The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

The sweep of honey-stone buildings that form Bath’s Georgian crescent is home to two majestic mansions which combine as one hotel, beyond which lie a leafy garden and atmospheric spa. With chandeliers, antiques and oil paintings, it’s very smart, but is far from snooty. A trusted reader praises the personable staff. Families are welcome, while pet-friendly rooms have garden or courtyard access. Palatial suites might come with a four-poster or ornate ceilings, but even the least-expensive rooms are justly termed ‘deluxe’, with contemporary styling, queen-size bed and Noble Isle toiletries. In the restaurant, David Campbell’s short menus include dishes such as saddle of venison, haggis croquette, poached pear and mulled wine, or wild-mushroom arancini. The beautifully tended garden, hidden behind the hotel, is the perfect place to relax, as is the Georgian spa, with its 12-metre pool, church-style windows and a Mediterranean-style walled garden. Breakfast – in bed, if you like – brings real OJ, pastries, tea-soaked Agen prunes, local pork sausages, free-range eggs, waffles or what you will, while the afternoon teas are legendary.