Bath or Bristol B&B
 

Can anyone recommend a nice, reasonably priced B&B in Bath or Bristol? We are planning on spending our first night in the UK in either Bristol or Bath, then visit friends who live nearby.

If you tell us what you consider "reasonably priced".

Also - how are you getting to Bath or Bristol and from where? LHR? BRS? Some other airport? Driving/taking a train? Something else?

The answers could make a definite difference.

Find a place in Bath... Bristol isn't worth it.

Coming from Heathrow...taking the train, or bus and picking up rental car there. Prices around 60-80GBP a night?

Find a place in Bath... Bristol isn't worth it.>>>>

Sayeth the spetic.

Bath is tourist shit (IMHO): Set in aspic, pandering to the thickest yank and jap who have seen a Jane Bloody Austen series on telly with bugger all else.

Bristol is a real city and one of the homes of the world we live in now. Industry, slavery, and IKB.

I'd go to Bristol. But I suupose if it was a once in a lifetime trip I'd go to Bath. (actually I'd go to Wells).

Is there a particular reason for wanting a B & B rather than a hotel? B & B s are more commonly found in country areas, where they can be good value, and provide accommodation where nothing else is available. Most town B & Bs are much the same price as small hotels, lodges, etc.

For Bath accommodation, got to http://visitbath.co.uk/. For Bristol, go to http://visitbristol.co.uk/.

You will find more small hotels/B & Bs in Bath, since it is a tourist place. Bristol is more of a business place, so has more proper hotels. Sometimes, the prices are little different.

What about a country B&B outside of Bath? If Bristol is a big city, then scratch that, I'll have my fill with London at the end of the trip. I would rather a B&B than a hotel if I can, something a bit more romantic...as my husband and I are meeting up for the first time in months!

Oh my, CW, aren't you in rare form today? Positively raw actually. (But, what's a "spetic?")

I liked Bath very much. I'm a Yank, which apparently taints my opinion somewhat in CW's eyes, but I found it to be a beautifully preserved town, though it is rather a monument to the Woods' interpretation of Georgian style. I wasn't attracted to it because of Jane Austen, but for the Roman aspects found in that aspic.

We stayed at the Eagle House B&B and liked it quite a bit - especially the view. It's a 250-year-old Georgian stone mansion built by John Wood the Elder (the architect of Bath's Circus) in the nice little nearby village of Bathford (you can then take the bus near the village pub into Bath and thus avoid driving in Bath, which is known for traffic issues). http://www.eaglehouse.co.uk/

Where do your friends actually live? Either Bath or Bristol might be more convenient.

But -- you may have some trouble finding a nice place in Bath w/i your budget. Bath is a very popular/pricey destination. For instance the Eagle House sap recommends run £74 - £115 per night double, and only one room is at their low end.

Not quite sure what joannyc is on about. But since she didn't bother to elaborate any - ignore that advice. Plus Bristol is a big place w/ great areas and not so great ones . . . .

You really don't want you first try at driving being in Bath OR Bristol after an overnight flight and train or bus ride. Driving in either city can be a bear.

There is no direct train to either city from LHR -- you'd either have to take the train east into central London and then catch another train west, OR a bus to Reading, transfer to the train station and take a train from there.

If it was me - I'd catch the express coach to Bath, get a B&B but not a car. Dropping a day's rental does two things -- 1) means you don't have to deal w/ driving your first jetlagged day, and 2) saves you a bit of ££ you could apply to your room budget. You can collect your car the next day -- or when you ultimately leave Bath if you stay more than 1night.

The express coach is the fastest/easiest/cheapest way to get to Bath from LHR.

Well, thanks alot, janisj! Don't go telling people who to ignore and not to ignore! In the future, stick to your own opinions. There is no reason to bash others.


<<Not quite sure what joannyc is on about. But since she didn't bother to elaborate any - ignore that advice. Plus Bristol is a big place w/ great areas and not so great ones . . . .>>

I liked Bath, found it charming, historic and interesting. Saw absolutely nothing of interest in Bristol.

"<i>Saw absolutely nothing of interest in Bristol.</i>"

That doesn't mean there isn't anything of interest -- just that you didn't find any of them. The reason I said that is because you didn't give ANY reasons for saying to avoid Bristol. If there aren't any reasons mentioned, it is usually a good idea to ignore hit and run posts IMO.

I agree-- for the typical tourist, there is more in Bath. But there are also <u>lots</u> of very interesting things in Bristol. Bristol might make total sense depending on where the friends live.

But I did recommend Bath -- until we find out where the friends actually live.

our friends live in Trowbridge...not sure how close it is to everything. I've never been to England, first time! I'm from Canada...

All these places are really quite close together. You could stay in Trowbridge and be in Bath in 20 minutes or Bristol in half an hour by train, with trains every 30 minutes. You could stay somewhere like Bradford-on-Avon, or if you have a car anywhere in the local countryside. All the local accommodation will be listed in the tourist websites I quoted.

If you do stay outside Bath, and want to travel in by car, then use the Park & Ride. There are 3 - at Lansdown, Odd Down and Newbridge. You cannot drive between the sites in Bath.

But, what's a "spetic?"

A septic typed by an idiot.

We rather liked the Villa Magdala on Henrietta Road in 2004 and it was a reasonable walk with wheeled luggage from the rail station; however, I understand you're driving, so it's not relevant unless you'll be doing rail trips from Bath. Although it's clearly a major tourist attraction (and, therefore, not attractive to sophsticated travelers), we had a luxurious experience enjoying scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam and classical music from a splendid quartet in the Pump Room at the baths. Although we had coffee, it's by far the best tea time we've ever experienced, and is highly recommended.

I have friends who used to live in Trowbridge.

This place on the edge of Trowbridge is very nice but over your budget

http://www.oldmanorhotel.com/

This one is a bit less in Wingfield just outside Trowbridge.

http://www.eastwingbedandbreakfast.co.uk/index.html

A good book set near Trowbridge (it is very good indeed):



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suspicions-M.../dp/0747582157