Cette propriété
The Francis Hotel occupies a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse on Queen Square, Bath's most elegant residential plaza, where honey-coloured Bath stone facades catch the Cotswold light. The lobby feels intimate and period-authentic—sash windows, creaking floorboards, and modest but characterful furnishings—rather than corporate, reflecting genuine 18th-century proportions. It suits discerning travellers seeking authentic Georgian Bath immersion without luxury-hotel formality or boutique pricing; comfort-first explorers who'd rather spend on restaurants and the Roman Baths than thread-count. Standing at the threshold, you sense you're lodging *within* history, not beside it.
️ Chroniques de la ville
Bath's foundation as a spa city dates to AD 70, when the Romans recognised the thermal waters and built the only hot spring bathing complex north of the Alps, establishing Aquae Sulis as a pilgrimage centre. The medieval abbey rose on sacred ground, but Bath's true golden age came 1660–1840, when Georgian society reinvented it as Britain's premier resort, and architect John Wood the Elder (from 1727) imposed a visionary Palladian scheme—the Royal Circus, The Crescent—creating the world's finest unified Georgian townscape. Waning by the industrial age, Bath survived as a genteel backwater until UNESCO World Heritage designation (1987) restored prestige and tourism. Today it balances 500,000+ annual visitors with its identity as a working market town, university hub (University of Bath), and creative centre.
️ Meilleur moment pour visiter
Le guide completLes meilleurs mois
May and September are Bath's sweet spot: late spring brings cherry blossoms on The Crescent and daytime highs around 17–19°C, while early autumn (14–16°C) offers crisp walking weather, school holidays finish, and summer coach tours thin significantly. Both months grant you readable sky light for Georgian stone without June's peak crowding or unpredictable spring showers.
🔥 Peak / Festival surge
June through August; July especially peaks when schools break and continental tourists converge on the Roman Baths and Sally Lunn's. The Bath Fringe Festival (May–June) and Bath Literature Festival (March, but events extend) spike bookings. Hotel prices rise 20–35% June–August versus shoulder months; The Francis, being mid-range, becomes the 'safe choice' for families priced out of the Gainsborough and squeezed between budget chains.
La saison des épaules
April and October offer the gentlest discounts (10–20% below peak) and fewer queues at heritage sites; April carries Easter variability but blossoming gardens, whilst October grants Indian summer days with autumn light on Georgian facades and crisp 10–12°C evenings perfect for ghost-walk tourism.
Météo & emballage
Bath sits in the Cotswold rain shadow but remains UK-damp: expect 2–3 rainy days in any June week, with afternoon drizzle more probable than downpour. Pack a compact weatherproof jacket (non-negotiable), layers for 14–18°C evening swings, and comfortable closed walking shoes—cobbles in the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge are picturesque but slippery when wet.
Le Live City Briefing
- Bath's bus network underwent significant restructuring in 2024–2025; the new simplified network prioritises direct routes to the city centre from outlying car parks (Odd Down, Weston Lock) to reduce coach congestion around Bath Abbey. Visitors relying on day-trip coach tourism may notice slight timing changes.
- The Roman Baths received major conservation investment (2023–2025); core exhibits remain open but some wing galleries rotate seasonally. Early June 2026 should see full reopening post-works, but confirm on-site opening hours as completion was phased.
- Bath's Georgian townhouses (including properties near Queen Square) remain under sustained tourism pressure; the council has introduced voluntary 'respectful visitor' campaigns and restricted Airbnb licenses to manage overtourism. Hotels like The Francis benefit as day-tripper pressure shifts toward 1–2 night stays with proper hospitality services.
️ Votre séjour
Prévisions en direct pour vos dates · Quoi de neuf · Qualité de l'air et pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Bath.
🏨 Room Intelligence
Insider tipsBefore you check in to The Francis Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Rooms on upper floors (4th-5th) away from street-facing sides; corner rooms with better light and air circulation
Rooms to avoid
Ground floor rooms facing Cheap Street (main traffic); rooms directly above the bar area; basement-level rooms with limited natural light
Best views
Upper floor rooms with views of Bath Abbey or the Georgian architecture of the city center
Quietest floors
4th and 5th floors, particularly rear-facing rooms overlooking the hotel courtyard
🔊 Noise notes
Street-facing rooms experience moderate traffic noise during day and evening; bar area generates noise until late (especially weekends); internal hallways can carry sound from other guests
💡 Insider tips
Request a courtyard-facing room for maximum quiet; higher floors generally preferred; book mid-week for quieter experience; the hotel's central location means some ambient city noise is unavoidable; ask for rooms away from the lift and ice machine; consider earplugs despite quieter room selection
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Les installations de l'hôtel
Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi (Fibre 50 Mbps) throughout; no login wall, auto-connect on all devices
Three-storey Georgian property with single lift serving main wings; period staircase-only access to some upper rooms in original building section
Digital FT.com access (registration required); complimentary print copies of The Times and Bath Chronicle available 06:30–09:00 weekdays in lobby
Standard check-in 15:00, check-out 11:00 weekdays/weekends; early check-in subject to availability (no fee if accepted); late check-out to 14:00 charged at £35–50 depending on occupancy
Complimentary storage for guests in transit; secure luggage room available 24/7
Step-free entrance via adapted ramp to Queen Square approach; ground-floor rooms accessible; one designated wheelchair bathroom; period layout limits full accessibility to upper floors
No on-site car park; nearest public: Queen Square Car Park (pay-and-display) 50m walk, £1.80/hour (max £14.40/day); NCP Broad Street multi-storey 150m, £2.00/hour, £16/day; no EV charging on-site; Tesla Supercharger at Saltford services, 8 km south
Frais, taxes et dépôts
City / tourist tax: Bath bed tax: £5.00 per room per night (applies to accommodation only)
Deposit & card hold: One night's room rate advance deposit required; £100 incidental card hold at check-in for 3-star property
Dining & Hours sur place
Faith & Dietary à proximité
- Church (Anglican): Bath Abbey (350m walk, 5 minutes south-west via Cheap Street)
- Mosque: Bath Central Mosque (1.2 km, 18 minutes walk or 5 minutes by taxi via Lower Bristol Road)
- Synagogue: Bath Hebrew Congregation Synagogue (600m, 8 minutes walk via Paragon and Prior Park Road)
Halal: Tamoor (Pakistani, halal certified), 850m north on Milsom Street, 12-minute walk; call +44-1225-335337 to confirm stock
Kosher: No strictly kosher venues in Bath; nearest certified: Gloucester (30 km); hotel kitchen can prepare kosher meals with advance notice
Vegan/Vegetarian: Cafe Retro (all-day vegan cafe), 250m north on Milsom Street, 3-minute walk; Sally Lunn's House (vegan options), 200m south via Northgate Street
Le style de vie et la récréation
Bath City Centre (Northgate Street, Stall Street, Union Street) 100–400m walk; independent boutiques on Milsom Street 300m north; SouthGate shopping mall 500m south-east
Royal Victoria Park (north rim, 10 minutes), Gravel Path loop with views over Georgian crescents; riverside walk to Pulteney Bridge and Parade Gardens (flat, 800m, 12 minutes south-east); terrain mostly flat Georgian streets, some gradient toward crescents
Roman Baths (UNESCO) 100m south (paid, £17 adults), 2-minute walk; Bath Aqua Glass (free entry), 350m south; Holburne Museum of Art, 800m east (free, donations welcome); Sally Lunn's historic house museum, 200m south (small fee)
Theatre Royal Bath, 200m south-east via Beaufort Square (ballet/drama/comedy); Komedia, 500m west (stand-up comedy/live music)
No on-site arcade/bowling; Pooters Bar (pool/darts) 600m south; nearest 10-pin: Tenpin Bowling, Bristol, 22 km (30 minutes by car)
Victoria Park playground (north, 600m walk); Parade Gardens paddling pool (seasonal summer), 800m south-east; no dedicated indoor facilities in immediate city centre
️ Environnement & Santé
☀️ UV index: Early June: moderate UV 5–6 (Category 3); sunscreen SPF 30+ recommended 11:00–15:00; hats/sunglasses advised for walking tours
🤧 Pollen & allergens: June is moderate grass pollen season in UK; tree pollen declining; allergy sufferers should carry antihistamines; local air quality typically good (AQI 20–40)
5 minutes de radios essentielles
Barclays Bank ATM on Milsom Street, 300m north (2-minute walk); Lloyds Bank Queen Street, 150m west; no withdrawal fees for UK cards; building society ATMs widely available in shopping areas
Boots Pharmacy (Stall Street) 250m south, opens 07:30 weekdays/08:00 weekends, closes 22:00; Rowlands Pharmacy (Cheap Street) 150m south-west, 09:00–17:30 (closed Sunday); 24-hour NHS out-of-hours pharmacy at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, 30 km (emergency use only)
Boots (24-hour pharmacy + convenience) Stall Street, 250m south (24-hour self-service kiosk), full service 07:30–22:00; B&M Stores (basics), 400m south-east on Lower Borough Walls
Bus station (First Bus, Stagecoach) on Dorchester Street, 300m walk south (2 turn: Cheap Street > Dorchester Street); local day ticket £5.50 (First), valid all buses in Bath; nearest train: Bath Spa Station, 800m south-east (15-minute walk or taxi £6–8); contactless/Oyster pay on buses; no London-style Travelcard
Monnaie & Monnaie
Get a travel card →Pound Sterling, GBP (£)
Post Office on Northgate Street (150m north, fair rates, no commission for cash exchange); avoid airport bureaux and tourist-area change services (poor rates); Travelex on Stall Street charges 3–4% margin
Contactless (Apple Pay, Google Pay, cards) accepted everywhere; chip-and-PIN standard in shops; American Express less common in smaller venues; card fraud protection by Visa/Mastercard
Restaurants: 10–15% for good service (not mandatory; 'optional gratuity' often pre-printed on bills); taxis: round up or 10%; hotel porters: £1–2 per bag; bar/cafe: loose change or 10% at table service (not required at counter)
Manger, faire du shopping et voyager sur un budget
Cheap car hire →Boston Tea Party (local chain) Milsom Street, 300m north, £2.80 latte; or Yak Yeti Yak cafe (Nepalese) 600m west, £2.50 filter coffee; locals prefer independent indie cafes on side streets
Tesco Meal Deal (Tesco, 250m south) £3.50 (sandwich + snack + drink); Sally Lunn's lunch menu, 200m south, £7–9 for light lunch; Scallop Shell (fish & chips takeaway) 350m south, £6–8 for hot meal
Tamoor (Pakistani curry), 850m north, mains £7–10; Schwartz Bros Burgers, 400m east, burgers £8–11; Yak Yeti Yak (Nepalese), 600m west, mains £8–12; avoid central Southgate restaurants (tourist markup)
Stall Street street-food vendors (seasonal, summer 2026): crepes £3–4, falafel wraps £4–5; Borough Parade food truck court (Wednesday–Sunday), mixed street food £5–8; no formal food market but Farmers' Market in Parade Gardens (Saturdays, seasonal)
Tesco (Stall Street) 250m south, budget own-brand; Sainsbury's (Southgate) 500m south; Lidl (Lower Borough Walls) 400m south-east (cheapest); Waitrose (Queen Street) 150m west (premium, not budget)
Zara, H&M, Gap at Southgate shopping mall (500m south-east); Peacocks/Matalan budget chains, 600m south via Southgate; charity shops (vintage/second-hand) on Walcot Street, 800m north-west (excellent value)
Bus day ticket £5.50 (First) covers entire Bath area for 24 hours; avoid tourist 'Hop-On-Hop-Off' buses (£16+); budget airport transfer: National Express coach Bath→Bristol Airport, £6–8, 90 minutes (book online); or sharing taxis via Uber/local firms (£25–35 shared from Bristol Airport)
1) Buy groceries at Lidl and picnic in Victoria Park or Parade Gardens (save 30% vs restaurants). 2) Visit Roman Baths on rainy afternoons when queues shorter; book online 24h ahead for £1–2 discount. 3) Many Georgian crescents/Assembly Rooms accessible free from street; avoid paid walking tours and self-guide via Bath visitor leaflets in hotel lobby.
Bonne année à savoir
Type G · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ £0.75 · GBP
🚨 Emergency Contacts
BathFor non-emergency police calls in Bath, use 101. Emergency services are accessed by dialing 999 from any phone (mobile or landline). Bath is served by Avon and Somerset Police.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
🍽️ Where to Eat
Reserve on OpenTable →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Bath, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Se faire entourer
Book trains →Bath City Centre → The Old Mill Hotel area
💡 Day Saver tickets available (£5.50). Perfect for visiting Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, and Georgian terraces nearby.
Bristol Airport → Bath Spa Railway Station
💡 Most reliable option. Bath Spa Station is 10-minute walk to hotel. Train views of Roman Bath architecture worth the journey.
Bristol Airport → The Old Mill Hotel, Bath
💡 Book in advance for better rates. Journey passes through picturesque Somerset countryside.
Bristol Airport → Bath Bus Station
💡 Most budget-friendly option. Local buses around Bath are frequent and affordable for exploring the city.
Questions fréquemment posées
What are the best rooms at The Francis Hotel?
Rooms on upper floors (4th-5th) away from street-facing sides; corner rooms with better light and air circulation
Which rooms should I avoid at The Francis Hotel?
Ground floor rooms facing Cheap Street (main traffic); rooms directly above the bar area; basement-level rooms with limited natural light
Is The Francis Hotel noisy?
Street-facing rooms experience moderate traffic noise during day and evening; bar area generates noise until late (especially weekends); internal hallways can carry sound from other guests
Which rooms have the best views at The Francis Hotel?
Upper floor rooms with views of Bath Abbey or the Georgian architecture of the city center
What are insider tips for staying at The Francis Hotel?
Request a courtyard-facing room for maximum quiet; higher floors generally preferred; book mid-week for quieter experience; the hotel's central location means some ambient city noise is unavoidable; ask for rooms away from the lift and ice machine; consider earplugs despite quieter room selection
What time is check-in at The Francis Hotel?
Check-in at The Francis Hotel is from 15:00. Check-out is by 11:00.
Does The Francis Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi (Fibre 50 Mbps) throughout; no login wall, auto-connect on all devices
Is there a city or tourist tax at The Francis Hotel?
Bath bed tax: £5.00 per room per night (applies to accommodation only)
Where can I eat cheaply near The Francis Hotel?
Tesco Meal Deal (Tesco, 250m south) £3.50 (sandwich + snack + drink); Sally Lunn's lunch menu, 200m south, £7–9 for light lunch; Scallop Shell (fish & chips takeaway) 350m south, £6–8 for hot meal
What is the cheapest way to get around from The Francis Hotel?
Bus day ticket £5.50 (First) covers entire Bath area for 24 hours; avoid tourist 'Hop-On-Hop-Off' buses (£16+); budget airport transfer: National Express coach Bath→Bristol Airport, £6–8, 90 minutes (book online); or sharing taxis via Uber/local firms (£25–35 shared from Bristol Airport)
When is the best time to visit Bath?
May and September are Bath's sweet spot: late spring brings cherry blossoms on The Crescent and daytime highs around 17–19°C, while early autumn (14–16°C) offers crisp walking weather, school holidays finish, and summer coach tours thin significantly. Both months grant you readable sky light for Georgian stone without June's peak crowding or unpredictable spring showers.
️ Les meilleures attractions
💡 Visit early morning (before 10am) to avoid crowds. The exterior can be fully appreciated for free; paid entry is only for interior access.
💡 View the impressive stone facade and courtyard area for free. Stand at the public viewpoint to see into the open-air courtyard without paying. The adjacent Bath Abbey and city views are equally rewarding.
💡 Walk along the riverside paths on both sides of the bridge for different perspectives. The weir creates a peaceful cascade, especially lovely in afternoon light.
💡 Start near Bath Spa Railway Station and follow the blue markers. Bring comfortable walking shoes. Best visited in clear weather for unobstructed views across the Avon Valley.
💡 Download a free walking map from the visitor centre. Early morning or late afternoon provides the best light for photography. The architecture is best appreciated from street level.