The Bath Priory Hotel

The Bath Priory is a real find. Tucked inconspicuously in a tranquil corner of Bath, once you discover it you won't want to leave.

Ignore the award-winning restaurant at your peril - with kitchens overseen by Michelin star Executive Chef Sam Moody, the elegant dining rooms provide ambrosial food, with splendid views over the fabulous landscape gardens. The gardens themselves, tended by award winning Gardener Jane Moore, roll effortlessly down from the sun terrace and provide a plethora of plants, flowers, sculptures and the walled Kitchen Garden, producing fresh produce for the restaurant. The hotel, built in 1835 as a private residence on land once owned by The Priory of Bath Abbey, is steeped in history and gives more than a nod to its Gothic influences - with cheeky gargoyles and dramatic arches, tempered by soft furnishings inside - beautiful paintings adorning the walls, objects d'art, freshly cut flowers and French Belle Epoque chandeliers.