Francis Hotel Bath - MGallery by Sofitel ★★★★

Step back in time to the days of elegant soirées as you enter Francis Hotel Bath – MGallery by Sofitel. The honey-coloured stones and black wrought iron railings of this regency-style townhouse hotel epitomise the 18th-century architecture that attracts visitors to the city. Each room is individually designed with many featuring traditional four-poster beds.

Treat yourself to a delightful afternoon tea in the hotel’s Brasserie Blanc before venturing out along Gay Street, once home to Jane Austen, to visit the Circus – an extraordinary Grade-1-listed circle of curved 18th-century townhouses. Continue on to Royal Crescent, where you can step inside No. 1 to experience how the wealthy inhabitants lived in Georgian times. Leave time to indulge in some retail therapy in Milsom Street where 18th-century socialites loved to promenade and purchase ribbons and bonnets, and which is now home to designer boutiques and flagship stores.

Unlike Jane Austen’s characters, modern-day visitors can no longer bathe in the waters at the Roman Baths. Instead, walk past the steaming baths along 2,000-year-old pavements and participate in the ancient art of people watching as you sample the waters or take tea in the Pump Room. Then, stroll a few hundred feet to the Thermae Bath Spa, where you can relax in the naturally warm mineral waters and pamper yourself with a spa treatment. Finish your day by admiring the magnificent Bath Abbey, an architectural masterpiece that perfectly embodies the city’s storied past.

Back at your hotel, relax in modern comfort within chic, historic décor and surroundings before enjoying hearty French cuisine at Brasserie Blanc or setting out to your choice of nearby restaurants.

The options are endless when staying in the heart of historic Bath.