Brooks Guesthouse Bath

About Brooks Guesthouse Bath

Brooks Guesthouse sits in Crescent Gardens on Upper Bristol Road, a few minutes below the Royal Crescent and Royal Victoria Park. It has been owned and run by the same family since 2007 and occupies a substantial Victorian house, with a second Brooks property in Bristol run along the same lines. It describes itself as a bed and breakfast rather than a hotel, and the scale and service reflect that.

The twenty-odd bedrooms range from single and compact double rooms up to larger family rooms and a four-poster. Furnishings are simple and modern, with pocket-sprung beds, Egyptian cotton linen, digital radios and en-suite shower rooms; a few rooms have baths. Rooms at the front look towards the park, and the quietest are at the back. Space is used efficiently rather than lavishly, which keeps rates well below the city-centre hotels.

Breakfast is the part guests talk about most: eggs cooked to order, local sausages and bacon, kippers, pancakes and a good vegetarian spread, served in a bright dining room. There is a small honesty bar and a lounge, and the owners are helpful with restaurant bookings and walking routes. Limited private parking is available on a first-come basis, and there is a bicycle store.

The location is roughly ten minutes' walk from Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, five from the Royal Crescent, and close to the start of the Bath Skyline and Kennet and Avon Canal walks. It suits couples on a budget, families needing a room with more than two beds, and travellers who would rather spend their money on eating out than on the room. Book early for weekends, as it fills quickly.