The Gainsborough Hotel & Spa, Bath

Hidden down a quiet side street just off the main shopping drag, this is the perfect retreat for combining relaxation with retail therapy. The hotel's location means it can tap straight into the city's thermal springs.

The hotel neighbours Britain's only natural thermal spa, while the original historic Roman Baths are two minutes' walk away.

By car: the hotel is just 40 mins from Bristol, 2 hours from Southampton or Coventry, 3 hours from London. There is some valet parking avaliable for a fee.

By train: Bath Spa station is a 5-minute walk away, serviced by trains from London Paddington (1 hour 30 mins), Portsmouth Harbour (2 hours 15 mins) and Cardiff Central (1 hour). Book trains to Bath.

The interiors are modern, and an impressive contemporary chandelier hangs five floors deep in the lobby, magnifying its high ceiling. The spa mixes a glass roof with Roman columns and a mosaic, while a Georgian-style colour palette of blues and greys adorn the bedrooms.

Feel a refined sense of calm envelop you as you enter the light marble-filled lobby. Friendly staff provide first-class service. While Thermae Bath Spa heaves with visitors, the hotel's Asian-inspired spa feels like a private sanctuary with three thermal pools, an infrared sauna, steam room, ice alcove, yoga room and treatments.

• Parking
• Spa & wellness centre
• Free Wi-Fi
• Family rooms
• Restaurant
• Fitness centre
• Bar

Deluxe rooms are relatively compact, while classic rooms and suites enjoy the high ceilings and tall windows of the original building. Neo-Georgian furnishings pair with a muted colour palette of blues and greys. Modern accessories match the surroundings with underfloor heating in the bathrooms.

Room types: Deluxe, Executive, Courtyard & Bath Spa rooms, Junior, Gainsborough, Two-Bedroom and Bath Spa suites, The Townhouse

Key amenities: en-suite with bath robe and slippers, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, tea and coffee-making facilites.

The hotel's buzzy restaurant is headed up by chef Dan Moon, who creates an innovative menu of modern fine-dining dishes topped with Asian flourishes. The cosy bar with a mixologist overlooks the spa pool, or you can savour afternoon tea and champagne in the Canvas Room.

Dan Moon at the Gainsborough Restaurant: Sophisticated, with Georgian architecture, original artwork and wine wall. 3 AA Rosettes. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Two courses for £52 or three Courses for £62.

The Canvas Room: Relaxed, modern, elegant, quintessentially British. Afternoon teas serves 3pm - 5.30pm.