Lincombe Hall Hotel

Originally named Silver Hill House, the property was built in 1841 as a private summer retreat before changing hands in 1919 to become Lincombe Hall. An adjacent building was converted and adjoined via a passageway soon afterward, and various architectural embellishments were added. Every aspect of the property has been refurbished recently and the result is an impeccably presented hotel with spotlessly clean and well-maintained interiors that retain many of the property's original features and period charm. The impression starts in the elegant lobby, with patterned purple carpets (a color repeated throughout the property), solid oak furniture and accents, and gilt-framed mirrors. The hotel is surrounded by more than two acres of gardens with classical statues dotting manicured lawns, and there are several sitting rooms throughout the hotel for guests -- who are predominantly couples -- to relax and take in the tranquil atmosphere. 

This hotel is located on a quiet and leafy hill that slopes down toward Torquay's harbor and town center -- about a 10-minute stroll away -- which is full of restaurants, pubs, and various retail outlets. Part of the English Riviera, Meadfoot Beach is the nearest stretch of sand to the hotel and takes 10 minutes to reach on foot. The town's main Torre Abbey Beach is about a mile away, a five-minute drive (or 20-minute walk for the ambitious), while the mile-long stretch of Paignton Beach is a 12-minute drive from the hotel. Torquay train station, with trains that connect to the city of Exeter in about 45 minutes, is five to 10 minutes away by taxi. The return walk to the hotel from town is up a fairly steep hill, and might pose a challenge to some.

The hotel has 44 rooms, all of which are modern and decorated in plush purple fabrics, striped wallpaper accent walls, and dark antique furnishings. Stylish accents, like massive leather headboards on beds in Standard Rooms and walnut bed frames in Superior Rooms, add a level of elegance many three-pearl properties don't achieve. All rooms are spacious, while Gold Rooms offer sea views, and the hotel has two self-catering apartments available, which include kitchens, lounge-dining areas, and outdoor patios. Each room also comes with free Wi-Fi, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and 22-inch flat-screen TVs (though higher-priced rooms have 32-inch flat-screens as well as iPod docks and bathrobes). Tiled bathrooms are clean, though slightly less contemporary than main guest rooms, with high-end Damana bath products (that are unfortunately wall-mounted), heated towel racks, and shower/tub combos.

Free breakfast with hot and cold options is served buffet-style in the hotel's elegant restaurant while the dining area also opens out to an outdoor terrace for al fresco dining, and the hotel serves evening meals prepared from locally sourced produce. Entertainment is provided four times a week, and there's also a bar and lounge with plenty of couches and an open fire, as well as a large-screen cinema showing a classic film every evening. Leisure facilities include both indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, lounge chairs for sun bathing, and an outdoor hot tub. The indoor pool is tiny and a bit spare, though it's perfectly fine for a year-round dip. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day.