Hotel Indigo and The Elder Review, Bath

In our opinion, Bath has it all! I adore this beautiful, historic city for so many reasons and I love that there are heaps of fun things to do for every age.

There are many cultural and family attractions including the famous Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent, and the Jane Austen Centre to name but a few, while it’s a highly desirable place for couples alike to enjoy a romantic mini break.

The award-winning Thermae Bath Spa is a firm favourite, and often we enjoy marvelling in the unique boutiques, shops and markets, set against a breath-taking backdrop of Georgian grandeur at every turn.

Hotel Indigo is one of those refined yet understated hotels in an exquisite 18th-century building featuring chic rooms and suites, quirky artwork and oodles of character adjoined to an upscale restaurant, The Elder. The hotel and restaurant are both destinations to head for if you appreciate luxury, quality, and unpretentious glamour. The warm, yet homely ambiance is inviting, comfortable and offers a somewhat discreet opulence.

Our standard bedroom was on the first floor, it was an ample size and had an extremely cosy Hypnos bed ladened with luxury Egyptian cotton linen. The Hotel Indigo signature scent wafted throughout the building and on the walls unique artwork and quirky homeware touches added to its personality.

We believe our room reflected an air of ‘Romance & Mischief’, and where abstract styling meets Georgian tradition. You’ll find a modern-day twist on an era where gambling and infidelity was found to be very mainstream – you can picture the scenario, I’m sure!

We enjoyed the sweet-smelling Bramley toiletries made with the finest essential oils and 100% natural botanicals, which complemented the spa-inspired ensuite bathroom.

In addition, the Nespresso coffee machine, ironing board, hair dryer and our 40” flat screen TV, which for us, is a rarity to watch anything on the big screen these days due to our busy lives, were all a welcome treat. The home from home essentials made our stay incredibly comfortable to enjoy a splendid night’s sleep.

In the evening, we were super excited to dine at The Elder, as it’s been on our list for a while now. It’s a modern British restaurant consisting of charm, character and deliciously inviting, heart-warming cuisine. There is no doubt this restaurant provides a sumptuous, yet informal dining experience and it presents its delights in a series of refined yet relaxed, atmospheric dining rooms.

It was fantastic to hear sustainability is right at the core of their gastronomic offering and this means they go to incredible lengths to ensure all their meat, fish and vegetables are grown or harvested humanely, with huge care. It was also clear to see wild food has a steady place on the menu, something which we wanted to try more of on our plates.

To begin with we started with two beautiful cocktails, which set the tone for our delightful evening ahead. We chose our dishes from the 3-course main menu, instead of the tasting menu. However, if you fancy sampling this, its £80pp to be enjoyed by the whole table with wine paring at £70pp, should you wish to fully immerse yourself in this wonderful experience.

The hare ragout, pappardelle pasta, pangratatto and 30-month aged parmesan was the perfect starter. It was packed with rich, warm flavours and hare isn’t something which I would normally choose but it was divine. The warm tart of wild wood pigeon, guanciale golden beetroot glazed with honey and sherry vinegar dressing was our second starter choice and comes highly recommended also. This was beautifully presented and looked sublime.

For our main courses we opted for the pavé of Bathurst Estate fallow deer, cavolo nero, blackberries, pommes anna and deer gravy, and the pan-fried stone bass with chorizo, butternut squash and beurre blanc. Both the deer and stone bass dishes were cooked to perfection, packed full of complementary flavours and such a pleasure to eat.

Though we were fairly full, we couldn’t resist trying a dessert each. We kept seeing them come out of the kitchen for other diners and it would have been rude, wouldn’t it?! My goodness, the blackberry souffle with bay leaf ice cream and Kir Royale sauce was incredible, so lovely and sweet with a slightly tartness. It looked divine! The cheese board including a tasty selection of artisan cheeses crackers, fruit and chutney were to die for.

To encapsulate, our food was exquisite, however, what also made our meal such a wonderful experience, was the warm and attentive hosting by the lovely, Anastasia. She could not do enough to make our evening special, and she was amazing at looking after us and keeping us informed. Her passion and devotion shone through, and we enjoyed her kind manner and attention.

After a wonderful night’s sleep, the following morning we enjoyed breakfast in The Elder, which comprised an array of continental delights including cold meats and fish, fresh fruit, pasties, cereal, and juices followed by a cooked dish of our choice.

If you’re looking for a blissful romantic getaway with a gastronomic treat, don’t look any further than Hotel Indigo Bath and The Elder Restaurant. Our experience was rather heavenly, with all the magical luxury touches you truly come to expect.

The Elder Website

Hotel Indigo Website