Room Service: Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

At the Royal Crescent Hotel, however, the steam room is, well, hot and steamy; the sauna woody and warm, the swimming pool heated to 35C, the two barrel-shaped plunge tubs, one tepid, the other chilled, rustically inviting. In an old coach house across the lawn from the hotel, the Bath House is all exposed stone, arched windows and slate floors. It might not offer the wow-factor of the Thermae Spa, but at least it's open. And welcoming - as is the hotel. The whole place is an oasis of Regency calm.

From the moment you're greeted by the doormen, you're wrapped in old-fashioned courtesy. The harlequin-tiled halls, the drawing room, walls decked out with paintings from Reynolds and Gainsborough, form a cocoon of old-world style. In the English country garden at the back, guests sip Pimms in the summer sun or dine beneath the trees in the evening.

The Royal Crescent is relaxed in its own skin - or brickwork. The parquet floor is comfortably worn, the odd Persian rug a little frayed; the overall effect gracious living. There are some hotels you just want to move into. This is one of them.

LOCATION

16 Royal Crescent, Bath (01225 339401; www.royal crescent.co.uk; www. vonessenhotels. com). The Royal Crescent, an elliptical curve made up of 30 houses and designed by John Wood the Younger, dates from 1767 and took eight years to complete. The hotel occupies the two central buildings, both Grade I-listed.

Time from international airport: Bristol airport is 50 minutes by taxi (£35).

COMFORTABLE?

There are 45 rooms, with 14 individually designed suites. We were in the Duke of York suite, named after the duke of nursery rhyme fame and son of George III, who stayed at number 16 in 1797. It has a stucco ceiling, a crystal chandelier, portraits on the walls and four floor-to-ceiling sash windows framed by shutters. A marble fireplace was laid and ready to light with a full scuttle; a bookcase was stacked with homey old editions. As I gazed out of the window, hot air balloons glided across a bleached-blue sky. Picnickers sprawled on the grass below. The beds folded round us like a welcoming hug, as soft as marshmallow. The bathroom with its high arched ceiling had a free-standing claw-foot tub and separate shower.

Freebies: Molton Brown toiletries.

Keeping in touch: Direct-dial telephones.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Double rooms cost from £290, including breakfast and use of the Bath House. Master suites cost from £850.

I'm not paying that: Until 31 August a promotion is offering B&B from £199, Sunday to Thursday, subject to availability.