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Sometimes you just need to get out of London, so last weekend my date and I decided to sample Bristol. Friends had been raving about the shopping, restaurants, bars and nightlife, so it sounded perfect for my 48 hours out of London.
On a recommendation I had booked the Hotel du Vin, a small chain of luxury boutique hotels created out of buildings with character and history. The Bristol establishment is nestled in the heart of the old city; a stunning 18th century impressively restored sugarhouse, with contemporary loft-style bedrooms. Each room is unique but all have the gorgeous signature du Vin roll top bath, clearly this is where I spent my Sunday morning!
The staff of the hotel made our stay so welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. I had emailed ahead explaining it was a special weekend, and we were greeted with a bottle of champagne in the bedroom on our arrival and a later checkout on the Sunday (to take advantage of the bath!). Easing into our Friday evening in the Sugar Bar by sipping a glass of bubbles on a comfy armchair, our waitress asked us what our plans were, and she gave us recommendations to the best bars we should visit.
We headed straight to The Milk Thistle, a speakeasy hidden in one the finest historic buildings in the old city. One thing that surprised me about Bristol is the stunning architecture of the buildings and how creative the interior designers have been to showcase them to their upmost potential. But please don’t tell too many people about this gorgeous establishment, as it has a reputation as one of Bristol’s best-kept secrets, it truly is a decadent escape for those that love their cocktails!
Over the weekend we mooched around the city, sampling the shopping in Cabot Circus, and of course a glass of champagne in Harvey Nicks! The pinnacle of the weekend was Saturday evening and our dinner at The Ox. I’d read reviews on this restaurant and booked well in advance due to its popularity, not realising until afterwards it is part of the same chain as The Milk Thistle. Tucked away in the basement of the Commercial Rooms, classically understated, with soft lighting and a welcoming atmosphere I knew when we walked in we were in for a treat and it did not disappoint.
The food was phenomenal. To start I had the charcoal roasted octopus with chorizo, then both my date and I had the 10.5oz Bavette d’aloyau, cooked medium rare, which if you love your steak was like little morsels of meat heaven. We then completed our stunning meal with the chocolate cheesecake with peanut butter parfait. Seriously, it was one of those meals where every course you ate you did not want it to end. All paired impeccably with a gorgeous bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir recommended by our waitress Beth.
I genuinely fell in love with Bristol this weekend. It was everything I hoped my weekend would be, luxurious, stylish and yet understated. I felt truly relaxed walking around the city, and the customer service in whichever bar or restaurant we were in was of the highest standard, whilst maintaining a friendly inclusive vibe. Ten out of ten Bristol, we will definitely be back to see you again very soon.
