Sonachan House

This charming, traditional British guesthouse is set within a Victorian home, and provides a casual family-friendly stay on the English Riviera. The owners are welcoming and go out of their way to provide a home-away-from-home retreat for their guests. Many travelers who stay at Sonachan House are repeat visitors, and the warm, homey atmosphere is a reason many return. The look throughout is decidedly old school, and a bit dated, with emerald green carpets, overstuffed furniture, and classic burgundy veneer furniture in the public areas. The property is ideal for family vacations and is well set up for entertaining young children. The guest lounge is full of board games, card games, toys, DVDs, computer games, books, and magazines to entertain youngsters. High chairs and travel cots are available for guests to use too, and the hotel is even happy to provide baby listening devices. That being said, plenty of couples and groups of friends also pass through.

The property is set on a steep hill between Torquay and Brixham in a quiet residential area of Paignton. There are other hotels and guesthouses along the road, as well as private homes. It’s a great location for tourists, as Paignton and Goodrington beaches are both just a 10-minute walk away, as is the popular South West Coast Path walking trail. There are a huge number of attractions within a 10-minute walk, including the pier, cinema, crazy golf, harbor, the green, leisure center, and Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway. Splashdown Waterpark Quaywest is also only 10 minutes away on foot. There are a number of excellent restaurants within the neighborhood as well, including many around the harbor, a 10-minute walk away. One of the area’s top attractions, Paignton Zoo, is a five-minute drive from the property, while Exeter Airport is a 45-minute drive away.

There are nine guest rooms at Sonachan House, all of which are light, bright, and kept spotlessly clean. The rooms are cozy and homey, if a little outdated when it comes to style. Basic decor with pine furniture, green carpets, off-white walls hung with bright photographs, and pale pink accents in the pillows and window treatments. Rooms are available as Single, Double/Twin, Superior Double, and Family, which sleep up to five, though all are certainly on the cozy side of things when it comes to square footage. Every room includes a flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, clock radio, electric kettles for coffee and tea, and mineral water. Rooms either have an attractive sea or garden view. All rooms also have an en-suite bathroom with contemporary fixtures and pedestal sinks with little counter space, plus toiletries and a hairdryer. 

Though features are limited by the guesthouse's size, there's a lot that repeat guests love here. A daily home-cooked breakfast is provided free of charge and includes locally sourced items, such as honey and jam, plus the hotel's own homemade marmalades. There’s a lounge bar that serves a wide range of drinks, including local ales, and the owners organize games and quizzes. Another of the property’s highlights, particularly for those traveling with young children, is the garden. It has plenty of seating, a decked area, water feature, slide, pet corner with guinea pigs and a rabbit, and even a fairy garden. At night, the garden is lit so that guests can enjoy an evening drink. The hotel also has free on-site car parking and free Wi-Fi throughout the property.