The Bath Priory

Abby Driver discovers countryside luxury at the Priory Bath in our latest hotel review.

The Priory stands in a row of spectacular 19th-century houses in a quiet, peaceful corner of Bath. It’s an easy, scenic 20-minute walk into the centre of Bath. Built in 1835 as a private residence, the hotel was constructed on land once owned by The Priory of Bath Abbey.

Ambience

Pulling up to the hotel I was struck by the striking Victorian gothic style and honey-coloured stone typical of Bath. Inside I was greeted by a member of staff who showed me through to reception. I had arrived early but wanted to check if it was OK to leave the car there while I spent the morning exploring Bath. They had no problem with this and even supplied me with a (very sturdy!) umbrella to make my trip into town all the more enjoyable, which was a lovely gesture.

Check in and Welcome

When the time came to actually check in, the staff were just as accommodating. We were given a full tour of the hotel – from the restaurant to the gym – and it became abundantly clear early on that the staff at The Priory were absolutely faultless.

The Room

There are 33 bedrooms at The Priory split into bedrooms and suites. We stayed in ‘Honeysuckle’, one of the hotel’s premier deluxe rooms. It featured a king-sized bed, living area and a marble-clad en suite.

Honeysuckle had also recently been treated to a make-over, which no doubt added to the crisp quality of the space. The colour theme, a calming palette of muted greys and blues, was perfect for getting a good night’s sleep.

Speaking of which, one of my favourite practical elements of the room was the mattress. The Ammique sleep system uses a unique suspension system which replaces the traditional mattress and holds you in your perfect sleeping position no matter what your shape, weight or movement. It certainly worked for me – I slept incredibly well.

There were plenty of other thoughtful touches throughout such as a welcome card, bottled water, a great selection of magazines and a Nespresso machine.

The en suite bathroom was beautifully decorated using marble and chrome. Ours featured a spacious bath with a shower and large sink area.

The robes, slippers and fragrant L’Occitane products were a lovely luxurious touch.

Spa and Gym

The garden spa houses a heated pool, sauna and a steam room. I tried both the sauna and steam room out, both were pristinely maintained and very relaxing to use. There are also four treatment suites at the spa, though I didn’t try any out.

The fitness suite offers a range of cardiovascular machines and some free-weights. I visited in the morning but it was fairly busy, so I opted for a couple of turns around the stunning grounds instead. Far more picturesque!

Dining

It is here that The Bath Priory well and truly comes into its own. Home to the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Bath, The Bath Priory Restaurant serves up modern European fine dining. And it is seriously good. First up we enjoyed an aperitif – I opted for a classic martini. After taking some time to look over the menu, we were invited into the restaurant where we indulged in a vegetarian seven-course tasting menu (£95 per person).

To start we had celeriac velouté with truffle Chantilly, which was perfectly silky smooth and – with a side of freshly baked spelt bread – a fairly substitutional start. Next up came asparagus tips with truffled mayonnaise and charred shallot, this tiny but perfectly formed course tasted like spring on a plate.

Pheasant egg with spring truffle followed and then came a perfectly green herb risotto with girolle mushrooms, which was as hearty as it was flavoursome. This was followed with a beautifully constructed (and tasting) white onion tarte with Cashel Blue and beluga lentils, and then, what can only be described as the fanciest mushrooms on toast I’ve ever had!

After all that, somehow I managed to find room for dessert: a mascarpone parfait with honeycomb and rhubarb followed by a salted caramel fondant with butterscotch and banana sorbet.

I’m not a wine drinker, but The Bath Priory house an impressively vast and varied wine cellar, the contents of which seemed to be going down incredibly well with my fellow diners.

All in all the tasting menu was nothing short of spectacular – it was easily the best food of 2016 for me so far, and I’ve eaten out a lot this year!

Final Thoughts

For me, the most impressive aspects of The Bath Priory are the staff – who are truly exceptional – and the incredible food. There are plenty of other positives – the grand décor, the manicured gardens, the convenient location and the onsite spa and gym – but the food and the staff particularly stood out during my visit.