The Gainsborough Bath Spa

It is comprised of two adjoining Grade II listed buildings, which date from the 1820s and were formerly used as a hospital. However, its heritage runs much deeper than this and during renovation, over 17,000 Roman coins dating back to 32 BC were found as well as a 4th-century mosaic.

The hotel has 100 guest rooms arranged over five floors. All rooms have comfortable beds, a writing desk, a flatscreen television, tea and coffee making facilities (including a Nespresso coffee machine) and en suite bathrooms with Aromatherapy Associates toiletries. Many of the rooms are wheelchair accessible.

The hotel also has several suites, which are more spacious than standard rooms with separate living and sleeping areas. The Bath Spa Suite even has natural spa water piped into your room so you can soak up the natural spa water without leaving your room.

The Gainsborough Brasserie is the hotel’s restaurant, which offers contemporary British cuisine in elegant surroundings. The Gainsborough Bar is a chic social hub where guests can enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine and the Canvas Room is an elegant lounge area where guests can enjoy afternoon tea or simply relax after dinner.

For many guests, the main attraction of The Gainsborough is Spa Village Bath, the hotel’s two-level 1300m² (14,000 sq ft) spa complex, which includes three pools, two saunas, a steam room as well as spa treatment rooms. The pools are fed by the same natural waters as the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa. No other hotel in the city has access to these natural waters.

Guests have free access to the shared spa facilities but only for very limited hours. However, guests who book a spa treatment can use these facilities throughout the day when it is less crowded. In either case, it is a much more tranquil alternative to the nearby Thermae Bath Spa.

One suite and two of the rooms have the natural spa water piped directly into the room so you can soak in a bath of natural spa water.

The hotel also has a 24-hour fitness centre.

In addition to having a higher proportion of wheelchair-accessible rooms than similar hotels, The Gainsborough also has wheelchair access to all public areas of the hotel including the spa facilities.

Free Wi-Fi wireless internet access is available throughout the hotel.

The Gainsborough is an expensive place to stay but a lot of people say that it is worth it for the full Bath spa experience.

It has a central location in the historic centre of Bath. The hotel is only a one-minute walk to Thermae Bath Spa and a two-minute walk to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths. The railway station is a six-minute walk from the hotel and most other points of interest in Bath are no more than a 10-minute walk from here.

Valet parking is available but it is expensive and must be pre-booked in advance.