Bath - A staycation worthy city!
Updated: Sep 15, 2021
We booked two nights in Bath and despite the unrelenting rain we had a wonderful time. Bath itself is such an impressive and beautiful city with so much to offer.
We stayed at the Hilton which is in a really central location. The parking in Bath is limited but there are two car parks right next to the hotel, 'Cattle Market Car Park' and 'The Podium Car Park'. I would recommend getting yourself into either of these if you can.
After arriving at the hotel and unpacking we headed over to The Bird Hotel for lunch at their restaurant 'Plate'. The restaurant is colourful, fun, quirky and the attention to detail did not go unnoticed.
Upon arriving we were greeted by Joel, who directed us to our waiter for the day Sam. Sam took us out to the garden where he had set us up one of their 'domes' to dine in for the afternoon. As we were there on a Thursday afternoon and the weather was not at its best a number of the restaurants bookings had been cancelled so Sam decided to let us enjoy the privacy of the dome at no extra cost! I had seen online how lovely the garden was with it's funky parasols and wonderful dining areas but I certainly did not expect to be dining in a private heated dome!
The domes are large, beautifully decorated and contain a Dyson heater/fan. The cocktail menu was another stand out feature at the venue, I loved the presentation and that each drink was named after a bird. After settling into our seats it was time to fill our stomachs! I decided on the spiced lamb fritter to start followed by the venison haunch. Both dishes were equally delicious and the venison perfectly cooked.
I would certainly head back and even look to stay at the hotel. A huge thank you to Sam who really went the extra mile to ensure that we had a wonderful dining experience and to Joel for making us some delicious cocktails!
Going into the evening I booked us a table at Circo Cellar Bar for cocktails. Circo's theme is made me feel like I was on holiday! There is a stunning array of cocktails available together with champagne, wine and spirits. This is the perfect place for a date night with your significant other or a catch up with your pals.
After a lovely night's sleep and a full English breakfast at the hotel we headed out to explore. First up we visited Bath Abbey. I was in awe of the architecture, the stained glass windows were truly stunning.
We then went on to do some shopping and stopped for a coffee break at The Cosy Club. The decor was eccentric and playful. Following my large breakfast I was at the stage of peckish but not wanting a huge plateful of food and The Cosy Club had me covered with their simple breakfast bun paired with a creamy hot chocolate. Their brunch menu is varied and includes gluten free options.
The next stop was the Roman Baths. We decided to take the handsets on offer around the attraction. I take forever to read things, so these handsets were a great option and really simple to use. We spent a good two hours walking around the attraction, there was so much to see from the Baths themselves down to old pieces of the original structure and even carved gem stones from old rings and jewellery. I found the history of the Baths fascinating and in my opinion the attraction is a "must visit".
After the Baths we wandered down to Guildhall Market. The market is the oldest shopping venue in the city and has an assortment of stallholders from gent's hairdressers to a party shop!
The eventful day was not over as I had made dinner reservations at Claytons Kitchen. I now know why this place is a local foodie favourite. The smells that leave the kitchen are divine. I could not help but watch as plates left the kitchen to be delivered to hungry diners. Every dish appeared to be prepared, cooked and presented to perfection. I chose the pan roasted Devon scallops to start followed by the honey roasted free range creedy carver duck breast. Wow, wow and wow! The photographs I managed to get do not do the dishes justice! Full of flavour and fresh ingredients I couldn't have been happier. I would describe the restaurant itself as modern and sleek yet homely and cosy. The staff were attentive and welcoming. It was the perfect way to end our day.
After breakfast on Saturday morning it was time to head home. Before climbing into the car we walked across the road to The Fine Cheese Company store. If like me you ADORE all things cheese you will want to add this store to your list. The staff here were incredible, talking us through each cheese and allowing us to try samples before we made any purchases. We were buying some cheeses as a gift and wanted a great wine to go with them. We were given all the advice and assistance you could hope for. The cheese were wrapped beautifully and put into a lovely gift bag. I thoroughly enjoyed my shopping experience here and would certainly return.
Bath is such a lovely place and I feel as though there is still lots to see and do!
If you would like to check out any of the venues mentioned in my review you can find their socials and websites below:
@platebathwick
@circobarbath
@bathabbey
@the_cosyclub
@romanbathsuk
@bathguildhallmarket
@thefinecheeseco
@claytons_kitchen
Websites