Oxfordshire Limited Edition
August 2005
Beautiful Bath: Stunning architecture, delightful eateries, a colourful
history and shops to quench the thirst of any shopaholic - the city of
Bath has it all, writes Denise Barkley.
Bath is a city that scores highly on every front - stunning architecture,
brilliant museums, galleries and exhibitions, great restaurants, exciting
nightlife and fabulous shopping! Sorry if that seems a bit of an eulogy
but, apart from the delightful York, Bath is my absolute favourite city.
As a weekend break destination, it is ideal. Just a short hop down the
motorway from Oxford and there you are - surrounded by all that restful
honey-coloured Georgian architecture. It is an instant recipe for relaxation.
We took a two-night break in Bath, staying in the Queensberry Hotel. It
is a boutique-style hotel providing stylish comfort under the camouflage
of that famous Georgian architecture. It was built in 1771 by John Wood
for the Marquis of Queensberry and is peacefully located in a residential
street just off the Circus, but it is just a short walk to reach the shops,
the Roman Baths, the Pump Rooms and the magnificent Bath Abbey.
We took a leisurely Friday morning drive to Bath, stopping at Box, where
we enjoyed lunch at the Quarrymans Arms which teeters on a hillside giving
fabulous views across the countryside. The pub is aptly named, being the
watering hole for the workers who extracted that famous honey-coloured
stone from the hills beneath.
Arriving at the Queensberry Hotel, all the parking spaces up and down
the street were full, but the handbrake was barely on before a doorman
appeared to carry our bags and to take the car off to park it nearby.
We didn't, in fact, use the car all weekend - one of the joys of visiting
such a compact city - but the obliging doorman was quite happy to retrieve
my coat after I realised I had left it on the back seat.
Our room - which was number seven - was huge and elegant, with three big
Georgian windows, a high ceiling and decorated in cream, greys and browns,
with every luxury, from a lounge area with squashy sofa and TV to a huge
comfy bed, subdued lighting and steps leading up to the bathroom with
its monsoon shower and fluffy white towels.
The Queensberry has 29 individually designed rooms that blend perfectly
the original architectural features of the building with elegant comfort
and cutting edge amenities.
It was so lovely that I was slightly miffed that we could not spend more
time in there - but there is so much to see and do in Bath, that it wasn't
an option!
The temptation to lie down for an afternoon nap on arrival was quelled
because we had spotted the Assembly Rooms at the bottom of the road. The
magnificent building was the venue for a corporate dinner that evening,
but it was worth dodging the caterers and florists to look round. We then
popped next door to the Museum of Costume. A special exhibition, 'Corsets
Uncovered', was a real eye - opener (literally) when you saw what tiny
waists were achieved by being laced into corsets - de rigeur 150 years
ago.
In another special exhibition 'Jane Austen: Film and Fashion' visitors
could get a closer look at the pretty dresses worn by Miss Austen's heroines
in TV and film adaptations of her famous novels.
Returning to the Queensberry, we had dinner in the celebrated Olive Tree
Restaurant, which is located in the basement of the building. We enjoyed
some truly wonderful food in a really stylish environment, with great
service and good wine.
Saturday spells shopping to me, after a good breakfast, we were able to
wander down into the town when we realised that, being just round the
corner, it might be a good idea to stroll to the Royal Crescent, which
is magnificent, and visit Number One - which is an immaculate re-creation
of an 18th century townhouse. The guides were brilliant, giving a not
necessarily tasteful description of life in those days - such as revealing
that the ladies huge pomaded wigs were often inhibited by mice and the
dining room screen was used to shield the commode, provided for those
taken short during the meal!
We strolled into the town centre for a little retail therapy and found
that, in Bath, this is distinctly different. The city boasts more independently
owned shops per head of population than the majority of cities in the
UK. Most of the most interesting shops are hidden away in side streets
and alleyways, and are well worth seeking out - I can vouch for that!
In need of afternoon refreshment, we enjoyed a genteel cream tea in Bath's
famous Pump Rooms. Many queued to try the water, fresh from the springs,
but, having tried it before, I wasn't in a hurry to try it again. It is
not nice!
The Olive Tree restaurant had made such an impression that we ate there
once more on Saturday evening. On Sunday, we wandered down to Pulteney
Bridge, to gaze at the beautiful weir and, as the sun put in a welcome
appearance, we sat in deckchairs in Parade Gardens and enjoyed the live
music from the bandstand. After a pub lunch, it was time for a visit to
the Roman Baths. Bath thrives on its aquatic past and the long-awaited
Thermae Bath Spa will enhance this when it opens.
Finishing off our weekend break with a pleasant bus tour of the city,
it was time to return home. I have only given you a small taste of what
Bath, England's only city designated a World Heritage Site, is like. There
is just so much going on, and the city is such a pretty location, that
you can't go wrong, whatever time of year you visit.
Our suite at the Queensberry Hotel cost £295 per night - room only.
For more details, call 01225 447928 or visit www.thequeensberry.co.uk
For more information about what's on in Bath, call Bath Tourist Information
Centre on 09067112000 or visit www.visitbath.co.uk
For more information about shopping in Bath visit www.bathshopping.com