Build Bath & Shower

When it comes to luxury hotels in Bath, UK, the Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel has something no other hotel can match: thermal water piped right into the pools in their Roman-inspired Spa Village. Add to that fine cuisine, sleek design and a location in the centre of Bath, and you’ve got a great way to vacation in Bath and connect with the culture. Here’s my experience. Connecting with spa culture It’s almost a shame there is so much to see in Bath, UK, because all I want to do is loll around in the water.  After all, isn’t travel all about connecting with a place, the history and the culture? If you ask me (and I’m aware you didn’t), connecting with steamy thermal water is the best kind of connection of all, especially in Bath, the only place in England with hot springs. Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel " width="620" height="418" /> I never look this good when soaking my head ‘Connecting’ is how I justify lingering in the spa pools at the  Gainsborough Bath Sp...

By Gareth Huw Davies for The Mail on Sunday Updated: 14:30 BST, 30 November 2011 e-mail View comments Bath, an entire city colour -coded in golden local stone , boasts a spa fed by the only naturally warm springs in Britain. The many other reasons to visit this masterpiece in the west include the original Georgian streets , where Jane Austen and her characters walked, as well as a rich variety of shops and restaurants. Gareth Huw Davies revisits a favourite place, and is smitten anew. Calm: Even at night Bath is cloaked in a golden glow - much of it is unchanged since the 18th Century 1. Swimming sensation Drifting at sunset in a rooftop, open-air pool, in waters naturally heated – more than a mile underground – to 91F (33C), is one of the rarest pleasures in Britain. Thermae Bath Spa (www.thermaebathspa.com), a great glass cube of a building next to Bath Abbey, opened in 2006 to recycle raindrops that fell here 10,000 years ago. This is indulgence not to be rushed. A range o...

Rydal Court is a fine detached victorian villa set on the wooded hillside above Torquay's harbour. The property has been the subject of a comprehensive renovation program , now affording a luxurious period residence retaining the character and charm of its bygone age whilst tastefully fusing all the conveniences expected for modern day living . The house has exceptional versatility, admirably suited to an extended family or those requiring home office or hobbies space. Hunsdon Road is within a short saunter to Torquay's bustling harbour at the base of the hill with wide selection of bars and restaurants, award winning marina and coastal zoo, together with the amenities of the town. Following Torquay's promenade and seafront you reach the Princess Theatre, flagship beach of Torre Abbey Sands and Torquay Train Station beyond. The 'village' ambience of Wellswood is equally accessible in the opposite direction, where a range of independent shops, restaurants, pub...