Who stated nothing good got here out of the banking crash?
Within the coronary heart of Bristol, a stealth operation is underway, turning two former neighbouring banks into one thing much more fascinating: the lavish new Harbour Spa Lodge.
Folks used to return to the nook of Corn Avenue and Small Avenue to deposit cheques and take out their money. Now, after a lavish renovation, they'll come and deposit themselves – for drinks, eating, a bit pampering, or a number of nights' keep – they usually're positive to take out an actual sense of contentment.
Within the coronary heart of Bristol, a stealth operation is underway, turning two former neighbouring banks into one thing much more fascinating: the lavish new Harbour Spa Lodge (pictured)
Folks used to return to the nook of Corn Avenue and Small Avenue to deposit cheques and take out their money. Now, after a lavish renovation, they'll come and deposit themselves – for drinks, eating and a bit pampering
The bedrooms are fitted with a chic combine of recent and classy retro furnishings - the beds amply stacked with designer pillows and blankets, writes James
I visited the brand new lodge a number of days after it opened this autumn. I knew it wasn't fairly full, so half-expected a constructing web site, however was impressed to discover a slick, trendy boutique lodge, already hitting its stride.
From the road, you possibly can step into the bustling Jetty restaurant and bar which is certain to do a roaring commerce all in itself, or into the lodge foyer with its primary-coloured furnishings and pop-art prints of Twiggy, Audrey Hepburn and others fashion icons.
The suave theme extends all through the lodge: within the stairwell, you can not assist however smile every time you cross the six-foot wrought-iron frog enjoying the saxophone.
His cheerful manner by some means captures the entire essence of the Harbour Spa: ever so elegant however with a twist of irreverence, acknowledging the very fact they turned two drained outdated banks right into a shrine of enjoyment.
The bedrooms are fitted with a chic combine of recent and classy retro furnishings; the beds amply stacked with designer pillows and blankets.
The en-suite loos include two sinks and – in our case – each single variant on cotton wool (balls, buds and pads) you possibly can ever want.
James was impressed with the meals on the Habour Spa Lodge. He ate plump grilled prawn served atop slow-cooked pork stomach, then stone bass with a cute copper-pan of shellfish pie on the aspect
The lodge's trendy bar and restaurant has a sea-faring theme, with propeller-shaped ceiling followers
An much more interesting contact is the hefty, complimentary decanters of sherry and gin insisting you begin your Bristol journey in decadent fashion.
Having drained these, we descended to the Jetty for dinner.
Right here, the Harbour's pedigree actually shines. This isn't the primary Harbour lodge, it's a burgeoning household dotted alongside the south coast, every with a Jetty restaurant of its personal.
Whereas this one is a bit more inland than the others, Bristol sits sufficiently on the waterways to justify the plentiful seafood menu that the Jetty nightly serves. For my starter, I opted for plump grilled prawn served atop slow-cooked pork stomach; for my essential, stone bass with a cute copper-pan of shellfish pie on the aspect. All in all, fairly the catch.
With an exemplary English breakfast again within the Jetty the subsequent morning, the Harbour Spa wanted do little extra to impress me.
Friends on the Harbour Spa Lodge are handled to complimentary decanters of sherry and gin, deposited of their bedrooms
However then Reception Supervisor Josie invited us to glimpse behind the scenes and see what company will take pleasure in when the lodge is absolutely full in early 2017.
Just like the killer twist in a Hollywood film, she took us by way of an unassuming door in the back of the restaurant and into one other world.
Brace your self, Bristol, for one thing actually thrilling: it seems the Harbour Spa isn't a boutique lodge in any case.
Although it has 20 rooms presently, one other 22 are nearly completed.
Furthermore, the second of the 2 former banks housed a very resplendent outdated banking corridor that's set to change into a banqueting corridor like nothing else on the town.
The bar on the Harbour Spa Lodge does a roaring commerce. This picture reveals among the cocktail concoctions on provide
We gawped on the magnificence of the renovation.
As a heritage plaque outdoors the constructing relays, this frankly huge glass-ceilinged chamber (unsurprisingly Grade 2 star listed) was styled in 1857 by architect W. B. Gingell upon the Library of St Mark in Venice, itself created by the 16th century architect Jacopo Sansovino.
It appears a travesty to me that for effectively over a century it's been the scene of mundane banking transactions, and I'm excited that finally it's been reclaimed, set for all types of celebrations and festivities.
You'll be able to think about weddings right here, and concert events, spectacles and indulgent events. What's extra, they're placing the ultimate touches to a different bar adjoining this which Josie calls the 'gold bar' as all its fixtures and furnishings are set to gleam.
Pity the drab outdated Wetherspoons and Walkabout down the street when it opens.
However the enjoyable doesn't cease there. Josie then took us downstairs into the previous vault.
Amid iron-barred gates and classic blast-proof doorways, the Spa a part of the lodge's title is taking form, and company will quickly be capable of descend right into a midtown sanctuary of tranquillity, with a number of remedy rooms, a steam room, sauna, and two modest swimming pools.
Josie enthusiastically informed us they're protecting the outdated doorways as a result of they add a lot character.
I, for one, am already plotting my return go to to benefit from this subterranean treasure – I like to recommend you do too, earlier than everybody else is in on the key.
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