DEVON - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 387

Parking £15. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; health club; 2 heated pools (indoor, outdoor); room service;
sauna; solarium; spa; squash courts; steam room; tennis courts. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi
(£14 per day).
Orestone Manor A few miles outside Torquay in the village of Madencombe,
Orestone Manor is in a gabled Victorian house surrounded by colorful gardens. The
lounge exudes old-fashioned grandeur, but many of the guest rooms have been deco-
rated in contemporary style. The best are spacious and sunny with waxed wood floors,
and have a sitting area with sofas and chairs. Rooms in the gables are quite small and
a bit of a climb, but these have the best views. The restaurant is highly rated for its
use of fresh local produce and seafood, and on sunny days you can breakfast on the
terrace. The only drawback is that prices are rather high for what's on offer.
Rockhouse Lane, Maidencombe, Torquay, Devon TQ1 4SX. www.orestonemanor.com. & 01803/328098.
Fax [phone] units. £150-£225 double. Rates include English breakfast. AE, MC, V. Free parking.
Closed 2 weeks in Jan. Drive 3 1 ⁄ 2 miles north of Torquay on the A379. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; baby-
sitting; outdoor pool; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
Palace Hotel From the outside, this elegant hotel (built in the 1920s) is wedding
cake pretty in creamy white and sky blue. It stands poised amid glorious terraced
gardens, as if F. Scott Fitzgerald were going to walk by at any moment in search of a
cocktail. Unfortunately, the illusion ends when you walk in the door. Like so many of
these grand old hotels, this one feels tattered around the edges. Guest rooms are old
fashioned, with dark wood furniture and tired carpets. Mattresses can be lumpy and
tabletops water-marked. The lounges and restaurants are better maintained, but staff
seem hapless, and you may wait some time for that cup of tea. Unless you get a steep
discount or somebody else is paying, it's not really worth the high price charged.
Babbacombe Rd., Babbacombe, Torquay, Devon TQ1 3TG. www.palacetorquay.com. & 01803/200200.
Fax [phone] units. £140-£230 double; £270-£310 suite. Rates include English breakfast. AE,
DC, MC, V. Free parking. Bus: 32. Driving from the town center, take the B3199 east. Amenities: Restau-
rant; 2 bars; babysitting; croquet; exercise room; 9-hole golf course & putting green; 2 pools (1 indoor,
1 outdoor); room service; sauna; 2 squash courts; 6 tennis courts. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.
MODERATE
Meadfoot Bay Hotel This immaculate guesthouse was created from a Victorian
family residence, just 5 minutes' walk uphill from the seafront. Guest rooms are deco-
rated in contemporary style, with off-white walls and white comforters, and beds are
wrapped in Frette linens. Bright throws, cushions, and art provide splashes of color.
Bathrooms are small but modern. Some rooms have direct access to the sunny gar-
den, while others have a balcony. When they arrive, guests are welcomed with a drink
from the bar, or a cup of tea, but prices are still a little high for what's offered here.
Meadfoot Sea Rd., Torquay, Devon TQ1 2LQ. www.meadfoot.com. & 01803/294722. 19 units. £90-
£150 double. Rates include breakfast. MC, V. No children under 14. Amenities: Bar. In room: TV/DVD,
hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
INEXPENSIVE
Colindale This rambling Victorian guesthouse has a welcoming, lived-in look—
the lounge has soft sofas you can sink into, and a fire crackles comfortingly in the old
stone fireplace on cold days. Its location is handy: It's a 5-minute walk from Corbyn
Beach and even closer to the railway station. Rooms are attractive, with good fabrics,
comfortable beds, and cheerful decor—colors vary from room to room. In a lovely touch,
guests can borrow “honesty books” from the hotel's well-stocked shelves. Breakfasts—
hot or continental—are excellent. Colindale offers good value for the price.

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