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PLAN A SPECIAL VALENTINE'S BREAK IN BATH
"THE MOST ROMANTIC CITY " IN THE UK
LoveBath - Romantic breaks in Bath
Bath has returned to its roots as the most romantic city in the UK. In the Eighteenth Century it became a magnet for fashionable society and today is once again attracting romantics from all over the country. The Georgians celebrated Valentine's Day in style. Modern day Bath is just as appealing to today's romantic visitor with top quality hotels and restaurants and a thriving retail scene.
With its glorious honey-coloured Georgian facades Bath is popular for a "Bridget Jones" style mini-break. With three-quarters of the hotels in Bath offering four poster beds, there are no shortage of magnificent suites and hotels lay on romantic extras like champagne and roses or candles around the bath.
Hospitality has been bread and butter to the city of Bath since Georgian times. Today's hoteliers go to extraordinary lengths to provide the perfect stay. The bed with a price tag of £ 15,000 in the Ammique suite at the Bath Priory Hotel has an ingenious suspension system designed for the perfect sleeping position. Nearby country house gems like Lucknam Park and Homewood Park offer open fires and glorious country settings whilst in town the Bath Spa Hotel is ever popular and the contemporary elegance of the Queensberry is winning hearts. The Royal Crescent Hotel has undoubtedly the smartest address in town. Many hotels offer lavish Valentine's treats to woo you and your lover but perhaps the smart money stays at super guest houses like the Town House or the Paradise House Hotel which offer delightful rooms without the frills.
As the only city in the UK to hold the UNESCO designation of World Heritage Site, Bath boasts splendid Eighteenth Century architecture set against a backdrop of some of the most picturesque countryside in Britain. Wandering through the narrow Georgian streets, it is easy to imagine life in a more leisurely era. Then, Bath played its part in the marriage market and the grand gathering places like the Assembly Rooms and the Pump Room were ideal for people watching as they flirted and flaunted their fine fashions. There are some magical places for proposals so this is the place to pop the question.
Bath offers all the ingredients for a truly romantic time together including quality restaurants for candlelit dinners, a vibrant and cosmopolitan retail scene with a high proportion of independent shops and a year-round calendar of events for those that want some action between melting moments.
For a whole generation, the image of Colin Firth diving manfully into the lake in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice created a new fascination with life and love in the Georgian era and a renewed passion for the work of Jane Austen. The action in two of Jane Austen's novels is set in the city of Bath. Jane Austen's own life was so entwined with Bath that a visitor attraction, the Jane Austen Centre, now tells the story of her connection with the city. The latest block buster version of Pride and Prejudice has demonstrated that the story of the tumultuous courtship of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy is as appealing as ever.
For many, retail therapy is an essential ingredient of any weekend away and more than forty per cent of Bath retailers are independent. This ensures that visitors can track down unique souvenirs of their Valentine celebration. This might include a pair of hand blown champagne flutes from Bath Aqua Glass, engraved with the couple's initials or a piece of artwork from one of the many galleries. There are no end of great girly shops selling gorgeous gifts and top fashion boutiques.
Retail options for the boys include Great Western Wine which imports wines from boutique wineries around the globe, or the Bath Rugby shop selling official memorabilia from the team of which the city is so proud. For the truly devoted rugby fan, what could be a better Valentine's surprise than tickets for Bath vs London Irish at the "Rec" on 18th February.
For diamonds, a visit to Mallory's on Bridge Street is recommended. This fourth-generation family business buys diamonds directly from Antwerp and designs and manufactures rings but also carries a vast stock. Personal and unhurried service, typical of Bath shops, scores a hit with visitors.
Bath is a manageable and walkable city, ideal for couples to amble hand in hand through its secret alleyways. On every street corner there is a tempting treat with hand-made chocolate specialists like Minerva next to the Abbey, two specialist cheese shops, numerous delightful delis and colourful flower stands.
For dining there are top notch eateries like the Bath Priory with its Michelin star or more informal restaurants like Hole in the Wall, the oldest restaurant in Bath, or Il Tocco d'Italia with its glorious riverside setting. Tea in the Pump Room provides a civilised interlude to enjoy the string quartet and even to taste the waters which have played such an important role in the history of Bath since Roman times. The Pump Room reopens on February 9th after being closed for redecoration during January, in time for that Valentine's treat.
The countryside all around Bath is waiting to be explored with welcoming country pubs and lovely walks. Now owned by the National Trust, the Bath Skyline throws a green mantle around the city, and the seven mile walk by the same name is not only a great way to appreciate Bath and its surroundings, but also offers many vistas to encourage a romantic proposal.
Even arriving at Bath Spa station is romantic as you immediately get a sense of the Georgian architecture against a backdrop of beautiful countryside. The station, completed in 1840, was on the route that the pioneering engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel built from Paddington to Bristol in the great age of steam . Now First Great Western trains take 90 minutes and leave Paddington every 30 minutes. The city is 30 minutes south of the M4 and the nearest airport is Bristol with connections to many European cities and daily flights to New York.
For further information on things to do and see and where to stay in Bath please call Bath Tourist Information Centre on 0906 7112000 (calls charged at 0.50p per minute) or log on to www.visitbath.co.uk
Special Valentine's Offers in Bath and beyond
Why not combine a luxury stay with experiencing an aromatherapy massage together in a candle lit room, whilst you listen to romantic music. (Feel free to provide your favourite CD!). The Bath Priory Hotel is offering a 'Valentine Dreams' two night package on either the weekend before or the weekend after Valentines Day, which includes his and hers champagne, scented candles, romantic essences and red roses strewn around your bath, a 3-course dinner in the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, the aromatherapy massage as above and full use of the hotel's Garden Spa. The package price is £225.00 per person, per night, for a minimum two night stay.
Lucknam Park is offering a Champagne Valentine's Weekend for two from £320 per night, minimum stay two nights. The two night leisure break includes three nights for the price of two, with the additional night being room only if taken on either Thursday 9th or Sunday 12th February 2006. The leisure break includes bed and breakfast, à la Carte Dinner, a bottle of Pink Champagne in your room on arrival, Belgian chocolates & a rose. In addition you will have full use of Lucknam's award winning Spa, a 10% discount off health and beauty treatments and / or horse riding, if booked prior to arrival.
If you are proposing this Valentines Day, why not let Ston Easton Park arrange for your proposal to take place by the cascading riverbank within the hotel grounds. This superb Palladian mansion lies in one of the West Country's most romantic estates and Champagne on ice, strawberries, flowers or chocolates can be arranged for your proposal. Simply let them know your requirements and they will do the rest.
A special dinner, bed and breakfast Valentine's package at Ston Easton starts from £275.00 per room, per night and is available from the 10th until 14th February 2006 with a minimum two night stay, if staying on a Saturday evening.
And finally....
A real alternative for Valentines would be to spend a day with your nearest and dearest actually making romantic food for sharing. The Bertinet Kitchen, Baths' newest addition is offering a Valentines Special - Romantic food for two session on Friday 10 February at 10.00am for £180 per couple which includes asparagus tips with a rose lemon butter sauce, gambas a l'Armoricaine and kirsch cherries in a chocolate fondant.
All the above offers and many more can be found by clicking the website links for the individual businesses on www.visitbath.co.uk
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