Salcombe Harbour Hotel

We only had one night in Salcombe, which was a shame, as we were so happy with our choice of hotel. The central location made it easy to look around town, and our room looked out over the estuary. It was nicely equipped and presented, while the clean, stylish coastal decor throughout made the place feel airy and spacious. We started the morning with a swim and sauna in the small but well-designed pool area, then had a very good continental buffet breakfast. The night before, we’d enjoyed an excellent meal at The Jetty, with delicious food and great service from all the restaurant staff. Beth also gave us fantastic spa treatments. From the friendly welcome at arrival onwards, the team made our first visit to Salcombe enjoyable and memorable. We’d definitely come back.

The view is the part of our stay I’ll remember most. The location was special, and we met some genuinely lovely staff, especially Elizabeth and Jack in the restaurant, who were attentive and kind. But we left disappointed, particularly for the price. We’d paid in advance to eat at the hotel every night, but only ate there twice. The food was just okay, and I couldn’t eat my cod on the first evening, which is unusual since it’s normally a favourite of mine. We ended up spending more than planned on meals elsewhere. On the one day we could use the spa, it was closed because a child had become unwell in an unavoidable incident. These things happen, but when we raised the problems at reception on our final evening, we were only told the information would be passed on. At checkout there was no acknowledgement, apology or gesture, and the cod was still on the bill. We spent four nights at Salcombe Harbour Hotel for my birthday. The room felt a little tired for its price and category: there were chips and scuffs on the walls, marks on the carpet, and stained grout in the shower. It didn’t spoil the whole stay, but we’d expected more attention to detail in one of the hotel’s best rooms.

Mike helped sort out a few difficulties we had during our anniversary stay, and we’re grateful to him. His help has made us feel we’d come back at some point, expecting the service to match such a beautiful hotel. The spa facilities were clean and lovely, with access to the sea down a set of small steps. Breakfast was very nice too, with stunning views across to Mill Bay. The hotel itself was beautiful.

The spa treatments were among the best I’ve had, and the staff were attentive and excellent. We also had a good choice of food and wine with dinner included in our package, and everything we tried was very good. I stayed for two nights on a spa break. It was excellent value for everything included, and the hotel made a great base for exploring Salcombe on my first visit. The room was excellent, with lovely views over the estuary. I’d happily recommend a stay.