Hotel of the week

WHERE AND WHY?:

They say location can’t be beaten and this hotel is a prime example.

Making up one side of one of Bath’s most regal squares, you are a short walk from all the best things the city has to offer.

The hotel has 98 rooms of different varieties but all are finished to a good standard, and each guest gets to enjoy Egyptian cotton linen, a Sofitel MyBed mattress and Inspired by Her amenities. The perfect treat for a weekend in one of Europe’s best spa towns.

COVID CHECK-IN: The hotel has a spacious one-way system, hand sanitiser is freely available and staff all wear the appropriate PPE gear.

ON THE MENU: We dined in the hotel’s restaurant and the food was hearty and satisfying. We started with the beetroot and goat’s cheese salad (£8) and baked camembert (£10).

For our main courses we opted for the gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce (£15) and the 8oz grilled sirloin steak (£23) with pommes frites (£3.50). The steak was cooked to tender perfection – definitely worth a try. We finished with a sweet treat of sticky toffee pudding (£8).

WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

The hotel’s location on Queen’s Square in the centre of the city means nothing is too far away.

The world-renowned Royal Crescent and Circus, a perfect circle of imposing Georgian mansions, are a 10-minute walk away. The famous Roman baths and modern spa are even closer and Queen Square itself often holds a variety of events throughout the year, such as boules tournaments and food markets. So, if you’re lucky and the pandemic allows for it, you could have such treats right on your doorstep.

It is situated half a mile from Bath Spa railway station, 10 minutes by foot or five minutes in a taxi. It also has private parking you pay for.

WAKE-UP CALL: Rooms start from £129 per night, B&B, francishotel.com