Built between 1728 and 1736, Queen Square was designed by John Wood the Elder (1704-54) who set out to provide an architectural masterpiece for the chic members of society “to assemble together”. The hotel’s seven townhouses are now seamlessly interconnected to house 98 luxurious bedrooms, all individually styled, with many of the Feature Rooms offering four-poster beds and glorious views over the eternally fashionable city of Bath.

 

Of course, in time-honored British tradition, afternoon tea is served daily at Francis Hotel. Visitors may also partake in informal yet intimate dining in a choice of snug, bar and lounge areas.

 

A short stroll through the hotel takes guests into celebrated chef Raymond Blanc’s Brasserie Blanc, where the food served is reminiscent of high quality, informal French cooking.

 

The hotel itself is a destination of historical and architectural significance within a city that offers exceptional richness for travellers with its significant Roman, Georgian and contemporary attractions. At convenient proximity to Francis Hotel are the Roman Baths, Pump Room, Thermae Bath Spa, Jane Austen Centre, No.1 Royal Crescent, Theatre Royal, as well as the city’s elegant shopping, culinary and cultural heart.

 

Francis Hotel is part of the unique MGallery collection of individual hotels, none of which conforms to the norm and all of which promise a journey of discovery both within their charming and remarkable walls and beyond.

Guests are welcome to withdraw to the tranquil oasis of the Living Room at any moment of the day. The Living Room offers a quiet, intimate retreat for drinks before dinner, quiet conversation and relaxation.

 

Indeed, staff may be overheard privately referring to the space as ‘The Snug’.

 

Within the Living Room is a library of classic and other literature for those with wishing to deepen their knowledge of the local or hotel history or repose with a book.

 

Duncan McKeller has created 12 hand drawn illustrations for Francis Hotel Bath. The illustrations reflect a moment in time for this beautiful and extraordinary building. The characters in the drawings are based on the occupants in and around 1800, the Regency period. There is plenty of artistic license in the drawings but they are there to amuse and entertain. Each one has a few modern icons, not always easy to pick out, and this reflects the approach taken with the Interior Design - Regency with a contemporary flavour.

 

Duncan was born in Kenya in 1947. He spent much of his childhood in Mombasa and boarded at the Duke of York School in Nairobi. Aged 19 he went to Scotland to study architecture at the Glasgow School of Art, where he was inspired and influenced by the designs and drawings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. In 1975 he spent ten years working as an architect in Nigeria where he developed his love of freehand drawing and artistic detail. Duncan illustrated several books, including cartoons for 'Friends, Nigerians and Countrymen' under the pseudonym of Dele Morgan. By now, well known for his Christmas cards and the ubiquitous mouse, he returned to the UK where he eventually joined Househam Henderson in Winchester, an architets practice with African origins. Duncan is now the Design and Heritage Director at the practice and continues to illustrate in his own inimitable style. 'If the mouse isn't there someone will pull me up about it. They enjoy looking for him'