Where to stay · Bath · United Kingdom
Where to stay in Bath
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in City Centre. Abbey Churchyard, the Roman Baths and pedestrian shopping lanes. Best alternatives — families: Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street; budget: Walcot.
Key facts
- First visit
- City Centre
- Families
- Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street
- Budget
- Walcot
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | City Centre | Abbey Churchyard, the Roman Baths and pedestrian shopping lanes |
| Families | Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street | A wide Georgian boulevard across Pulteney Bridge, ending at the Holburne Museum |
| Couples | City Centre | Abbey Churchyard, the Roman Baths and pedestrian shopping lanes |
| Budget | Walcot | Bath's artisan quarter of independent shops and makers |
| Luxury | Royal Crescent and the Upper Town | Grand Georgian terraces, the Circus and the Assembly Rooms |
| Food lovers | Walcot | Bath's artisan quarter of independent shops and makers |
| Solo travellers | Walcot | Bath's artisan quarter of independent shops and makers |
| Shopping | City Centre | Abbey Churchyard, the Roman Baths and pedestrian shopping lanes |
| Quiet stays | Royal Crescent and the Upper Town | Grand Georgian terraces, the Circus and the Assembly Rooms |
Bath neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and couples
City Centre
The compact old centre around the Abbey, the Roman Baths and the Pump Room is mostly pedestrianised, with shops along Stall Street, Union Street and Milsom Street and small lanes such as North Parade Passage. Bath Spa station and the bus station are a five-minute walk south. Hotels here are central for everything but often small and pricey.
- Good
- Everything within a few minutes' walk; Near the train and bus stations; Plenty of restaurants
- Watch out
- Crowded with day-trippers and tour groups; Rooms are small and expensive at weekends
- Nearby
- Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, Thermae Bath Spa, Milsom Street
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, quiet stays and culture
Royal Crescent and the Upper Town
Uphill from the centre, the Upper Town holds the city's most famous Georgian set pieces: the Circus, Brock Street and the sweeping Royal Crescent above Royal Victoria Park. Elegant townhouse hotels and B&Bs sit along quiet streets, with antique shops and cafés around Bartlett Street.
- Good
- Beautiful, calm streets; Views over the city; Park on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Uphill walk back from the centre; Expensive
- Nearby
- Royal Crescent, The Circus, Royal Victoria Park, No. 1 Royal Crescent
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and families
Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street
Across Pulteney Bridge, Great Pulteney Street runs dead straight for about 300 metres to the Holburne Museum and Sydney Gardens, where Jane Austen once lived nearby at 4 Sydney Place. The area has handsome townhouse hotels and guesthouses, the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath and Bath Rugby's ground at the Recreation Ground.
- Good
- Flat, elegant and quiet; Five-minute walk to the Abbey; Canal walks nearby
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants east of the bridge; Busy on rugby match days
- Nearby
- Pulteney Bridge, Holburne Museum, Sydney Gardens, Kennet and Avon Canal
$$ · Best for food lovers, solo travellers, budget and shopping
Walcot
North of the centre along Walcot Street and London Road, Walcot calls itself the city's artisan quarter, with independent shops, reclamation and design stores, small cafés and bars, and live-music pubs. It has a more local feel than the Abbey area and guesthouses at fairer prices.
- Good
- Independent shops and cafés; Local atmosphere; Ten minutes' walk to the centre
- Watch out
- Busy main road along London Road; Fewer hotels
- Nearby
- Walcot Street, Bath Guildhall Market, Pulteney Bridge
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and budget
Widcombe
Across the footbridge from Bath Spa station, Widcombe has a parade of independent shops and pubs, canal locks on the Kennet and Avon, and lanes climbing towards Prior Park Landscape Garden. It suits visitors who want quiet and easy station access.
- Good
- Next to the station; Village feel; Canal and countryside walks
- Watch out
- Steep streets uphill; Limited evening dining
- Nearby
- Bath Spa station, Kennet and Avon Canal, Prior Park, Alexandra Park
$$ · Best for first-timers, families, budget and shopping
Kingsmead and Southgate
The streets around Southgate shopping centre, Kingsmead Square and James Street West have the city's larger chain hotels and many restaurants. They are flat, close to the station and the Theatre Royal, and usually better value than the Upper Town.
- Good
- Flat and central; Larger family rooms; Near the station
- Watch out
- Less Georgian character; Some traffic noise
- Nearby
- Southgate, Theatre Royal, Bath Spa station, Kingsmead Square
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre | $$$ | Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, Thermae Bath Spa, Milsom Street |
| Royal Crescent and the Upper Town | $$$$ | Royal Crescent, The Circus, Royal Victoria Park, No. 1 Royal Crescent |
| Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street | $$$ | Pulteney Bridge, Holburne Museum, Sydney Gardens, Kennet and Avon Canal |
| Walcot | $$ | Walcot Street, Bath Guildhall Market, Pulteney Bridge |
| Widcombe | $$ | Bath Spa station, Kennet and Avon Canal, Prior Park, Alexandra Park |
| Kingsmead and Southgate | $$ | Southgate, Theatre Royal, Bath Spa station, Kingsmead Square |
Getting to your hotel
Bristol Airport is about 30 km west. A direct airport bus runs to Bath in roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, and taxis take about 45 minutes outside rush hour. From London Heathrow, take the airport coach link to Reading and change to a direct train to Bath Spa, about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours in total, or a direct coach.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Bath for first-time visitors?
City Centre. The compact old centre around the Abbey, the Roman Baths and the Pump Room is mostly pedestrianised, with shops along Stall Street, Union Street and Milsom Street and small lanes such as North Parade Passage.
+Where should families stay in Bath?
Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street: Flat, elegant and quiet.
+Which area of Bath is best for a budget stay?
Walcot ($$): Bath's artisan quarter of independent shops and makers.