Wonderful seafront location marred by dated rooms and operational hiccups by
I stayed at the Livermead Cliff Hotel in Torquay and was immediately impressed by it's magnificent location right on the beachfront. The hotel has direct access to the sea, and the views over Torbay are stunning. Plenty of free parking was a bonus in such a popular coastal spot.
I was pleased to see that this is a dog friendly hotel, although I did not have my four legged friend with me.
Check-in was efficient, and all the staff I encountered were friendly, helpful and welcoming throughout my stay.
My room was on the second floor with glorious sea views-I could see the ocean and horizon from my bed and fell asleep (or tried to) to the sound of waves crashing, which made my stay special.
Unfortunately, the room itself let things down quite a bit. The bed was very uncomfortable for me, resulting in poor and disturbed sleep each night. The decor felt tired and shabby, and one of the chairs actually broke when I sat on it. While the room was generally clean and warm, there were clear signs of wear and tear.
Worse still, during heavy rain the windows leaked noticeably. Water pooled on the sills overnight, soaking my toiletry bag, some toiletries, and a book I'd left on the bedroom windowsill. There was nowhere else to store things in the bathroom due to a complete lack of shelves or cabinets.
Tea and coffee facilities were adequate, but it would have been nice to have hot chocolate available for non tea/coffee drinkers.
Breakfast was a mixed experience and felt overpriced at £15. It wasn't ready at the advertised 7:30 a.m. on the first day - I had to wait around 15 minutes before the full English was available for self service, and there were no continental options like pastries, fruit, or yoghurt on display. On the second day, I went later expecting everything to be set up, but nothing was out; the waiter eventually explained it was cooked-to-order that day, which would have been helpful to know in advance. When it did arrive, the food was well- cooked but nothing special-certainly not worth the price when my local Toby Carvery offers far more choice and better value for half the cost.
One minor frustration: my room would have been about £20 per night cheaper if I'd booked online rather than turning up and paying in cash.
Overall, the unbeatable beachfront position, sea views, free parking, dog friendly, and friendly staff are big pluses, but the dated and poorly maintained rooms, uncomfortable bed, leaking windows, and inconsistent breakfast service made this a disappointing stay for the price. I'd only recommend it if the location is your absolute priority, and you're prepared for a more old-school, unmodernised experience.