Summer in England was my bucket list trip as far as I can remember. When my boyfriend told me he would be in the UK for two months this summer, I booked a flight for the day. A few weeks later we were in London, then on a 90-minute train ride to Somerset. We were on our way to check in at Gainesborough Bus, a luxurious hotel and spa in this sleepy town.
Bath is famous all over the world for the history of Roman buses and has become a popular favorite among British people looking for a short weekend escape. We took advantage of the short trip between London and Bath to board the train and before we knew it, it felt like we had gone back in time.
Gainesborough Bus
Even in the summer, baths could be higher than normal rain so we evacuated to the hotel. Gainesborothe majority of our stay. This is the only hotel in Bath with its own heat bath, said to have healing powers, and after two days of enjoying the ritual, we were convinced of its power to relieve stress!
Gainesboro is one of the most beautiful hotels in the UK and, even better, it is located in the heart of the town. Once you leave the hotel lobby, you will step into the busy streets of the bus. The spa and thermal springs are open to hotel guests, but if you are someone who likes privacy and values quiet time, this is definitely worth the investment!
The price is around USD 300 per night. This includes unlimited access to the fire bath.
Check out: Check in at Monkey Island Estate in the UK
Bath, England
Bath is a long-favoured escape for the Londoners over the weekend, and has a long history of Roman bus rituals. This historic Roman and Georgian Spa city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In other words, Bath’s charm and personality all remains easy. It’s small to walk around, but you can see it in a day, but there’s a lot to look at across major tourist destinations. Our favourite day was when we had no plans or destinations.
Read more: A guide to visiting Windsor Castle
What should I watch on the bus?
We start with the obvious and proceed towards some of the Fab discoveries that go beyond major tourist attractions.
Roman bath
Of course, once you take a bath, you should head to the ancient Roman baths and learn about their history as the entire city was built around the discovery of hydrothermal bodies. This is the most popular attraction in the city, so if you skip the queue and have a room above the elbow inside, make sure to arrive early. Ticket prices include an audio guide that guides you through the inside for 60-90 minutes.
Bus Abby
Right next to the Roman bus is Basby, a medieval exterior with Gothic decor. The monastery is also a great landmark as you roam the town and get lost. As you can see, find a way back to the centre of town and use the monastery as your reference!
Prune Bridge
The bus is surrounded by the Avon River and there are many bridges connecting the old town. Pulteney Bridge is the most scenic of them all, with a shop and freshly baked aroma.
Circus
Walking around the bath will lead you to a circus. This is a historic circle of wealthy townhouses designed by architect John Wood.
Royal Crescent
Plus, there is the Royal Crescent, an impressive line of 30 terraced homes. The house was designed by the same architect John Wood.
read more: A cute village in the UK’s Cotswolds
Tivoli cinema
For fun things! After you travel around town to discover its history, start looking for the baths that exist today. Our favourite place we found during our stay in Bath Tivoli Cinema.
This beautiful cinema is designed to reflect what the cinema experience was like back then. Instead of being kitsch, they did a really great job transporting you. You can also order gourmet food and drinks delivered to your seat at the cinema. You can also choose the time you want to receive them in the movie! The experience wasn’t cheap, but I would really recommend it for a special date night. None of my film experiences have lived up to this point!
Lulu Coffee
Another fab discovery on the bus was Lulu Coffee. We walked without a map or destination until we sniffed out a good coffee spot. We came across some great coffee shops all day long and this was our favorite.
Courtyard Cafe
Another discovery of Fab was in a cafe in the courtyard not too far from the Roman bath. The interior was really cute and charming, and the food was fab too!
