Bath is an adorable town about a 90 minute train ride from the center of London. It’s filled with lovely walkable blocks and squares, colorfully organized charity shops, and forward-thinking home design stores like 8 Holland Street. At the top of the hill is the Royal Crescent, a must-see curving row of 30 gorgeous townhomes designed by John Wood the Younger, dating from the late 18th century. Now Bath has even something more to recommend it, thanks to the 15 million-pound refurb of The Francis Hotel on Queen Square. The property features 98 comfortably redesigned guestrooms and Emberwood, the delightful in-house restaurant. The unmissable adventure, however, is in the newly opened Francis Hotel Spa. The “Cleansing Foam and Steam Experience” may sound quotidien, but it’s anything but. After a gentle exfoliating session with hot and cold shower sprays in your own private spa suite, you’ll step into Britain’s only warm bubble and steam cabin for a luxuriously relaxing session that will return you to Waterloo Station a changed human.
A Comfy room
DuJour spoke to Shaun Bowles, the property’s general manager, to learn more.
What’s the most requested room at the property?
Our Cosy Rooms, but if I had to single out one room, it would be our John Wood Suite overlooking Queen Square.
What makes it so special?
With beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows and approximately 29 square meters of space, it’s a wonderful room for guests who want to make a little more of their stay in Bath. There’s a huge emperor bed, a sofa bed with space for up to four guests and large windows that give you a real connection to the city outside.
What is the nightly rate for this suite?
From £298, which includes a complimentary 45-minute ESPURO Thermal Experience for two.
Francis Hotel Spa
What’s an interesting tidbit about the hotel that speaks to its status as an icon?
Bath is rich in history and was famous well before the Bridgerton production began. Yes, Bath is where most of Netflix’s Bridgerton is filmed but that’s not our most exciting tidbit. No. 9 Queen Square was designed and built by John Wood the Elder, the architect who shaped Georgian Bath. He lived in our building with his family and then went on to design the Circus. His son took inspiration from his father’s designs to create the Royal Crescent. So, you could say Bath’s rich heritage and legacy was created right in our building. The Francis began welcoming guests in 1858, when local builder Solomon Francis bought No. 10 and opened it as a lodging and boarding house.
What’s your personal favorite room? Why?
Room 25, although more for sentimental reasons. It was the first completed room of the refurbishment and the first time we saw the concept come to life. It matched our vision perfectly: warm, elegant, calm and comfortable, with great lighting and everything in its place.
What special perk or amenity do you offer that no one knows about?
Our guests really love our Francis tote bag, which is there for guests to use while exploring Bath. You can take it home afterwards too. Inside, we include our own shopping list of brilliant independent shops, makers, and places to eat and drink around the city. We work with a few of them too, so Francis guests might find there’s a little something extra waiting for them when they visit.
Emberwood restaurant
What’s your favorite design element on property?
It has to be the spa. The space used to be meeting rooms, so the transformation is quite significant. The whole spa feels incredibly peaceful and smells wonderful. My favourite spot in the hotel is the relaxation lounge, where the natural light changes beautifully throughout the day. The team knows that if I need ten minutes to gather my thoughts, there’s a good chance they’ll find me there.
How about one more fun fact about the property?
Our British brasserie, Emberwood, found its name and identity in the history of the hotel. One of the townhouses was once home to a match manufacturer, while another was built and lived in by John Wood the Elder. Bring those stories together with the centrepiece of the restaurant, our open-fire hearth, and Emberwood was born. Today, that fire is very much part of the experience. Expect locally sourced, seasonal produce given a touch of the hearth wherever it works best, alongside a crafted cocktail list with some brilliant no-and low-alcohol options. There’s a little theatre while you eat too, with the chefs cooking over the open fire at the heart of the restaurant.
