Bath hotel joins prestigious Relais & Chateaux Association

In January 2008 The Royal Crescent Hotel joined the prestigious Relais & Chateaux Association - an exclusive collection of 470 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries, established in France in 1954. The Association’s mission is to select outstanding properties with a truly unique character that have to meet very strict criteria.

Of the 29 hotels already members in the UK, The Royal Crescent is the only city-centre hotel in the country and currently the only in Bath to be in the organisation.

Robin Bischert, Chief Executive of Bath Tourism Plus – the destination marketing organisation for Bath and the surrounding area – explains, “This is such a prestigious award for the Royal Crescent Hotel and we are delighted that Bath will now be on the Relais & Chateaux map. Many visitors specifically look for a Relais & Chateaux property when choosing accommodation, so we believe this will be beneficial for the city”.

The Royal Crescent Hotel follows in the footsteps of nearby Lucknam Park Hotel, situated in Colerne, who were accepted into the Relais & Chateaux Association last year. Sharon Love, General Manager at The Royal Crescent Hotel, said “We are honoured that the hotel meets with the strict criteria of Relais & Chateaux and are certain that this new relationship will be hugely valuable to both parties.”

The Royal Crescent Hotel’s Relais & Chateaux award goes hand in hand with Bath’s offering of luxury, quality and extravagance. As the only city in England to hold the UNESCO designation of a World Heritage Site, Bath boasts splendid Eighteenth Century architecture set against a backdrop of some of the most picturesque countryside in Britain.

If looking for a stylish way to appreciate the city, The Royal Crescent Hotel offer a champagne cruise along the historic Kennet and Avon waterway in the hotel's fine 1923 Thames river launch, the Lady Sophina. An immaculate mahogany and teak craft, she won best restored boat at Henley and is additionally available for private daytime charter.

Alternatively, several companies offer luxury air-conditioned vehicles with knowledgable, smartly-dressed chauffeurs, who arrange personalised tours exploring Bath’s history and heritage, as well as the surrounding area and local highlights such as Stonehenge and the Cotswolds.

Or for a different perspective, views of the honey-coloured city can be soaked up from the sky with a champagne hot air balloon flight, complete with a glass of bubbly on landing. And when the sun goes down evening entertainment can be enjoyed in one of the boxes in the Royal Circle or Dress Circle in the 200 year old, beautiful Georgian Theatre Royal while watching a performance of top-quality drama, opera or dance.

For some relaxation time, enjoy a dip in the city’s naturally warm, mineral-rich waters as the Romans once did thousands of years ago. The Cross Bath in the new Thermae Bath Spa - an intimate, open-air thermal bath in a stand alone building from the main complex - can be booked for a private session for the ultimate ‘bath’ experience.

The official tourism website, Visitbath.co.uk, provides further information about the Royal Crescent and Lucknam Park Hotels, as well as all the information needed to enjoy a luxury stay in Bath.