Review: Kathryn Lewsey
Just a mere four-minute walk from Bath Spa train station is the beautiful Hotel Indigo Bath. Opening its doors in September 2020, this restored Georgian Terrace has already earned a good reputation in this historical city and it’s not hard to see why.
Ahead of the manic time that is December, my mum and I checked in for some R&R.
Walking into reception, we were warmly greeted and quickly whizzed through the standard check-in procedure. With Christmas just weeks away, the reception had a cosy, festive vibe complete with a bejewelled tree and a matching mantlepiece reef. But even when it’s not Christmas, the lobby is brimming with stylish touches such as quirky ornaments and grand light shades.
Throughout the lobby and lounge, the walls were adorned with fun, abstract art, mainly consisting of animal heads placed on human’s bodies.
After checking in, we were led to our room, which was located underground in the hotel’s newly-opened Vault rooms. Combining historical architecture and modern decor, the room featured exposed brick walls, plenty of soft lighting and a huge king-sized bed, complete with Egyptian cotton linen. The mini-bar had been stocked with complimentary drinks and there was a Nespresso coffee machine for that morning caffeine fix.
The bathroom was just as impressive with a big roll-top bath, walk-in rainfall shower and a selection of warm, fluffy towels. Plus its white spa-esque decor meant that even cleaning our teeth felt like a luxurious experience.
We were booked in for dinner at The Elder – a restaurant and bar that’s part of the hotel but is independently run and owned by restauranter Mike Robinson, with Gavin Edney as Executive Chef.
Kick-starting our night in the bar, we sipped on cocktails – a margarita for me, a negroni for my mum – before being taken through to the main dining area where the feasting began.
The decor was just as elegant as the hotel, with moss green panelling, mounted stag heads and Country House vibe art.
The Elder is all about fresh, local produce. With a focus on game, the restaurant has private land where they source wild deer, whereas local farms supply the meat and even the fruit and veg are bought from local markets.
Browsing the menu, there were plenty of mouthwatering dishes to choose from – including veggie and fish options if you’re not a meat eater.
After ordering, our waiter brought us over two miniature glasses of what he called ‘special tea’ – before explaining that it was a chicken, venison and thyme broth. Accompanied by a warm bread roll and homemade butter, he suggested dipping the bread into the broth – and we just did that! The warming meaty broth worked perfectly with the freshly baked bread and was a great start to the meal.
For our starters we shared two dishes, ordering the gin cured trout – a light dish which was served with plenty of dill and a delicious slab of treacle bread – and the meaty wild boar, woodpigeon and pistachio terrine pate – which was served with irresistible pieces of duck fat focaccia.
Onto our mains, where we obviously had to share again! The first dish was a scrumptious piece of fallow deer, served on a bed of mash and brussel sprouts – plus a juicy rich dollop of sauce grand veneur was the perfect accompaniment. Our second was a roast partridge leg, which was served with perfectly cooked puy lentils and a buttery, creamy Albufera sauce. If that’s not enough, it even came with a mini pot of venison Shepherd’s pie.
Almost – but not quite – full, we decided to share one dessert – a chestnut mousse with butter chocolate sauce and chestnut cream. Seriously indulgent and delicious, the combo of chocolate and chestnut was incredible.
As you’d expect, there was an extensive wine list to choose from and we washed our dinner down with a gorgeous bottle of fruity Bondora.
Going back to our room with full, happy bellies, we enjoyed a peaceful sleep in the super-comfy, king-sized bed. We were back at The Elder for breakfast the next morning and it nailed it once again.
There’s a menu offering a whole array of classic breakfast dishes, including smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, avo on toast and a full English. But not stopping there, the breakfast buffet was also full of yummy brekkie items including pastries, cheeses, fresh fruit and cereals. Safe to say, we were ready for the day after filling up on the many delicious options.
With the city centre being just five-minutes away, we checked-out and left our bags with the hotel so we could explore the sights. It was the first day of the Christmas markets and there was a festive buzz in the air as we checked out the cute shops.
Keen to experience a slice of Bath history, we also stopped by at the Roman Baths, where we marvelled at the history and learned plenty of interesting facts about the 2,000 year old ruins.
Wrapping up our day, we picked up our bags and hopped on the train back to London.
Bath really is a fabulous city to visit for a weekend getaway and we couldn’t fault Hotel Indigo Bath as the perfect place to stay. History, old-school glamour, good food and quirky decor – what more could you want?
Room rates from £149
Hotel Indigo Bath – South Parade, Bath, BA2 4AB
01225 460441
www.visitbath.co.uk