Artist Residence Bristol

The fifth outpost of the independent Artist Residence group turned a derelict Georgian townhouse and boot factory in St Paul's into 23 eclectic, art-filled rooms: delayed two years by the pandemic, but rewarded with a Michelin Key in 2025. It's Bristol's most design-forward answer to a chain hotel.

The place

Set on leafy Portland Square in St Paul's, one of Bristol's most artistically minded neighbourhoods, the hotel is built into a Georgian townhouse connected to a former Victorian boot factory, just minutes on foot from the city centre.

The concept

Artist Residence Bristol is the fifth hotel from the independent, design-led Artist Residence group (alongside Brighton, Cornwall, Oxfordshire and Pimlico), and the building had no previous life as a hotel: it was rescued from years of dereliction and squatting. Originally planned for 2019, the opening was pushed back to 2021 by the pandemic. The 23 bedrooms, spread across three floors, are each decorated around the original fabric of the building (exposed brick, remnants of old graffiti, pitched ceilings and Georgian cornicing) furnished with vintage pieces, carved wood beds, and work by local artists rather than a uniform hotel-chain look.

Rooms range from small 'Shoebox' options to standout suites: the Artist Suite overlooks the square through floor-to-ceiling windows with a period-style bathtub, while the top-floor Lookout has its own spiral staircase up to a living room and private roof terrace. The property was awarded a Michelin Key in 2025, a mark of recognition for its design and character within the boutique segment.

Dining & wellness

The Boot Factory operates as an all-day bar, café and kitchen on the ground floor, with a courtyard garden, ping-pong table and photo booth that make it function as a neighbourhood hangout as much as a hotel restaurant; breakfast is available for guests.