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Artist Residence Bristol Artist Residence

UK England South West England Somerset Bristol

0117 428 8440 28 Portland Square, St Paul's, Bristol BS2 8SA

23 Guest Rooms
Chic Urban Bolthole

Bristol's newest hotel is also one of its most unique and comfortable places to stay

The latest offering from one of our favourite UK hotel groups, Artist Residence Bristol has been a long time in the making, but it has truly been worth the wait. Based in the kind of interesting historic building these guys are so good at finding, it's immediately become Bristol's most unique and comfortable place to stay, with all the cool, shabby-chic charm that we have come to expect from the Artist Residence group.

The building is a former boot factory that AR owners Justin and Charlotte Salisbury rescued from dereliction about five years ago. Overlooking Portland Square in the nowadays funky and desirable Bristol neighbourhood of St Pauls, it aims to be much more than just a hotel, with a buzzy bar, café and restaurant, and a relaxed vibe that encourages plenty of non-resident activity. It has 23 guest bedrooms, including several suites, each decorated with the characteristic style of the other hotels in the group – vintage furniture mixed with a bit of industrial archaeology, contemporary furniture, luxury bathrooms, the odd freestanding bathtub and works by local artists. Above all it's an extremely comfortable and thoroughly up-to-date place to spend the night: all rooms have good wifi and Smart TVs, Roberts radios and Nespresso machines – and most importantly good quality linen and comfy beds. There's also a wide range of room types, from budget 'Shoebox' rooms through larger 'Boot Rooms to 'Chapter St' rooms, which are more spacious still and have bigger beds. They also offer 'Loft' suites, a two-level apartment, 'The Lookout', and two top-of-the-range ultra-roomy suites: the 'Artist Suite' and 'Club Suite'. Some rooms are dog-friendly and dogs are welcome in all public areas, and some of the larger rooms are suitable for young families - plus there are inter-connecting rooms available for more grown-up families.

Breakfast is available for an additional charge and served in the Library, which is an appealing place to hang out all day if you so choose, though bear in mind the rest of Bristol is on your doorstep and yours to explore. In St Pauls and adjacent Stokes Croft you're based in two of Bristol's most famously creative neighbourhoods, with lots of cool bars and restaurants, but the city centre is also just a short walk away, making this an ideal spot for a city break. It looks like Artist Residence has done it again, creating a hotel where you can get comfortable, feel like a local, and explore the city – all at the same time.