Brocks Guest House

A lovely guest house with a British feel. The bathroom has a bath and toiletries, and everything was clean and tidy. Good value for money.

The rooms are great and the prices are good, and it was a nice place to unwind after a hectic day of travel. It’s just a little way inside from The Circus, close to lots of great sites, the Royal Crescent and the Royal Victoria Park, and not far from downtown. You can catch the tootbus nearby, which is a must for getting to all the sightseeing spots. The city bus also runs regularly, so I recommend downloading their app. Great location, and I’d definitely recommend staying here.

The location is hard to beat: most things we wanted to see in Bath were an easy walk away, with plenty downhill. The bed naming, though, is unreliable. What was listed as a king was smaller than even a queen by American standards, and those were two cramped nights. They also listed a “Super King” in one room, which may have been what we needed. Check the sizes carefully. Getting to our second-floor “suite” meant climbing four flights of narrow stairs. Wall-mounted tables holding tea and coffee supplies stuck out over the steps, so we had to lift our cases over them and squeeze around them ourselves. With anything bigger than a backpack, I wouldn’t choose an upper floor. The room was cute, but it didn’t feel like a suite. It was one very hot, humid room, and opening the windows brought in bugs because there were no screens. A sofa could turn into a separate bed, but the coffee table was right in front of it, making that awkward to open. The little seating spot at the end of the bed, with two small chairs and a small table, didn’t make it a suite for me either. The bathroom was decent, though the tub and shower sat high off the floor. Getting down again felt like a leap of faith when it was slippery, so older guests should be aware. Heat was a real problem. Bath was hot and humid, and aside from a small fan and a tiny heater unit that we found would blow air when its heat was off, there was hardly any breeze. We aimed the fans at our sweat-soaked selves through the windows, took a sleep aid and wine, used Salonpas on sore spots, and still couldn’t sleep. We never saw anyone around, so getting help, another fan, or more towels didn’t seem possible. If you’re young, travelling light, and like sauna-level heat, or visiting in winter and don’t mind the bed size or stairs, it might suit you. For a summer trip, check things out first. And yes, the hotel industry really should settle on standard bed measurements. The inconsistent labels drive me nuts.

We had a good stay for a fair price and I’d come back. The basement apartment is spacious, and its little outdoor spot at the front was a real bonus for sitting with a glass of wine. It’s in a quiet area with an easy walk into Bath’s centre. You can hear every sound from upstairs, though, and the shower wasn’t great. The decor is also quite dated.