Experience Authentic Georgian Elegance at the Luxurious Hotel Indigo Bath

All photos by Bryan Dearsley / LuxuryUK 

There’s a particular pleasure in arriving at a hotel in the knowledge that everything you want to see and do is just a short, leisurely stroll away. Hotel Indigo Bath delivers on that promise in full.

Located on a quiet, honey-coloured Georgian terrace, a stay at this Grade I listed property puts you just a few minutes’ walk from Bath’s “big three” attractions: the Roman Baths, Pulteney Bridge, and Bath Abbey. It’s also just a quarter mile from Bath Spa train station, itself only 75-minutes by rail from London.

Add to this the remarkable history of this landmark hotel, as well as its sumptuous accommodations, and there’s no doubt the luxurious Hotel Indigo Bath has a lot going for it.

Hotel Indigo Bath and South Parade

What first strikes you about this piece of prime luxury real estate in the center of Bath is not just how big it is, but how big it feels.

South Parade, which runs parallel to the busy Grand Parade and Parade Gardens just behind the hotel, is extremely wide and airy. No other structures or awkward signage crowd the hotel’s frontage, and there’s no traffic.

In fact, only a handful of parked cars are even on the street, set well back from the hotel’s historic façade, enabling you to forget you’re even in a city. And there are none of those gawping sightseers you’d normally expect to find in a place so picturesque.

Stand facing the hotel and, apart from the patio furniture of Brasserie Beau (the hotel’s bar and restaurant) and the riverside St John the Evangelist’s Church, there likely is a city streetscape anywhere in England that’s quite as peaceful as South Parade.

A Brief History Lesson

Designed by John Wood the Elder in 1743, the same architect whose vision gave the city its trademark crescents, parades, and squares, this quiet corner of Bath was originally to be part of a never fully realized scheme for a grand piazza-style development.

He did, however, manage to have the street-facing, biscuit-toned façade you see in front of you constructed, leaving what went on behind it to individual builders and their clients. The result behind this unified frontage was a mix of uniquely laid out townhomes that give Hotel Indigo Bath so much of its unique character and charm.

The list of the terrace’s early residents is also fascinating and reads like a “who’s who” of Georgian and Regency-era society. Number 6 South Parade was associated with Sir Walter Scott, the novelist behind Ivanhoe and Rob Roy; William Wilberforce, the anti-slavery campaigner, also lodged here during visits to “take the waters” in Bath; and several minor royals were also known to visit.

From Georgian Townhomes to Luxury Hotel

The townhomes found new life as Pratt’s Hotel in the early 1900s, a place that stood as a fixture on the Bath accommodations scene for over a century before being acquired and reimagined as part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts boutique Hotel Indigo brand.

Remodeling this Grade I listed building was certainly no small undertaking, as every alteration had to be sympathetic to the integrity of the original 280-year-old structure.

Walk through the lobby today, and you’ll notice original plasterwork and those all-important Georgian proportions (high ceilings and tall windows), embellished here and there with contemporary touches like fun portraits of animals dressed as people and whimsical literary references.

And it all works. You’re left in no doubt that you’re staying somewhere quite special… and somewhere steeped in history.

The Joys of Being a Vault Dweller

With 154 guest rooms, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to accommodations. The five distinct design themes include Romance & Mischief, Literary Hideaway, Architectural Beauty, Garden, and my favourite, the Vaults.

I was intrigued by the concept of sleeping in one of the underground Vault Rooms, something I’d done at the wonderful Rhodes House in Oxford, and had enjoyed immensely. Summoning my inner Hobbit, I was shown to Vault Room 107and was barely able to hide just how impressed I was.

One of 12 such rooms created in the final phase of the hotel’s restoration, these opulent accommodations are quite literally 18th-century underground beneath that same wide terrace on South Parade I mentioned earlier. Originally used for storage, they make for intriguing (and quite unusual) hotel rooms.

Vault Room 107

Featuring exposed brickwork, vaulted ceilings, and a muted palette of dark timber finishes and soft, warm lighting, kipping for the night in Vault Room 107 was a real treat.

Underfloor heating, a king-size Hypnos bed dressed in Egyptian cotton, and a spacious spa-inspired bathroom with a freestanding roll-top bath as well as a separate walk-in rainfall shower… well, it all felt properly indulgent after a day exploring the city.

Other notable features of the room included A Nespresso machine, a 43-inch flat-screen television, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a complimentary minibar, which rounded out the in-room comfort.

Even if you don’t go for a Vault Room (but you should!), the other room types boast the same core luxe amenities. The designs, though, create quite different moods. The Romance & Mischief rooms, for example, take their cue from Bath’s fabled Georgian social season, with dark green wood paneling, red velvet furnishings, and artwork featuring love birds and portraits playfully defaced by fictional spurned lovers. The Garden rooms are set overlooking the rear terrace and offer a lighter, more contemporary feel.

Food and Drink Experiences @ Hotel Indigo Bath

Hotel Indigo Bath is home to two first-rate restaurants. The Elder, the hotel’s fine dining option, features a series of elegant, atmospheric rooms with oil paintings, studded leather banquettes, and paneled walls, all adding to its sophisticated ambiance. A popular option is the restaurant’s seven-course tasting menu, with each course built around wild, seasonal British ingredients. Venison comes from estates within an hour of Bath, and fresh fish is delivered daily (vegetarian options are available).

For something less formal, Brasserie Beau focuses on classic dishes with a British twist: simple dishes done well using local produce (when available). Though I’m not a vegetarian, I chose to give my meat intake a rest after a few too many full English breakfasts. And the kitchen didn’t disappoint.

The starter was a no-brainer for a cheddar fan: the Twice Baked Bath Soft Cheese Soufflé was light, properly risen, and full of flavor. For my main? I went with the Wild Mushroom Risotto, well-seasoned and generous without being heavy. The brasserie also runs an in-house butchery where steaks are dry-aged for 30 to 40 days, so carnivores are extremely well served here.

For dessert, I fancied something traditional, but with a twist. The Rhubarb and Apple Crumble didn’t disappoint. Served with creamy vanilla custard, the decision to add pistachios and oats to the crumble, though unorthodox, only added to the flavourful experience.

Breakfast at Hotel Indigo Bath is worth a mention, too. Also served in Brasserie Beau, you can choose from a full continental buffet or something from the cooked menu. Having seen the size of the full English my two American neighbours were served, I stuck with the healthy choices and went for a delicious avocado on toast served with poached eggs.

Nearby Things to Do in Bath

Hotel Indigo Bath makes for an ideal base from which to explore the city. In addition to being perfectly positioned for some luxury shopping, it’s perfect to explore Bath’s most popular attractions. Just a five-minute walk away, the Roman Baths, one of Europe’s most visited Roman sites, is a must.

If you want to soak in the city’s thermal water rather than just look at it, Thermae Bath Spa is two blocks further on and is the only place in the UK where you can bathe in natural, mineral-rich hot springs. The rooftop pool, with its views across the city all the way to the surrounding hills, adds further to the experience and the pampering.

Georgian architecture is, of course, Bath’s other big calling card. From the hotel, a 15-minute walk takes you up through carriage-width streets to The Circus, also designed by John Wood the Elder, to the Royal Crescent, the sweeping arc of 30 townhouses designed by his son, John Wood the Younger, in the 1770s. No. 1 Royal Crescent is now a museum furnished to show how the wealthy lived in late 18th-century Bath and is well worth a visit.

Back down the hill, Pulteney Bridge, one of only a handful of bridges in the world with shops on both sides, is practically on the hotel’s doorstep. While some of the best views are from Parade Gardens, walk to the other side of the River Avon for an altogether different (and less crowded) vantage point.

Tips and Tactics

• Check-in at Hotel Indio Bath is at 3 pm, and check-out at 11 am.
• Breakfast is included with most stay packages.
• Although there’s no onsite parking, a first-come, first-served valet parking option is available at £40 per day. I used it, and was very happy not only with the service, but also with not having to park in a very busy city. Booking in advance is required.
• Manvers Street Pay and Display is directly opposite the hotel, but fills quickly.
• The hotel is just 10 miles from M4 Junction 18 via the A46, and 19 miles from Bristol International Airport.
• Bath Spa railway station is 0.2 miles away, with regular services to London Paddington taking around 90 minutes.
• Pets are welcome (a maximum of two dogs per room, for stays of up to four nights), and extra charges apply.
• For private events and gatherings, enquire about 5 Pierrepont Street, the hotel’s standalone Georgian townhouse; it features eight en-suite rooms and its own courtyard.
• For more details about prices and packages, visit hotelindigo.com. Alternatively, email [email protected], or call 01225 460441.