Who says less is more? More is more for Ian and Christa Taylor, because, really, you can’t have too many colourful bird-themed cushions, headboards, lampshades, chandeliers, prints, paintings and paraphernalia. Occupying a pair of fine Victorian semis, with city views across sports fields, the 'quirky, characterful, colourful hotel' was washed by pink and purple lights as our inspectors approached. Beyond a quirky reception with a complimentary larder of hyperactivity-inducing coloured sweets, bedrooms range from ‘dinky doubles’, ideal for singles, to a deluxe king with whirlpool bath. All have a pod coffee machine, posh toiletries and pizzazz. A second-floor ‘cosy king’ was ‘small but very nicely decorated’, with ‘artworks even in the marble-floored bathroom’. In the bar, Manet’s Folies Bergère barmaid looks down from the wall. In the restaurant and outside, menus are modern, ethically sourced, eclectic. Maybe beetroot, ewe’s curd, rhubarb and beetroot ketchup with dukkha. Breakfast brought ‘fresh juices, delicious mushrooms on toast, a full veggie with perfect poached egg’, served by a waitress whose charm made up for a slightly nonchalant welcome. So, a full entry this year. See also Homewood, Bath, sister venture in the aptly named Kaleidoscope Collection.