I’ll never forget the drive down to Bath – we’d piled into the car with the kids buzzing about Roman baths and pasties, only for me to take a wrong turn just outside Bristol and end up in some cheeky little traffic snarl that had us all singing along to the same Frozen song on repeat. Classic dad move, right? But as we finally rolled into the city centre, the anticipation kicked in proper – those Georgian terraces glowing in the late afternoon sun, the hum of chatter from the streets, and the promise of a cosy spot right in the thick of it all.

Pulling up to our holiday place felt like striking gold. It’s one of those impeccably presented pads in a much sought-after spot, smack in the heart of bustling Bath in Somerset – a stylish terraced house that’s got that perfect blend of chic and lived-in charm, ideal for a family like ours who can’t resist turning any space into a bit of organised chaos. First impressions? Spot on. We dumped the bags in the hallway, cracked open the welcome fizz they’d left chilling, and the kids immediately claimed the sunny lounge as base camp, scattering crisps everywhere.

The next few days were pure relaxed bliss, the kind of holiday where you don’t need a packed itinerary, just enough to keep the little ones happy and the grown-ups smiling. Mornings started with brekkie chaos in the kitchen – me burning toast while the wife rustled up eggs, and the boys fighting over who got the last bit of bacon. Then we’d wander five minutes down to the Roman Baths, marvelling at the steaming pools and pretending we were ancient emperors (the kids, obviously; I was more the weary legionary). Lunch was always a picnic by the Avon – cheese rolls from the local bakery, watching the punts glide by, with the inevitable splash fight that left us all sopping.

Afternoons meant ambling through the artisan shops in the lanes off the Abbey, picking up fudge and quirky souvenirs, or just flopping back at the house for board games and downtime. One evening, we hit the Thermae Bath Spa for a family dip in the open-air pool – steaming away under the stars, city lights twinkling below. Pure magic, that was, especially after herding overtired toddlers back for bedtime stories in their bunk beds.

There was this gentle moment of self-reflection one quiet afternoon, sat in the garden with a cuppa, watching the kids chase each other around. Holidays like this make you realise how the simple stuff – muddy wellies by the door, shared laughs over spilled juice, that warm glow of being together – trumps any fancy itinerary. Sure, there was the odd cottage-life mishap, like the time the youngest smeared jam on the sofa (we scrubbed it right off, no harm done), but that’s what makes it real.

Bath’s got this effortless vibe for family breaks – close enough to everything, yet the house felt like our little sanctuary. We left with full bellies, happy hearts, and plans to return. If you’re after that unhurried escape with a side of city buzz, you can’t go wrong here.