If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.
Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (GBP157.50), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.
No need to wrangle an invite from the Darcys – you’ll be welcomed like the belle of the ball at boutique hotel Homewood. Just outside of Bath, this Georgian estate has gone scandalously modern, with a clutch of individually designed rooms, a mod-British restaurant and a spa of its own (in case the 20-minute journey to the Roman baths is too taxing). You’ll feel like the lord or lady of the manor; corsets optional.
Smith Extra
Get this when you book through us:
A half-bottle of champagne and a selection of luxury chocolates waiting in your room
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
Prices
Double rooms from £189.00, including tax at 20 per cent.
More details
Rates usually include Continental and full English breakfasts and use of the spa. Guests staying on the dinner, bed and breakfast rate will get a £40 credit a person, each night, towards dinner only.
Also
The main part of Homewood is Georgian – with some Victorian additions – but the foundations of the original building date all the way to the 13th century, when it reportedly belonged to the nearby Carthusian Priory.
At the hotel
Free WiFi throughout, Wellington boots, drinks and snack larder. In rooms: TV, Smeg or Nespresso coffee machines and kettle, 100 acre or Diptyque bath products, free bottled water and home-made brownies.
Our favourite rooms
The spacious Junior Suite is in the original part of the house and has an impressive roll-top bath tub. Book a Spa Suite for its private, alfresco tub. When in Bath…
Poolside
The outdoor pool sits by the spa and is heated to an ahhhh-inducing 28°C.
Spa
Book in for holistic Gaia and Ila treatments: glow-giving facials, detoxifying body scrubs, bespoke massages and relaxing reflexology sessions. There are three treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a hydrotherapy pool that looks out over the heated outdoor pool and gardens.
Packing tips
Bring your most fetching swimwear and outdoor gear suitable for genteel countryside rambles.
Also
Common areas (the bar, restaurant and meeting rooms) are on the ground floor, along with some of the guest rooms – but they’re not specifically adapted for wheelchair users.
Pet‐friendly
Pets are welcome in all rooms for £25 a night, which includes beds, bowls and treats. There’s a grooming parlour at the hotel, plus a complimentary dog agility course. Let our Smith travel team know if you’ll be bringing your pooch. See more pet-friendly hotels in Bath.
Children
All ages are welcome. Highchairs are available in the restaurant and there are 20 acres of gardens with croquet and other outdoor games available. Extra beds can be added to suites and local babysitters can be arranged on request.
Ask for a table at the back of the restaurant next to the window with a view of the garden.
Dress Code
The restaurant is comfortingly informal, so don your cosiest jumpers and most dashing country-walk-wear.
Hotel restaurant
The locally loved restaurant Olio is decorated with a charming hodgepodge of mismatched tables, chairs and lighting, and original artwork adds an extra splash of colour. Chef Jamie Forman is the creative mind behind the seasonal, hybrid British-Mediterranean menus, sourcing his ingredients from trusted local suppliers and the kitchen’s own garden. Settle in for line-caught Newlyn cod, linguine puttanesca with capers and chilli, or a selection of Somerset cheeses. Inventive afternoon tea and sumptuous Sunday roasts continue to shine the spotlight on local, fresh produce. Breakfast – always homely and relaxed – is served in the restaurant or out on the terrace. There’s a Continental spread of cereals, granola, fruits, pastries, cheeses, cured meats and fresh juices, along with a menu of cooked-to-order morning favourites.
Hotel bar
Full of cosy corners – and with one antique-clock-lined wall – the bar is well stocked with English wines, local ales and creative cocktails inspired by the rolling countryside. In winter, pull up an armchair by the fireplace and sip on local beers and ciders. In warmer months, go for a refreshing English Strawberry Fizz or a zingy Rhubarb and Ginger.
Homewood is a luxurious boutique hotel near Bath hidden away at the end of a long private drive in the Avon Valley countryside.
Planes
Bristol International Airport is a 50-minute drive from the hotel and Heathrow’s just under two hours away by car.
Trains
Great Western Rail services pull into Bath Spa station, 20 minutes’ drive from the hotel. Hotel transfers for up to four people can be arranged for £35-40 each way.
Automobiles
Wheeling in from the city? There’s free on-site parking at Homewood.
Worth getting out of bed for
Indulge in afternoon tea (there’s a vegan option, too), curl up with a classic novel by one of the many fireplaces, explore the vast grounds by bicycle or swim leisurely laps in the heated outdoor pool.
Take in the views from Prior Park Landscape Garden– home to the world-famous (and much-filmed) Palladian Bridge. Perched above Bath, it’s the place for panoramic views over the surrounding countryside; there’s also a secret landscaped garden and a scene-stealing summerhouse glade. Check out the impressive collection at Holburne Museum for a hit of art and culture; the permanent display boasts bronze figurines, porcelain and portraits by some of the greatest artists of the 18th century. Temporary exhibits have included Matisse’s line drawings and some Rembrandt sketches. Prefer wearable art? Get the skinny on corsets through the ages, see how fashion has changed since Jane’s time and catch highlights from the latest designers at Bath’s Fashion Museum.
When in Rome… or, a former settlement of Roman Britain, it’d be a shame to miss the star attraction. The current iteration of the Roman Baths – a beautifully preserved thermae in the city centre – sit on the site of a temple constructed circa 70AD. Take a tour to learn more about the first spa-goers, then make your way to the New Royal Bath on the rooftop of Thermae Bath Spa for your own soak session.
Local restaurants
Head to Wild Café for all-day brunch – fruit-laden pancake stacks, full English breakfasts and egg-topped bubble and squeak. Stop by The Kingsmead Kitchen for toasted ciabatta sandwiches, mezze plates and seasonal pasta dishes. For dinner out on the town, book a table at Chez Dominique. Start with dukkah-sprinkled scallops or Dorset crab risotto before moving on to mains of aged sirloin steak, grilled hake or savoury celeriac tart. Remember to save room for dessert – blackberry crème brûlée, French cheeses or locally made ice-cream – and your sweet tooth will thank you.
Local bars
Appropriately moody bar The Dark Horse is full of cosy nooks and low-lit alcoves. The locally focused drinks menu is chock full of English wines, liqueurs and spirits; all of the beers are from the South West, and fruit and herbs are sourced (or foraged) from near Bath.
