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Located within walking distance of Bath’s major attractions – Roman Baths, Pump Room and Thermae Spa – the historic Francis Hotel, located on the city’s famous Queen Square, has undergone a spectacular £6 million intensive refurbishment to restore it to its former glory. The townhouse hotel has now opened as Francis Hotel Bath, a member of the MGallery collection by Accor, a selection of memorable high-end hotels.
The MGallery collection from Accor was launched in 2008 and today encompasses almost 50 hotels in 18 countries around the world. Unique, each hotel tells its own individual story which guests experience through the hotel’s striking architectural features, interior design, atmosphere and service. All MGallery hotels invite guests to experience a "Memorable Moment", designed to offer additional enjoyment through a special activity that resonates with the history of the hotel, its culture, way of life, and its personality. MGallery hotels are renowned for their quality, unique attention to detail and stand-out memorable features.
A unique Regency Townhouse hotel
Located in the very heart of Bath, The Francis Hotel Bath, a unique Regency townhouse hotel, combines sumptuous 21st century elegance with the splendour of an era when the rich and famous "took the waters" of Bath’s therapeutic, natural hot spring for their health.
The Francis Hotel dominates the south side of classical Queen Square, which was built between 1728 and 1735 by architect and town planner John Wood the Elder, creator of so many of Bath’s prestigious buildings.
Regency rediscovered
When John Wood the Elder developed his grand vision for Queen Square, the south side comprised nine private townhouses, united by a single facade. Seven of these survive – seamlessly interconnected to form the splendid, newly restored Francis Hotel Bath. Parish rate books survive from 1734 which show that when Wood was a resident, he occupied number 9. Today, this property forms the main entrance of the hotel, sheltered by a distinctive glazed canopy with decorative cast-iron work.
Throughout the 18th century, Queen Square remained a residential district of Bath, increasingly attracting wealthier and more socially eminent purchasers. Little changed until the 1870s when Mrs Emily Francis, widow of Solomon Francis, a local builder, bought numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11 and established a boarding house. By 1884, she had transformed much of the terrace into the Francis Private Hotel.
The hotel has subsequently experienced many changes, thankfully without ever losing the 18th century style of its origins – or the Francis name. In 1942, a direct hit from a 500kg German bomb forced demolition of the east end, comprising numbers 7 and 8 and part of 9. A year later, the hotel was hit again in an enemy raid and builders had to descend 30 feet to remove a bomb before rebuilding could commence.
Τhe Francis Hotel Bath is entering an exciting new era, with its townhouses enjoying a £6 million restoration featuring 98 luxurious bedrooms and boasting splendidly vibrant interiors that celebrate the vivaciousness, freedoms and occasional quirks of the Regency period. In every sense, the Francis Hotel Bath meets the superlative quality demanded of a hotel that is the second UK member of the MGallery Collection by Accor, which was launched in 2008 and now encompasses almost 50 memorable, high-end hotels in 18 countries around the world.
Bath enjoys international acclaim – as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – while Queen Square itself stands out as one of the glories of the city, with all its buildings designated by English Heritage as Buildings of Exceptional and Historical Interest.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
