City of Bath - Giulietta, Roman Baths & the Perfect Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

These days I get out of London to visit the rest of the UK sadly far less often than I would like to, something I decided to put right in the New Year. But recently when the good people at Alfa Romeo offered me the chance to test out their new Alfa Romeo Giulietta to drive anywhere I wished in the country, it was not hard to decide on a trip to the Unesco World Heritage city of Bath.

With stunning Georgian architecture, impressive Roman remains, and of course the natural (and rumoured medicinal) thermal springs that drew in the crowds in days gone by, the city of Bath, or Aquae Sulis as it was known in Roman times, has much to offer in terms of history and things to see.

Bath is also home to the fabulous Gainsborough Bath Spa, a YTL property I have been dying to visit since its opening in 2015. Readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of YTL collection of hotels, which I visited at various locations in Malaysia and Thailand, including Pangkor Laut, the Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands Resort, and The Surin Phuket, reviewed here.

And so one Autumnal afternoon, we packed our bags into the Giulietta and set off for a couple of days in the spa town of Bath.

Where to Stay 

The Gainsborough Bath Spa

Opened in 2015, The Gainsborough Bath Spa is a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World collection, and is the first UK property opened by Malaysia's luxury YTL Group.

Situated in the heart of the historic town and just metres away from the main shopping street, the hotel is formed from three interlinking Classical-style buildings that were originally the Royal Bath United Hospital, built in 1826.

The Gainsborough Bath Spa is at the same time steeped in history and unapologetically modern. A painstaking restoration over several years included the creation of 99 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, cocktail bar and a spa situated in a modern indoor central court which houses 1,300 square metres of natural thermal pools.

The public rooms on the ground floor include a striking sitting room, the Canvas Room, where afternoon tea and drinks are served.

Opposite the restaurant on the ground floor is the cocktail bar – here, mixologists will create bespoke cocktails based on the approach of Bath’s historical apothecaries who developed personal treatments for each patient’s unique physiology.

All the bedrooms and suites combine period details from the hotel's past history as a hospital (note for example that the windows are set high to avoid prying eyes), but with luxurious contemporary touches.

Our room was huge, with incredibly high ceilings, massive windows and gorgeous curtains. The bed was tall, and what a pleasure it was to lie on – the sheets were fresh and taut; I have seldom slept so well.

All the expected 5-star luxuries were provided – for instance the heated marble bathroom floors, the Asprey toiletries and the Nespresso coffee maker were much appreciated. I loved being in our room, it was elegantly designed and a pleasure to return to after a day’s sightseeing.

The Gainsborough Bath Spa has various naturally heated thermal pools, a fully equipped gym, a steam room, sauna and a spa complex, more details on these in What to Do section below.

At the time of our stay, all guests who booked online directly with the hotel were greeted with a complimentary bottle of Billecart Salmon Champagne, and ours was waiting on ice when we arrived in our room.

Breakfast at The Gainsborough Bath Spa was excellent, with a comprehensive menu of teas and coffees, and a buffet of fresh fruit, juices, cereals, croissants and patisserie.

There were various cooked options too, and I could not help but order the full English breakfast on my first morning and followed by the Eggs Benedict on the second, which were beautifully cooked with a runny yolk and a hollandaise sauce with just enough acidity to cut through the creamy butter.

Service at The Gainsborough Bath Spa was personable, with such care and attention that gave us the feeling that we were being looked after - the staff addressed us by name from the moment we walked through the door. This seemed reflective of a philosophy of providing care, treatment and well-being, much more akin to a luxury spa than a hotel, which made for an incredible and memorable stay.

Where to Eat

Dinner at The Gainsborough Restaurant

Head Chef, Daniel Moon, has devised a 6-course tasting menu which has been served since October 2016, and it was this menu, priced at £60 per person, which we opted for.

The dining room is elegant, with butterscotch coloured leather seats, parquet floors and high ceilings. There is a central refrigerated wine cellar with glass doors front and back, and the walls are adorned with artwork by graduates from the nearby Bath School of Art and Design.

Our meal started with a smoked ballotine of Var salmon (a top quality farmed salmon from Faroe Island), with horseradish potato mousseline, apple and fennel. Dramatically served with aromatic wood smoke inside a glass dome, the salmon was indeed excellent, and well partnered with the acidity and crunch provided by the raw apple.

The chicken liver parfait was unctuously creamy, lifted by the accompanying lightly tart rhubarb sorbet, sorrel and almond granola.

Better still was the wild mushroom risotto. A brilliantly conceived dish with girolle mushrooms, parsley puree, shavings of pickled cauliflower as well as cauliflower veloute, and whole cloves of sweet caramelised garlic, all topped with a poached quail's egg and Parmesan crackling – heavenly.

To accompany our starters we chose a few wines by the glass from the house list, starting with a Sauvignon Blanc, Chateau de la Roche, from the Loire (£25 per bottle). This had ripe green fruit and citrus aromas, with a delicate finish. 

As a fish course, we had a meaty salted scallop, with king prawn, tomato water, yuzu puree, 'caviar', and pickled radish. I particularly enjoyed the caviar, made from spherified yuzu juice.  A technically highly accomplished dish, I enjoyed the freshness of it and the different layers of flavour and texture, a highlight of our dinner.

With our fish main, we opted for the Picpoul de Pinet, from La Cote Flamenc 2014, Languedoc-Rousillon (£23 per bottle) a medium-bodied dry white wine, with citrus and tropical fruits, and a fresh clean finish. 

The main course was roast Creedy Carver duck, served with a confit duck leg spring roll, bok choi, mooli, plum, and black and white sesame seeds.  The restaurant is known for its eclectic flavour combinations, and this was a really thought-provoking elision of East and West.

We also ordered a couple of glasses of red wine – the Tempranillo Garnacha, Gran Ducay Gran Reserva 2007, Carinena, Spain (£24 per bottle) had aromas and flavours of ripe blackberry fruits and vanilla, with well integrated tannins and a long finish. While the Malbec de Hospitalet 2014, Languedoc, France (£26 per bottle) had a powerful nose of blackcurrant and spice, with a long and complex finish.  

Dessert was just as good as the preceding dishes - with a glossy Valhrona chocolate dome, cleverly concealing an interior filled with different flavours, textures and even temperatures ranging from hot to frozen, this ended our meal on a very high note.

Daniel Moon is, judging by our dinner, a highly talented, creative and technically accomplished chef. His 6-course tasting menu at £60 per person represents outstandingly good value for money and warrants a visit to The Gainsborough Bath Spa on its own right. It makes for a perfect dinner, bed and breakfast get away from London, I would say!

What to Do

The Gainsborough Bath Spa has the exclusive privilege of having access to one of the City’s natural hot springs, the Hetling Spring, that supplies mineral rich, naturally heated water to the hotel’s thermal pools.

The Bath House experience at The Gainsborough Bath Spa is complimentary for guests, and enables them to 'take the waters' in luxury. We took a self-guided circuit that included dipping in two natural pools of varying temperatures, then a traditional or and infrared sauna, a steam room, an ice alcove and elegant relaxation areas.

To finish, there is a wonderful soak in a large pool bathed in natural light from the four-storey glass atrium. Although it looks timeless and serene, there are some nifty gadgets concealed within the pool that allow guests to turn on powerful jets of water for a neck, shoulder or back massage in the thermal waters. 

Unsurprisingly given its Asian origins, the YTL group hotel also offers a selection of relaxing massages and treatments.  I tried their 90-minute Ginger Renewal treatment, which was utterly blissful and energising.

Beyond the hotel, there is easily enough to fill a few days of wandering and exploring. In the city of Bath itself, the Roman Bath, where I spent a couple of hours learning all about the city’s fascinating Roman history, the Bath Abbey, the Assembly and Pump Rooms are all worth a visit.

During the Georgian period, Bath saw the construction of a series of elegant terraces hugging the contours of the surrounding hills, interspersed with parks and gardens, known as the famous Crescents of Bath.

Today, the upper town of Bath has a number of these terraced Crescents in perfect condition dating from this period, and at the very least, visitors should have a look at Queen Square, the Parades, the Circus and the Crescent.

Number One, The Royal Crescent was the first house built in the world-famous Royal Crescent between 1776 and 1796.

This fascinating house has been restored back to how it was when it was newly constructed.

The free tour there gives a fascinating glimpse of life in those days, both from the perspective of the wealthy owners and the poor servants (the kitchen was the most interesting room in the house, no doubt) who kept the place running at a time long before modern appliances and conveniences.

The surrounding countryside is also full of interest, with the gorgeous villages of the Cotswolds, as well as Longleat House, the stately home and seat of the Marquess of Bath.

Roman relic found in Bath, the Roman town of Aquae Sulis

Travel Essentials 

The Gainsborough Bath Spa
Beau Street
Bath
BA1 1QY
www.thegainsboroughbathspa.com

Rooms cost from £215 per night, not including breakfast. There is a range of special offers on the website including dinner bed and breakfast options available from Sunday to Thursday, and four nights for price of three.  

From London, the easiest way to arrive at Bath is by taking one of the frequent First Great Western trains from Paddington. They travel direct to Bath Spa, taking around 80 minutes. 

The hotel offers a pre-bookable shuttle service from Bath Spa train station to the hotel, at a cost of £10 per journey. 

One Royal Crescent
Bath 
BA1 2LR
www.no1royalcrescent.org.uk

Thanks to Alfa Romeo for loaning me a lovely Giulietta for my trip to Bath. For more information on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, visit their website here.

Discovering the UK’s Best B&B - A Cornish Staycation at Chapel House, Penzance

Three hundred miles southwest of London, and a 5-hour drive away, the town of Penzance is the western-most city in England, and an excellent spot from which to explore this part of Britain.

A historic port, once affluent and known for tin-mining and industrial-scale fishing, these days Penzance is mostly visited for its excellent fish and seafood restaurants, for the surrounding fine sandy beaches and for the spectacular cliff top walks scattered throughout the county of Cornwall.

Penzance is a charming, although not chocolate-box pretty town, with a buzzing high street, plenty of shops and some fine Georgian architecture.

Just ten miles from Land’s End, Penzance is surrounded by an area of Celtic culture and outstanding natural beauty.

Majestic cliffs, rocky coves and crystal clear seas vie with the heather and gorse of the moors and early Christian and Bronze Age sites to form a landscape that supports a proud Cornish culture, and has long been a source of inspiration for artists and writers.

Where to Stay in Penzance

The historic, gorgeous Chapel House was named the UK’s best B&B in the Sunday Times ‘Ultimate 100 British Hotels 2015’, and this is where we headed in Penzance.

This fine town house was built in 1790, and during its long existence it was at one time a shelter for WWII evacuees, as well as being for many years the home of the Penzance Arts Club. It was purchased and painstakingly restored over 2 years by former City of London Finance Director Susan Stuart, who moved here from Stockwell in 2013.

Chapel House opened as a boutique, 6 bedroomed hotel in 2015, combining carefully preserved original features with some striking contemporary design.

The building is flooded with natural light, the décor features soft greys, greens and blues, modern art works, and the elegant double drawing room has views over the harbour. The chosen furnishings create a light, clean and uncluttered look.

There is a large and beautifully kitted out open-plan kitchen and breakfast/dining area in the basement, leading onto a gorgeously landscaped garden.

All the rooms have en-suite bathrooms, and ours was on the top floor. This is a light-bathed contemporary part of the hotel, with its own open plan landing with a sofa, books and games under a glass roof, with panoramic views over Penzance and out to sea.

The room had a Georgian arched window with a spectacular view of the harbour. Our room was light, with a comfortable, bespoke king-size bed made by a local joiner, smart TV, fast Wi-Fi, and an iPad loaded with information on places to go and things to see, including hidden gems like local secluded beaches or advice on where best to catch the sunset.

Breakfast is served from dawn, with freshly baked breads and pastries, a selection of cooked dishes to order, smoothies made on the premises daily, and good coffee or tea.

The English breakfast, cooked by Susan Stuart herself, was one of the best I have had in years, with excellent quality, locally supplied bacon and aromatic black pudding. Equally delicious were Susan’s bacon sarnies, I had these twice during my 2-night stay! Outside of normal meal times, guests are welcome to help themselves to complimentary cake, tea and coffee in the kitchen.

Susan goes to some trouble to make Chapel House feel like the home we all would love to have (rather than just a hotel). She runs the entire operation with the help of just one employee – Susan is the owner, the marketer, she is the chef (she makes her own jams, cakes and biscuits), cooking and serving both breakfast and dinner to all her guests.

A massive foodie, Susan is an excellent cook as well as being super knowledgeable about all the best places to eat in and around Penzance, her recommendations were spot on for all restaurants we visited. The produce she uses for her cooking, from the bacon to the black pudding and the seafood all comes from top independent local suppliers in town. It was interesting to see that her incredible eye for detail was not only limited to the beautiful design of Chapel House but also to the quality of its food and supplies as well as the service provided to its guests.

We loved our stay at Chapel House and I cannot think of a better place to stay in Penzance. In fact, Chapel House is a reason in itself for a visit to Penzance and I very highly recommend it.

Where to Eat in Penzance

Chapel House 

Chapel House offers a 3-course dinner (reservation required), at a very reasonable £25 per person for all guests any day of the week. Non-residents are also welcome to book for Fridays and Saturdays. 

We were lucky enough to enjoy one of her dinners on a Friday night with a mixture of guests and locals. We enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine in the drawing room, then made our way downstairs to the shared dining table, for Susan’s home-made meal. 

I had joined Susan that morning for her trip to Stevenson Fishmongers in Newlyn, and the Cornish selection of fish and seafood she purchased looked tip-top.

Situated in Newlyn Harbour, Stevenson Fishmongers is a family run business in operation for over 100 years. I would strongly recommend a visit if you have access to a kitchen during your stay.

Back at Chapel House, we kicked off with a delightful roasted butternut squash, served with ginger tomatoes and lime yoghurt. With fresh and vibrant flavours, this was a great start to our meal.

The highlight however was yet to come – Susan’s Cornish Bouillabaise had big chunks of hake, diver-caught scallops, tiger prawns in an aromatic fish broth and a scattering of samphire. This was magnificent, and in my opinion merits a trip to Chapel House in its own right.

And just when I thought it could not get any better, we were served dessert – a heavenly saffron cake bread and butter pudding with clotted cream.

On Sundays, brunch (£12.50 per person) is available from 10am to noon, which includes the usual breakfast items plus specials like kedgeree, devilled kidneys, smoked haddock and buttered samphire.

Apart from the option of dinner at Chapel House, there are many other good places to eat in Penzance. Our visit was only for two days, but we managed to explore a few restaurants. 

Ben’s Cornish Kitchen

Ben's Cornish Kitchen in the nearby town of Marazion is reputedly the most talked about restaurant in the area. This is a small restaurant, and reservations are a must – we were fortunate enough to bag the last two available seats for lunch.

Run by Chef Ben Prior, with his mother and brother, Ben's Cornish Kitchen offers a choice of three seasonal starters, mains and desserts. Lunch menus are great value for money -  £13 for one course, £17 for 2 or a very reasonable £20 for 3, which is what we went for. There is a range of wines by the glass, and a good selection of bottles from Berkmann Cellars.

To start, we chose the smoked haddock chowder - well made, richly flavoured, and served with a brunoise of celeriac and a topping of powdered cornflakes and pickled fennel.

The spring vegetable veloute was light, fresh and delicious. Made from spinach, broad bean and pea, it was served with a tangy goat’s curd and truffle oil. The flavours were so fresh and clean, and indeed it was like Spring on a plate.

For our main course, we had pan-fried Parmesan gnocchi with pine nuts. These were excellent, but better still were the accompanying vegetables - beans, peas, greens, sprouting broccoli, white asparagus tips, and little courgette spheres. The vegetables were intensely flavoured and cooked just right, still retaining some lovely bite.

Our other main was a gloriously pan-roast hake served on a bed of Cornish earlies (new potatoes), wilted spinach, and a deliciously tart caper and herb butter. Sublime.

On the sweet side of things, we shared a couple of desserts – the fruit and nut chocolate pave was beautifully glossy served with salted caramel and roasted peanut ice cream.

The second dessert was strange sounding but spectacularly good – the sweet curry plate. Bringing together a number of elements from a classic Indian curry, but sweet enough to be a dessert, this combined sweet popadoms, cardamom ice cream, spiced rice pudding, mango curd, coconut purée, ginger jelly and coriander cress. Finished with some shards of spiced caramel, brown sugar, coconut and mint essence, this was a hugely creative and delicious end to our meal.

Dinner is available at £24 for 2 courses, £29 for 3, or £39 for 5. I thought that the cooking at Ben’s Cornish Kitchen was superb. I would not be at all surprised if they were awarded a Michelin star in the very near future, as cooking of this quality and inventiveness at this price level is rare indeed. Very highly recommended.   

Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar

There are two branches of Mackerel Sky – one in Penzance town centre, the other in Newlyn, and it was to the latter that we headed for lunch.

This cosy spot, made of white painted wood and glass is situated next to a stream, and has 2 tables and 2 window ledges, with seating for 20 people. With an open-plan kitchen and stripped wooden floor, it has a relaxed, casual vibe.

Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar serves fresh fish and seafood from the local Mount’s Bay Area in a menu of small eat (tapas-sized) options. The menu offers a variety of tasting plates, sides of chips, new potatoes or house salad, with a choice of four desserts.

The beer-battered monkfish with tartare sauce (£7.50) had a thin layer of light, crisp batter, and the fish itself was firm-textured and delicious.

The Cornish crab rarebit (£6.95) was also good, served on sourdough, with melted cheese and chunky pieces of fresh local white crab meat.

The salt and pepper squid with aioli (£6.50) though tasty was the weakest link of our meal – tender squid coated in a floury, semolina-like batter. It was served with mayonnaise and not an aioli as described on the menu.

With a portion of well made chips (£3), a glass of La Sablette Muscadet (£7) and a Bloody Mary (£5.50) for me, this was a fine lunch. Recommended.

What to Do In & Around Penzance

There are a number of nearby towns worth a visit - Newlyn, a major fishing port that nowadays has virtually fused with Penzance, and also Mousehole, a tiny fishing village that has retained its original character and charm.

Other attractions that are worthwhile visiting include St Michael's Mount, a medieval castle near Marazion (www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk), a stunning location and just a few metres from Ben’s Cornish Kitchen.

Also within a short drive of Penzance are the white sandy beaches of Prothcurno, the fishing village of Larmona, and just 7 miles away the town of St Ives, with its Tate Gallery (www.tate.org.uk/stives), and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden (www.tate.org.uk/stives/hepworth).

Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens are situated just a couple of miles from Ben’s Cornish Kitchen – the place is the brainchild of a local GP, who bought the land to avoid it being developed into flats. 

As well as having a sculpture garden set over several acres, the site also includes a fine café, a bookshop and a garden centre with an excellent range of succulent plants seldom seen in London. We came away with a bumper crop for our own townhouse garden.

Other noteworthy places to visit in Penzance, although we did not make it to them on this occasion, are the Penlee House Museum and the recently reopened art deco Jubilee lido swimming pool, located on the only promenade in Cornwall which looks out over Mount’s Bay. It is open from June to the end of August. 

Travel Essentials 

How to Get There

We drove from London, it was a 5 hour drive door to door. If you are taking the train, the nearest station is Penzance, which is a 10 minute walk away. The train to Penzance from Paddington takes around 5 hours. Newquay Airport is a 1 hour drive away. 

Chapel House
Chapel Street
Penzance
Cornwall
TR18 4AQ
www.chapelhousepz.co.uk

Room rates start from £150, (£170 to £190 in high season) per night, with a single occupancy discount of £30. This includes breakfast, unlimited tea, coffee and cake and an early evening drink. The 3-course dinner is a fixed price of £25 per person. 

Ben's Cornish Kitchen
West End
Marazion
Cornwall
TR17 0EL
www.benscornishkitchen.com

Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar
The Bridge
New Road
Newlyn
TR18 5PZ
www.mackerelskycafe.co.uk

Stevenson Fishmongers
Newlyn Harbour
Cornwall
www.newlynfreshfish.co.uk

Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens
Near Gulval
Penzance 
Cornwall
TR20 8YL