The Francis Hotel in Bath to undergo £13m refurb

The Francis Hotel in Bath is set to undergo a major £13m refurbishment, promising to “breathe new life” into the building. 

Before the transformation begins, all current furniture, fixtures, and fittings will be auctioned on 3 July 2024.

As one of the first Georgian buildings to be built in Bath, The Francis Hotel was once home to 18th Century architect John Wood the Elder who was the inspiration behind the first Georgian stone buildings of Queen Square, the Royal Crescent and The Circus. 

The hotel has been a huge part of Bath’s history ever since. Working with interior designers 3DReid, the design concept planned for the hotel and all 98 bedrooms will take inspiration from the Georgian era whilst appreciating all the modern amenities and touches that today’s traveller expects.

Alongside a reinvention of the hotel’s 98 bedrooms and suites, the refurbishment will include a complete reimagining of the ground floor and lobby including the introduction of a snug. The snug will be open to the general public during the day and will be an intimate space for hotel residents to relax over a pre or post-dinner drink of an evening.

The project will also see the introduction of a new destination-restaurant, The Townhouse Brasserie which will showcase British cuisine. 

The Townhouse Brasserie will focus heavily on seasonal and locally grown produce cooked over an open hearth in front of guests. Open seven days a week, the restaurant will combine traditional English classic flavours whilst bringing a “chic aesthetic, exquisite wine-list and memorable dining experience” to new levels. 

Towards the end of the programme, a brand new thermal spa and three treatment rooms will also be created tapping into Bath’s ambition to be the UK’s number one city for wellbeing in the UK.

In advance of the first phase of the refurbishment Pro Auction, the specialist hospitality auctioneers, have been appointed to sell the furniture fixtures and fittings from the guest rooms.

The sale encompasses four poster beds, writing tables, seating lamps, drapes and artwork along with ancillary pieces found within a hotel of such standing.

Simon Rose, of Pro Auction, said: “This is a fantastic hotel content sale, the variety of well maintained lots will appeal both to the hotel operators and private buyers alike.”