"Once the home of shipbuilding, seafaring and industrial engineering, Bristol is a city transformed. Its waterfront warehouses are now cutting-edge galleries, restaurants and boutiques, and its media and music scenes are buzzing with creativity. It was amidst this melting pot that Adam Dorrien Smith and his brother Michael found this grand merchant’s townhouse, and when it comes to balancing old and new, Number Thirty Eight - like the city itself - treads the tightrope beautifully. There’s nothing bland or corporate about this boutique B&B, set in upmarket Clifton, just north of the city centre. We enter through the lounge (there’s no formal reception), where delicious breakfasts and cream teas are served at solid wood tables beside enormous bay windows; there’s also a suntrap terrace to the rear, ideal for cocktails and snacks in summer. In the bedrooms, calming shades of Farrow & Ball dress nautical wood-panelled walls, and vibrant Anthony Frost artworks are scattered around the communal areas. But what really draws our eye is the sweeping cityscape through the windows: rainbow-hued streets to the rear, the leafy expanse of Bristol’s famous Downs to the front, and the cathedral-like tower of the university in the distance. For stylish city stopovers and weekend breaks, it's hard to beat. Highs A home-from-home feel, with a really chilled atmosphere, friendly service and rooms you can relax inYou get a lot for your money: bathtubs and/or rain showers, retro Roberts radios, robes, REN products and exclusive offers at local restaurantsAn awesome breakfast in bed: bacon, avocado, chillies and cherry tomatoes on sourdough, with chilled apple juice and fresh coffeePerfectly placed, close to Whiteladies Road, with the Downs on the doorstep and easy access to the city centre Lots to look at: a bespoke Tom Leaper sculpture on the coiling staircase, a nonchalantly placed Hockney in the downstairs bathroom - not to mention some of the best views in the city Lows No meals other than breakfast are served, but there are restaurants, pubs and bars within easy walking distance The communal areas close at 8pmUnfortunately there is no car park but there is on-street parking and the B&B has a limited number of parking permits free of charge (on request)No under 12sThis is a typical Georgian townhouse, with lots of stairs to contend with (and no lift)" - Melissa Burfitt