The Bath Priory Hotel And Spa

My mom and I enjoyed afternoon tea at The Priory, and what a delight! We were lucky to have a gentle breeze, despite the summer heat, so we sat outside. Pollinators buzzed as we chatted in the idyllic setting, surrounded by blooming flowers. Wisteria hung off wall of the hotel. The vibrant colors were even more vivid in the summer light. The service was impeccable and the staff also offered clear and helpful input regarding the menu (it was our first time doing an afternoon tea and we are from the US). I ordered the milky oolong and my mom got a fruity tea, we both think it was among the best tea we’ve had. The food was also delicious. I particularly liked the scones, butter, and jam. Afterwards we went for a relaxing stroll throughout the garden. Thank you for making our trip so special! It was the perfect way to start our girls’ trip and celebrate my mom’s birthday.

Such a lovely place to stay during the hot weather, with the outdoor pool being the perfect temperature. Being an old building, there was (not unexpectedly) no air conditioning in the bedrooms which was very much needed but the hotel did what it could in the circumstances by providing good Dyson fans. The staff are great - very friendly, very helpful. Our only criticism would be the choice of casual food available - we just felt the experience would be enhanced with a more relaxed Pantry menu.

The service here is absolutely superb. Very English, very relaxed yet anything is possible. Only reason for 4 stars for the room rather than 5 is because there is no built-in air conditioning and we stayed at a hot July weekend. But they did provide a portable air conditioner. Beautiful gardens and and facilities.

The hotel itself is beautiful, with stunning architecture and elegant rooms. The building and overall atmosphere are definitely the highlights of the stay. We stayed in a Premium Room, and while the room itself was lovely, the overall experience did not justify the price. I expected a much higher standard of service and facilities from a hotel in this price range. The restaurant menu was quite basic, and the food presentation was nothing particularly special. More importantly, the service was disappointing. The waitstaff were extremely slow and didn’t seem proactive or attentive. Instead of making guests feel welcome and valued, they simply completed tasks without much warmth or hospitality. The spa was also underwhelming. It consists of only a sauna, a steam room, and a very small, shallow pool. These are facilities you can find at many ordinary hotels or local leisure centres, so there is nothing unique that justifies choosing this hotel specifically for its spa or traveling to Bath for that experience. Another major disappointment was the check-in process. Although the official check-in time is 3:00 PM, we were only able to access our room at 5:00 PM. Waiting an additional two hours without a meaningful apology or effort to improve the situation reflected poorly on the hotel’s customer service. Overall, the hotel has beautiful architecture and comfortable rooms, but the hospitality, dining experience, spa, and customer service fell well below my expectations. Considering the price we paid, I found the hotel to be overrated and poor value for money.