. Sandwiches (lunchtime only) are cut above the norm - chicken Milanese or steak tartine - and enjoy a slice of cake or homemade cookies with a pot of tea before you check into your room.

Next door, sister venue the Pig & Fiddle is an iconic Bath pub with a lively evening vibe - perfect if you fancy a pint of Butcombe ale and proper pub menu showcasing seasonal dishes and pub classics (also served in the cafe-bar). Typically, tuck into West End Farm gammon steak, eggs, thick-cut chips and piccalilli, slow-braised blade of beef, mash potato and bourguignon sauce, or squash risotto, followed by triple chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce and mint choc-chip ice cream.

Things to do

Established in 1997, Bath Farmers' Market was one of the very first farmers' markets to be set up in the UK and it is still going strong every Saturday. Close to the city centre and railway station, it features dozens of local producers selling a range of products, from meat and vegetables to cakes and preserves.

The world-famous Roman Baths are one of the finest historic sites in Northern Europe. Below street level, the Sacred Spring is the heart of things, where the naturally hot water (46°C) rises. The Romans built a temple here to Sulis Minerva, and the mineral-rich water supplied a magnificent bath-house. The iconic Great Bath once stood in an enormous barrel-vaulted hall that rose to a height of 40 metres. For many Roman visitors this would have been the largest building they'd ever encountered.

The Royal Crescent is a gorgeous Bath stone crescent of 30 houses, the uniform Palladian design of the facade giving it an air of timeless elegance. It was the culmination of the 18th-century development of the city by the elder and younger John Woods. No. 1 Royal Crescent is decorated and furnished as it might have been during the period 1776-1796, with rooms featuring historic furniture, pictures and objects.