No.15 Great Pulteney

I pulled into Bath actually needing one. 

For the week prior, I was driving my way through Cornwall: wild, rocky cliffs and mysterious fog on the west coast of England. With only a few more days of my road trip, I made my way to Bath, my final destination before flying home. The stately city called my name and I was excited to get out of my hiking gear and into something a little more British. However, the air conditioner in my rental car broke and it was a shockingly hot week. 

I desperately needed a bath. 

Trying to push the heat out of mind, I focused on my surroundings as I pulled into Somerset. Driving through the English countryside is, it turns out, stunning. Long views of rolling green hills hug you along your route. And when I finally pulled into Bath at sunset, the perfect rows of white marbled Georgians glowed a fierce pink. 

Then there’s Great Pulteney street. It just reeked of class. A wide pedestrian walkway – most definitely for a pre-dinner promenade – is flanked by stately houses. No.15, I was about the discover, would be my most favourite. 

No.15 Great Pulteney has a sensibility that is unlike any other. You’re immediately awed by their collection of art. It fills every inch of the walls, floors and furniture. Even the cocktail tables have a glass top displaying beads and baubles and sequined treasures. A magpie’s delight. 

‘How many pieces of art do you have?’ I ask at the check-in, my neck straining to peek at the giant hutch’s top shelf.

‘Countless!’ comes the reply.

I’m lead up to my room which is tucked into the corner of the top floor. The walls slant. The floor buckles here and there. But there is something in the Alice in Wonderland nature of this eccentric home that makes those faults charming. My room features one wall with a graffiti’d mural of the cosmos. Two vintage teacups sit on table in front of it. 

‘That’s it!’ I thought: it’s the juxtaposition of modern art and tradition that makes it all so tantalizing.

But there is no time to gawk at the art. I hop immediately in the shower and get dressed for my Bath promenade. The first stop is not very far. The lobby bar, awash in the brilliant sunset light by the large sash windows, is very chic. I order a Campari and soda. 

‘That’s the most divine looking Campari and soda I’ve ever seen’ I tell the bartender as he brings it to the table. There is slapped mint and a giant wedge of grapefruit. It tastes as good as it looked. 

I chat-up a fellow hotel guest. The atmosphere encourages it, in fact. With so many things to look at, you definitely need another to point out the piece in the massive collection you inevitably missed.

‘Did you check out the Kaleidoscope wall?’ she asks. I did. On my way up to my room after dinner, I find the wall. Rows of kaleidoscopes all lined up for you to look through. Intoxicating! I tell her about how much I love the sconce lampshades. They’re hand embroidered with the hotel façade. It was such a memorable touch.

Outside, I stroll the streets of Bath. It’s a small but vibrant town. The Roman architecture of Bath’s namesake tourist attraction is mimicked gracefully throughout the city. It feels a bit Mediterranean, just with more pints. 

Upon further exploration, I deduce that Great Pulteney is the street. It’s unrivaled in its perfectly symmetric beauty. Arriving back at the hotel, my heart jumped as soon as I stepped inside. Such beauty outside and such wonder within…