The Gainsborough Bath Spa Review

HYATT LOYALTY HIGHLIGHTS

As of 2024, unfortunately this hotel can no longer be booked through Hyatt. Given that it was part of the Small Luxury Hotel collection, typical Hyatt status benefits did not apply previously.
We received a note and bottle of wine in our room, which was a lovely touch. I had noted we were celebrating my wife’s birthday.

HOTEL OVERVIEW

This hotel was originally built in the 1800s and has about 100 rooms. It is the only hotel in the country with its own access to a naturally heated spring.

BOOKING

I booked this hotel while it was part of Hyatt, during which it was a category 6 (out of 8), meaning a stay here required 25,000 Hyatt points per night at the standard rate. Cash rates are typically $300-$400.
I opted to book a standard room, the Deluxe, with cash.

LOCATION

It is hard to beat the location of this hotel, which sits at the heart of Bath. It is a 2 minute walk to the famous Ancient Roman Baths.
My wife and I took the train in from London (about 1 hour away). The Bath train station is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.
We visited in December and within steps of the property there is a Christmas market, as well as plenty of shops and restaurants.

CHECK IN

Check in is at 3:00pm. We arrived at about 3:15pm and our room was not ready. While we waited, they offered us to grab a free drink at the bar. After a short wait, a member of the front desk brought us our key.
We were recommended to make a reservation for breakfast the following morning, as the dining room can get busy.
Our room was not upgraded, as the hotel was sold out.

ROOM

We stayed in a Deluxe room, a cozy but comfortable size for two people.
The view was of neighboring old buildings, which I thought looked charming.
The bathroom had a shower (I guess you don’t always get a bath in Bath!) and one sink.
A free minibar is in the room with soft drinks, water, and beer.

AMENITIES

The star of the show at this hotel is the spa, which is built on the Roman thermal pools. Guests receive free access to the pools in the early morning (7-9am) and evening (7-9pm) daily. Or, you can book a spa experience and enjoy the pools before/after.
My wife and I booked a massage, which I highly recommend. After an hour-long massage, we spent about another hour doing the self-guided bathing circuit around the pools. No phones/cameras are allowed in the spa or pool area.
The complementary breakfast was great. We ordered a la carte and had the option to grab food from the buffet.

SERVICE

We received great service at the hotel and within the spa. After a day of walking around in the cold weather, my wife was looking for a glass of something warm, such as mulled wine. While they did not have mulled wine, a member of the front desk coordinated with the hotel bar to whip up a hot tea with rum, which was delicious.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

The biggest must-do in Bath is to visit the Roman Baths site and museum, which is a 2 minute walk from the hotel. Afterward, you can have afternoon tea at the Pump Room.
We took two great tours: a ghost tour at night and a history tour during the day. The former was entertaining and the latter gave a great overview of the city, as well as admission to the Roman Baths.
If you visit in December, make sure to stroll around the Christmas market. You can get a cup of mulled wine or hot cider to stay warm!

SUMMARY

I would absolutely stay here again during a visit to Bath, despite the hotel no longer being part of Hyatt. Our visit was magical - in part due to the amazing ambiance of Bath around Christmastime. We didn’t want to leave!

The Gainsborough Bath Spa