Bath at Christmastime & Francis Hotel

I'm finally starting to feel a little better (and good timing too with Christmas well underway), though there was no way feeling like death warmed up would stop me from spending some time in Bath last week!  With pretty good knowledge of the town centre and a stay booked at the Francis Hotel, I dragged myself into action and headed off for the historic location set in the southwest's countryside...

The want for minimal hassle is amplified ten million times when I'm unwell.  And so when the car was parked for us while a concierge explained direct routes to both Christmas markets, shops and bars alike, I knew we'd chosen the right hotel for a seamless stay in Bath.  The hotel's decor was absolutely to my taste, with patterned and flocked wallpaper covering the walls and tasteful bursts of colour at every turn.  After unpacking and realising the time, boots were pulled back on and quickly planted onto the pavements - time to explore!

Coat - Zara Military Style Coat

Scarf - Jaeger Mongolian Fur Long Scarf (currently on sale!)

Bag - Valentino Lock Medium 

Having spent some time recently in both Cologne and Bruges for Christmas Markets, it's difficult not to compare Bath's festive display to those.  Ultimately, Cologne's markets will always have my heart, however each city has their unique charm thanks to the surrounding architecture.  In this case, Bath Abbey provides the magic by taking centre stage at the main market.  Beautiful!  A couple of drinks later and we headed to Café Rouge for dinner - with a few bags of mandarin, cinnamon & clove potpourri in hand from the markets.

Café Rouge 
15 Milsom Street
Bath
BA1 1DE

The ambience at Bath's Café Rouge was just as I'd remembered: warm, inviting and festive.  I've come to rely on the chain bistro for guaranteed good meals when exploring on limited time; the way to my heart is via the chicken marinated in garlic & herbs!  If you find yourself in Bath at Café Rouge, be sure to head to the back of the restaurant where you can be seated underneath stained glass windows and the high ceiling from what was originally a very grand townhouse.

If you follow along with my Insta-stories, you'll know after dinner I popped into the San Francisco Fudge Factory shop on our way back to the hotel, picking up a couple of enormous chunks of white chocolate fudge - I can't recommend it enough!  Then finally, at just ten in the evening, I felt pretty awful and my body gave up entirely, seeing us head back to the Francis Hotel early.  No complaints here though, just look at the gorgeous Roman Bath themed shower wall!

Rise and shine!  A night in one of the hotel's Feature Rooms was the perfect end to the day, and thanks to such gorgeous decor, provided the perfect excuse to lounge around to soak up the surroundings (checkout at midday).  Pancakes and bacon with maple syrup were on the menu for breakfast, along with cranberry juice and a beautiful view of the Queen Square!  Did I mention I love people watching?

If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Bath that pays attention to detail, has a central location and includes special touches throughout, I truly can't recommend the Francis Hotel enough.  I'm guilty often of staying at modern chain hotels for conveniency and comfort when travelling, however I'll have to eat my words and say there's something special about an authentic stay at a hotel that reflects its location's character.  On this occasion, I'm talking about four poster beds and antique phones, sliced strawberries and shower walls depicting the Roman Baths.  Oh, and not forgetting the colourful flocked wallpaper!

It was only upon leaving that I remembered I'd missed the opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea at Emily's Tearoom within Francis Hotel - though it does create the perfect reason to return.  Speaking of which, you can expect a 2017 festive travel diary for Bath as this is one of my favourite annual traditions!  Let me know if you've visited the town of Bath, or whether it's on your 'to visit' list?

Francis Hotel
Queen Square
Bath
BA1 2HH

With love,

Gabrielle x