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ENGLAND BATH THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL
Occupying the two central houses, the hotel is a spacious and extensive complex. There are 45 bedrooms and suites, ranging from the modestly sized standard rooms at the top of the building to the palatial apartments with stuccoed ceilings on the first floor. But what comes as a real surprise is the delightful garden, which is much larger than one would have supposed possible from the street side. And, at the far side of the gardens, are stone villas with classical columns, wherein are to be found the spa (called the Bath House) and the restaurant (called the Dower House). This is an hotel which offers not only an abundance of style and elegance but also that delicious sense of being within an exclusive and luxurious retreat.
Chef Chris Lovell (from Brixham) is a very talented young man. Even now he is a very good chef. Once he has learned the age-old lesson – that Less can often be More – he will be a great one. At the moment his dishes are a little too complicated and a bit too small. Clearly, they involve much work and considerable skill, but, sitting at the table, I did crave for a measure of simplicity. Yet I cannot deny that I enjoyed my meal very much indeed. Seared scallops – served on a slate – were sweet, precisely cooked and accompanied by cauliflower and roasted veal sweetbread. Then came venison – a truly magnificent piece of tender and tasty meat – with red cabbage purée and ventrèche (bacon) terrine. This was a well-balanced dish. I finished with caramelized pear mille-feuille, with caramel parfait and pear foam. (Three courses are £60.)
I returned to the Dower House for breakfast, to a table overlooking the garden, and was pleased to find that fine white napery and white crockery by Villeroy & Boch were being used. This was a thoroughly civilized way to start the day: orange juice (freshly squeezed, at my request), excellent porridge, mushrooms on toast with crispy bacon and Frank Taylor’s Oxford marmalade. For what more could one ask? As my taxi glided gently away from The Royal Crescent Hotel, I was happy that this noble part of our architectural heritage is such a very, very good hotel. Happy are those able to visit and enjoy a brief moment within the majesty of one of the real gems of Georgian Britain. No wonder I love Bath. | ||
ADDRESSES THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL
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© Francis Bown 2003
I love the city of Bath. In its stones are the values of The Enlightenment. And of all its architectural achievements in the 18th century, the acknowledged masterpiece is The Royal Crescent – a 500-foot curve of tall stone houses, designed by John Wood the Younger in 1767. It is so lovely that to look upon it for the first time gives anyone with an aesthetic sensibility a momentary shortness of breath. And right in the middle of this monumental wonder is one of the best hostelries in England – The Royal Crescent Hotel.
Public spaces in hotels are important to me. I like to sit about and think my thoughts. At The Royal Crescent I was able to indulge these pursuits in the elegant drawing room and in the cosy library. These rooms are to the left of the entrance hall and are chambers full of good furniture and handsome portraits, including a more than life size representation in oils of George III. Somehow, our Georgian ancestors knew how to proportion a room so that it would harmonize with a fellow’s natural rhythms. Comfortably ensconced in the welcoming chairs and sofas of these rooms, I felt at ease with the world and with my lot. Indeed, I so enjoyed this environment that I settled down next to one of the roaring fires here more than once, allowing the excellent Assistant Restaurant Manager, George Bavajee, to arrange sandwiches and pots of Earl Grey to sustain me. 
Upstairs, on the third floor, my apartment – number 25 – was the Beckford Suite, a deluxe suite and therefore from £635 a night, bed and breakfast for two. (Rates fluctuate considerably, so you will need to check on the hotel website for specific dates.) Named after the eccentric creator of Fonthill, this charming suite of rooms gave me the pleasing impression of having my own flat in the Royal Crescent. A half-hall led into the sitting room, which had plenty of space for a sofa, an easy chair and a wing chair, as well as a mahogany writing desk in the Georgian style. Its two windows afforded a view over the town through the stone balustrade. Above the dado was striped wallpaper, and lighting was provided by table lamps and gilt wall lights. It was a delight in the afternoons to have a proper fire lit in the grate, adjust the air conditioning, put on a cd to play Don Giovanni and read a few pages from Randolph Churchill’s biography of his father (one of the tomes I took from the bookshelves).
From the inner hall three steps led up to the impressive bathroom. In this large chamber were a free-standing tub, two wash basins, a separate shower, a bidet, a loo and a clock. Regular readers will know that finding this last item in a bathroom always causes me much pleasure, although I have still not worked out quite why. Toiletries were by Culpeper. The other door from the inner hall led into the bedroom. Here was another television, of course – like the one in the sitting room, carefully hidden within a handsome cabinet – as well as a walk-in wardrobe (with a safe) and a supremely comfortable bed. A clothes brush was sent up at my request, but, strangely, no shoe horn could be found. Perhaps, I pondered, this odd omission might be considered the equivalent of a beauty on the cheek of a Georgian lady – the tiny blemish which drew attention to the beauty of the whole. 
Happily be-suited and stiff-collared, I went downstairs and across the garden to the Dower House Restaurant for dinner. I found a warm and welcoming place of white tablecloths, good glassware (by C & S), striped golden velvet and soft spotlights. I was greeted by the Restaurant Manager, Anthony Rizzo. Mr Rizzo is from Nice. He is courteous, efficient and friendly – and sets the tone for his waiters. They wear black aprons and waistcoats and are careful to re-fold the napkins of those guests who leave the table for a moment. Here I might pause to record my appreciation of the service I found throughout the hotel. In every department I found high standards. The men and women who work at The Royal Crescent are a credit to their General Manager, Sharon Love.
The wine list offers 250 bottles, 28 halves and 18 wines by the glass. Prices range from £28 for an Australian semillon/chardonnay to £1,500 for 1995 Lafite. New and Old Worlds are well represented. I was pleased to see 5 German dry whites. At the grander end of things, the following bottles caught my eye: 1988 Margaux (£850), 1995 Cheval Blanc (£800), 1986 Cos d’Esournel (£700) and 1990 Grange (£1,000). The Assistant Sommelier, Jiri Chovan – a knowledgeable fellow from Prague – recommended a splendid South African cabernet, which yielded the nose of a fine claret and, in the mouth, tones of blackcurrant and caramel (Rudera, Stellenbosch, 2000 - £85). 