newt-somerset michelin three keys — The Newt in Somerset

Love a swanky hotel stay? Then listen up, because The MICHELIN Guide have just introduced a new appraisal system for hotels called The Michelin Key. Just as the Michelin Star recognises restaurants for outstanding cooking, the Michelin Key recognises hotels for outstanding stays. Only a mere 14 hotels in the UK and Ireland are considered Three Key standard – and one of them is in Somerset – with a further eight local hotels being awarded Two and One Keys, making nine in total!

royal-crescent hotel and spa bath somerset michelin key — The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

Here’s how it works. The judges apply five criteria to make their call, including excellence in architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; overall personality and character; the value in relation to the price; and a significant contribution to the neighbourhood or setting. Then the hotel is placed into once of three categories depending on quality: One Key = a very special stay; Two Keys = an exceptional stay; Three Keys = an extraordinary stay.

THREE KEYS – The Newt in Somerset, Bruton

Formerly Hadspen House and reborn as The Newt in 2019, it’s now home to a spa hotel, a working farm, a restaurant, café and beautifully landscaped gardens – complete with replica Roman villa and aerial walkway through the treetops – with the rooms located in the original limestone house and the Farmyard outbuildings. We’ve not stayed in the hotel (yet!) but did review the rest of the place when it first opened.

TWO KEYS – The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath

The Royal Crescent Hotel is made up of two Georgian townhouses slap bang in the middle of the iconic 18th century Royal Crescent. Surely the best position in the whole of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath? Interiors are contemporary-classic, with four-poster beds and marble baths. You can easily idle away the hours in the Library, the Pavilion Conservatory, the pretty gardens, Montagu’s Mews restaurant and bar, or the almost monastic – yet luxurious – spa.

ONE KEY – Artist Residence, Bristol

artists-residence bristol michelin key — Artists Residence

Centrally located in a listed Georgian town house and former boot factory in St Paul’s, the 23-bedroom hotel describes itself as an ‘eccentric home from home’. Each room or suite, from the small and perfectly formed ‘Broom Cupboard’ to the posh ‘Merchants Suite’, is individually decorated, with artworks on the wall (natch), vintage/reclaimed furniture and all mod cons including rainfall showers, Nespresso coffee machine and smart TVs. Eat and drink in The Boot Factory bar and kitchen.

ONE KEY – Homewood Hotel & Spa, Freshford, near Bath

homewood hotel and spa bath somerset michelin key — Homewood Hotel & Spa

Just six miles south of Bath, on the edge of the beautiful village of Freshford in the Cotswold’s National Landscape (aka Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the grown-up exterior of the Georgian country mansion sitting in 20 acres of manicured grounds, belies the impish interiors within. There’s lots to enjoy: eclectically decorated rooms, Mediterranean-British food in the Olio restaurant, an extensive terrace, gardens – with topiary teddy bear and dining domes – a spa and a heated outdoor swimming pool. Read our review.

ONE KEY – Number 38 Clifton, Bristol

This refurbed Georgian merchant’s townhouse in chic Clifton Village has panoramic views of the city in one direction and views of Clifton Downs in the other. Twelve stylish wood-panelled rooms and suites are decked out with Roberts radios, 100 Acres products, waffle dressing gowns, widescreen smart TVs and very well-stocked mini bars. Have breakfast – or drinks – in the Library or Lounge. The sun trap terrace is the perfect spot for a sundowner.

ONE KEY – The Bath Priory, Bath

the bath priory somerset michelin key — The Bath Priory

Two adjoining Georgian villas filled with antiques, oil paintings and luxurious bedrooms and set in pretty gardens with an outdoor swimming pool, create a genuine country house feel (even though you’re minutes into the centre of the city). Dine in the elegant restaurant, the Pantry or out on the terrace. With the first and only L’Occitane spa in the UK, this is the closest you’ll get to the sun-baked lavender fields of Provence in Bath.

ONE KEY – The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath

gainsborough bath spa hotel bath somerset michelin key — The Gainsborough Bath Spa

Not only boasting a grand neo-classical facade and contemporary New York-designed interiors, this is the only hotel in Bath with its own access to the city’s famous thermal, mineral-rich waters. Some of the elegant rooms are decorated in restful shades, others with ornate touches. Food? ‘Global gourmet’ in the Gainsborough Brasserie, and Canvas Room.

ONE KEY – The Queensberry Hotel, Bath

the queensberry hotel bath somerset michelin key — The Queensberry Hotel

Originally commissioned as a house for the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, the hotel now spreads across four Georgian townhouses near to The Circus and The Royal Crescent. In keeping with its 18th century heritage, the interiors are elegantly luxurious but with plenty of quirky touches – palm leaves pressed between sheets of glass, cartoons, original artworks and their own version of The Queensberry’s Rules. Have a cocktail in the Queensberry’s Old Q bar before heading downstairs to The Olive Tree, Bath’s only Michelin Star and 4 AA rosette restaurant.

ONE KEY – The Yard, Bath

The Yard in Bath Somerset Michelin key — The Yard

The 18th-century Georgian coaching inn turned luxury boutique hotel with a little courtyard (hence the name), only has 15 ensuite rooms set across four floors, but one has its own rooftop terrace, two more have freestanding baths and all combine historic features with modern style and comfort. The courtyard café, which is open during the day – for breakfast, cakes, coffee, pastries – turns into a bar by night.

Discover all the new UK & Ireland Michelin Key Hotels here.

The best hotels to stay in Somerset & Bristol, according to the new Michelin Key

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