Pros
- Victorian villa with period charm and regal heritage
- Set on headland overlooking English Channel
- Two acres of beautifully tended gardens
- Elegant restaurant serving six-course dinners
- Some rooms have superb sea views
- Daily evening entertainment
- Small gym on-site
- Spa provides a full treatment menu, hydro pools, and a hot tub
- Free Wi-Fi throughout
Cons
- Some decor feels dated
- Some ground-floor rooms are gloomy
- Long walk into town center
Bottom Line
The Headland is a mid-range, 78-room hotel housed in a charming Victorian summer home that retains plenty of its original period features. Its name is apt: The property is perched on a cliff top overlooking Tor Bay, and about a five-minute drive from Torquay town center. Rooms are well-maintained, if a little old-fashioned in parts, and while some feature sea views others can feel a little gloomy. Both restaurant and gardens are elegantly presented, though evening entertainment won't appeal to younger guests. The lack of an outdoor swimming pool is also a shortcoming, so if this is a deal-breaker check out The Osborne nearby which has two.
Hotel & Amenities Photos
Amenities
- Cribs
- Fitness Center
- Internet
- Pool
Scene
Grand Victorian villa with royal heritage and beautiful sea-view gardens
Originally built as a private summer house for Nicholas Romanov -- the last tsar of Russia -- this grand Victorian villa certainly boasts one Torquay's more impressive heritages. As well as having regularly entertained royalty for much of its early history, the property also is also awash with elegant 19th-century features from beautiful original mosaic floors and carved wood columns to elegant arches and ornate cornices. In 1998 the Overmead Hotel (as the Headland was previously known) was bought by the Duchy Hotel group and later extended, renovated, and reborn as its present incarnation in 2009. While some might find the decor a little old-fashioned -- even dated -- in places, the surrounding two acres of landscaped gardens are beautifully maintained and feature superb views out towards the English Channel.
Location
Set on headland overlooking Tor Bay five minutes' drive from Torquay center
The hotel is located at the end of a narrow road that winds to the top of the headland overlooking the north end of Tor Bay. Torquay town center with its numerous restaurants, pubs, and retail outlets is about a five-minute drive away or 20 minutes' on foot -- all downhill. Daddyhole Plain, a limestone plateau and prominent local landmark, can be found right next to the hotel and offers lovely coastal walks and sea views. The nearest beach -- Meadfoot Beach -- is less than half a mile away while the main Torre Abbey Beach is a 10-minute drive. Torquay train station, with trains that connect to the city of Exeter in about 45 minutes, is also 10 minutes' drive away.
Rooms
Some rooms can feel gloomy while others have superb sea views.
The hotel has 78 rooms, most of which follow a traditional style with patterned fabrics, carpeted floors, and beach-themed artworks. Amenities are pretty standard -- flat-screen TVs, tea and coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi -- while some rooms boast excellent sea views. Bathrooms are adequate though some are on the cramped side. Some of the ground floors rooms feel like they're in the basement and can be a little gloomy. The two best rooms, however -- the Anastasia room and Tatiana Room -- feature spacious bathrooms, six-foot beds, 42-inch TVs, and some of the hotel's best vistas. Elevators are available to most, though not all, floors so those with mobility challenges should check before booking.
Features
Elegant restaurant and evening entertainment
The hotel's particularly elegant Romanoff Restaurant serves a decent cooked breakfast in the morning as well as six-course evening dinners -- both breakfast and half-board rates are available. Evening entertainment is also put on daily, though tends to be of the bingo and cabaret variety and aimed more at older guests. The hotel spa, completed in early 2016, includes hydro pools, a sauna, steam room, hot tub, lounge with coastal views, and treatment rooms. A fitness center is available for guests' use.
Related Hotels
Scene
Grand Victorian villa with royal heritage and beautiful sea-view gardens
Originally built as a private summer house for Nicholas Romanov -- the last tsar of Russia -- this grand Victorian villa certainly boasts one Torquay's more impressive heritages. As well as having regularly entertained royalty for much of its early history, the property also is also awash with elegant 19th-century features from beautiful original mosaic floors and carved wood columns to elegant arches and ornate cornices. In 1998 the Overmead Hotel (as the Headland was previously known) was bought by the Duchy Hotel group and later extended, renovated, and reborn as its present incarnation in 2009. While some might find the decor a little old-fashioned -- even dated -- in places, the surrounding two acres of landscaped gardens are beautifully maintained and feature superb views out towards the English Channel.
Location
Set on headland overlooking Tor Bay five minutes' drive from Torquay center
The hotel is located at the end of a narrow road that winds to the top of the headland overlooking the north end of Tor Bay. Torquay town center with its numerous restaurants, pubs, and retail outlets is about a five-minute drive away or 20 minutes' on foot -- all downhill. Daddyhole Plain, a limestone plateau and prominent local landmark, can be found right next to the hotel and offers lovely coastal walks and sea views. The nearest beach -- Meadfoot Beach -- is less than half a mile away while the main Torre Abbey Beach is a 10-minute drive. Torquay train station, with trains that connect to the city of Exeter in about 45 minutes, is also 10 minutes' drive away.
Rooms
Some rooms can feel gloomy while others have superb sea views.
The hotel has 78 rooms, most of which follow a traditional style with patterned fabrics, carpeted floors, and beach-themed artworks. Amenities are pretty standard -- flat-screen TVs, tea and coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi -- while some rooms boast excellent sea views. Bathrooms are adequate though some are on the cramped side. Some of the ground floors rooms feel like they're in the basement and can be a little gloomy. The two best rooms, however -- the Anastasia room and Tatiana Room -- feature spacious bathrooms, six-foot beds, 42-inch TVs, and some of the hotel's best vistas. Elevators are available to most, though not all, floors so those with mobility challenges should check before booking.
Features
Elegant restaurant and evening entertainment
The hotel's particularly elegant Romanoff Restaurant serves a decent cooked breakfast in the morning as well as six-course evening dinners -- both breakfast and half-board rates are available. Evening entertainment is also put on daily, though tends to be of the bingo and cabaret variety and aimed more at older guests. The hotel spa, completed in early 2016, includes hydro pools, a sauna, steam room, hot tub, lounge with coastal views, and treatment rooms. A fitness center is available for guests' use.
Hotel & Amenities Photos
Best Rates
Amenities
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Airport Transportation
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Balcony / Terrace / Patio
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Cribs
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Fitness Center
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Internet
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Kids Allowed
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Meeting / Conference Rooms
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Pool
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Room Service
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
