Visitors to Bath—the spa town in southwest England that dates back to Roman times—will soon be in for a treat. Come spring 2014, the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel will open its doors with the only natural thermal spa of its kind in the UK. A short walk from Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, the hotel will have 99 guest rooms decorated by Champalimaud Design (the agency behind the glam interiors at the Hotel Bel-Air and The Carlyle).
Part of the YTL hotel chain (including The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur), the hotly anticipated hotel will be comprised of three historic buildings with historic-listed Georgian façades: Gainsborough, Bellotts and Hetling House, the latter being the only surviving Elizabethan building in Bath.
Expect local cuisine in a fireside setting at The Gainsborough Restaurant, a lovely lounge for cocktails, and Afternoon Tea in The Lobby Lounge. The showstopper will be the two-level Spa Village Bath, which is connected to the original Roman Bath Springs. Prior to a pampering treatment, guests can “take the waters” in three natural thermal pools, each heated to a different temperature. The spa will also have a steam room, an ice chamber, and traditional and infrared saunas. Special “Spa Village” guest rooms include in-room thermal water service and a daily massage. For more information, visit www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk.