Bath’s standing as a world-class tourism destination was strengthened this week with the opening of the UK’s first hotel using natural thermal waters.
The 99-room Gainsborough Hotel in Beau Street underpins Bath’s position as one of Europe’s leading spa resorts and also boosts its offering at the luxury end of the tourist market.
The result of a £35m investment to restore two neighbouring disused buildings, the Gainsborough is the first UK hotel to be opened by YTL Hotels, part of the Malaysian YTL conglomerate that owns Bath-based Wessex Water. It is also the first hotel in the city to be part of the Leading Hotels of the World collection. 
YTL Hotels, which took over the operating contact of the neighbouring Thermae Spa last year, operates 26 prestigious hotels, mainly in the Far East.
Chairman of the Gainsborough Bath Spa, Colin Skellett, said: “The opening of the Gainsborough Bath Spa represents a major investment by YTL Hotels and reinforces their commitment to Bath.
“I am sure that the hotel will soon become a landmark in the city, adding substantial value to the local economy.”
The Gainsborough’s main building was formerly the Royal United Hospital until it moved to its current location in Weston and was most recently part of the City of Bath College.
The neighbouring Bellott’s Hospital was rebuilt in 1860 and has been ingeniously connected to the main building via a new underground passageway.
The building's historic chapel has been restored and a new wing has been added looking out over Lower Borough Walls.
The Gainsborough, which has created 121 jobs, is the only hotel in the UK to use natural thermal waters – the result of a 40-metre bore hole sunk during the building work to draw spa water. Two of its rooms even feature baths with three taps – hot, cold and thermal.
The naturally warm, mineral-rich waters also feed the three thermal baths in the hotel’s Spa Village Bath which lies at the heart of the hotel beneath a glass atrium with Romanesque columns.
The hotel’s interior has been designed by New York-based interiors firm Champalimaud Design to reflect the building’s history and Georgian characteristics while its restaurant is the result of a unique partnership with chef Johann Lafer – described by Mr Skellett as the Jamie Oliver of Germany. 
Michelin-starred Mr Lafer has designed the restaurant’s menu around his ‘dining without borders’ concept which combines fresh, locally sourced products with innovative cooking techniques and delicate Asian flavours.
Head chef George Schneeberger, who trained under Johann Lafer, will use as many local and regional suppliers as possible with among them vegetables from Eades of Bath, Pong Cheese from Peasedown, Meat from Walter Rose of Devizes and fish from Wing of St Mawes, Cornwall. Local sourcing extends to the bar, which stocks Bath Gin and other local spirits as well as Bath Ales, and spa, which is using local suppliers including Somerset Lavender.
General manager Martin Clubbe, who joins from the MacDonald Bath Spa hotel where he was also general manager, said: “It is a real privilege to head up the team which has opened Bath’s newest hotel. There is a real buzz among all the staff and we are hugely encouraged by the level of interest and the number of bookings which we have already taken.”
All revenue from the hotel’s ‘soft opening’ on Wednesday was donated to Bath charity St John’s Hospital, which provides care and support in Bath. It will be officially opened in September.
