Bath has a reputation for grandeur and poshness, but that doesn't mean you need to break the bank to stay here. We've rounded up the best affordable hotels in the Somerset spa town.
From lazy days swanning around the spa to afternoon tea at one of the city’s best restaurants, a trip to Bath has luxury written all over it. But it doesn't follow that you can only afford to come here if you have the bank account balance of a Georgian heiress. If you know where to look there are plenty of hotels that are both affordable and perfectly nice places to lay your head. And the best news is that you’ll have more pennies left over to spend at the local pubs, independent book stores and art galleries. Done.
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The Griffin Inn has been going 300 years strong and it shows no signs of stopping. This warm and welcoming hotel has a homely feel to it. The rooms are cosy and tastefully decorated with a concession to heritage stylings. Treat yourself to a cocktail in the bar before heading out to explore the city from this brilliant central location.
One way of getting round costly hotels is to seek out self-catering places like these modern, swish studios and apartments at Bath University. They’re great value for money, and have free wi-fi and fully fitted and serviced kitchens, plus complimentary tea and coffee. Private bathrooms here come with free toiletries and towels, and it’s a short walk to the baths and abbey. You can rent a bike here, too, should you want to explore Bath that way.
You’ll find the Redcar Hotel right next to Henrietta Park, one of Bath’s loveliest small green spaces. Converted from three Georgian townhouses, the 40-room hotel offers a taste of classic Bath life. The hotel itself is friendly and quintessentially English, but its main calling card is the truly excellent location. Stroll up Great Pulteney Street to the Holburne Museum (familiar to fans of Bridgerton) or walk into town for a little retail therapy.
Billing itself as Bath's only independent design hotel and wine bar, the Thief offers a series of simply styled double rooms. Dispensing with trendy accent colours in favour of clean, crisp white bed linens, handsome painted panelwork and vintage radiators, they’re genuinely very likeable spaces for such cheap rates. All rooms come with free wifi, flatscreen TVs and tea and coffee-making facilities. Breakfast, served in the stylish restaurant/bar, is included (and on warms day you can head to the lovely courtyard). Best of all, it’s dog-friendly! You can shake a paw with resident mutts Mollie and Dexter.
As the name suggests, this hotel is based in an old millhouse on the River Avon. It’s about three miles out of Bath, but it’s worth that minor inconvenience for the lovely views, outdoor spaces and timeless sense of rural England at its prettiest. (Also, a bus stop just outside will take you on a route straight into the city centre.) Modern, smart rooms are housed across two buildings, with those in the annexe offering mod cons like underfloor heating. Do bear in mind that wi-fi comes at a little extra cost each day, though.
This centrally located YMCA is based across a Victorian building replete with a newer extension on Broad Street. It has range of rooms, from singles to family rooms and dorms – but note that there are no en-suite options. There’s free wi-fi, breakfast and access to a fitness centre, all of which is included in the room rates. In the pleasant public areas, guests have access to a terrace, café and washing machine, and the reception is manned around the clock.
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