Bath may be sweltering in near-record temperatures, but the city’s destination marketing organisation is forging ahead with its plans for this year’s Christmas Market by sealing a partnership with the new Hotel Indigo Bath.
The three-year deal will open up new marketing opportunities for Visit Bath to promote the Christmas Market to a wider audience. The yet-to-open 166-room Hotel Indigo Bath is aimed firmly at ‘curious travellers’ who are used to staying in high-end boutique accommodation and experiencing local events.
An estimated 409,000 people visited Bath’s Christmas Market last year, generating an additional spend of £29.4m across the city – the highest ever in the its 17-year history and a 40% increase on 2016.
The 200-plus stalls – 87% of them from Bath and the South West – earned a total of £10.7m over the 18 days of the market, widely regarded as among the best staged by a UK city.
Visit Bath said the partnership with Hotel Indigo Bath – financial details of which have not been disclosed – would ensure the market’s continued success and also support its marketing of festive events in the city.
The hotel’s Elder Restaurant will have a chalet at the market to showcase its concept by executive chef Mike Robinson, an industry leader in wild food and sustainability.
The hotel, owned and managed by St James’s Hotel Group, will also feature in Visit Bath’s marketing activity, including a feature on both the Visit Bath and Bath Christmas Market websites, dedicated social media posts and in the Bath Christmas Market Guide. 
Visit Bath head of business development and partnerships Les Redwood said: “We look forward to working with Hotel Indigo Bath on promoting Bath Christmas Market and festive stays in the city. As we work to develop new and exciting partnerships it is fantastic to welcome Hotel Indigo Bath on board.”
Hotel Indigo Bath general manager Simon Hall added: “Bath Christmas Market is one of the biggest events in the city, so it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to form this partnership with Visit Bath and promote Hotel Indigo Bath ahead of its opening. Once open, we hope to be able to attract more visitors to the city, who can enjoy this magical time of year in a wonderful city.
“Hotel Indigos are unique to their surroundings and therefore Hotel Indigo Bath has been designed with Bath’s beautiful architecture and history in mind. We feel that partnering with such an iconic event in the city fits perfectly with our hotel and we look forward to working closely with Visit Bath over the next three years.
Hotel Indigo Bath will open later this year in the Grade I and Grade II listed Georgian buildings on South Parade that formerly housed Pratt’s Hotel, The Halcyon and Circo nightclub.
Its 166 rooms will be individually designed to reflect the influences of the architects and novelists who made Bath famous.
The hotel will also include a gym, private members’ club and The Private House, which will feature a meeting room and private dining suite for up to 10 guests with eight adjoining guest-rooms.
The Hotel Indigo chain, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has 88 locations worldwide with plans to double in size to 174 properties within the next three to five years.
The hotels are marketed as offering “curious travellers an inspiring experience, completely tailored to the local neighbourhood”.
IHG, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has more than 5,000 venues globally.
Pictured: Visit Bath head of business development and partnerships Les Redwood, left, with Hotel Indigo Bath general manager Simon Hall
