Eight, Bath

In a central location, nestled between Oak, Bath's premier vegetarian restaurant, and Sally Lunn's, the city's renowned tea room. The main building, housing the restaurant and approximately half the bedrooms, stands on North Parade Passage, a charming pedestrian lane in the heart of Bath. The remaining bedrooms are 50 yards away in a handsome old building overlooking the picturesque Abbey Green.

The Roman Baths and Bath Abbey are just yards away.

By car: the hotel is 2 hours and 30 mins from London and around 40 mins from Bristol.

By train: trains from Bristol take just over 10 minutes. The train from London Paddington is 1 hour and 30 mins. Bath station is a five-minute walk from the hotel. Book trains to Bath Spa.

Eight is the transformation of two distinctive old buildings, unique in their pre-Georgian origin in Bath, blending modern design with sensitivity to the building's roots. This is best seen in the glass-sided corridor guiding visitors from the street into the main building, where the restaurant's two cosy dining areas flank each side of the glass passage.

The seasoned senior staff are exceptionally knowledgeable, accommodating requests with expertise, ensuring details like restaurant bookings, flowers or Champagne are seamlessly arranged and waiting in your room. Eight is independently owned by co-owners Nathalie Brown and her French partner Fred Lavault, who also serves as Eight's chef.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Family-friendly
• Free Wi-Fi

Showcasing harmonious colour palettes, such as grey and midnight blue, the bedrooms offer a calm environment with wooden floors and contemporary furnishings. The more budget-friendly rooms are cosy attic spaces, while the pricier options exude a spacious feel, especially those in the Abbey Green townhouse. Bathrooms offer powerful rainforest showers and are beautifully-designed tiled affairs.

Room types: Rooms 1-18

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom, double bed, smart TV, tea and coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi

The restaurant offers a menu of creative and consistently high-quality modern French/Italian cuisine. Typically featuring three options each for fish, meat and vegetarian dishes, the concise menu encourages diners to choose two plates. For dinner, the monkfish served with prawns and clams in a saffron-infused velouté was particularly tasty.

Eight plates: relaxed, modern European cuisine. Open Tuesday-Saturday 3-9.30pm. Plates from £8.50.

The historic bar: cosy, classy, extensive wine and cocktail menu. Open Tuesday- Saturday 12-10pm and Sunday-Monday 12pm to 6pm