Drive through the hotel’s large iron gates and past the crescent-shaped hotel.  Facing the sea is the attached private house and 2/3 acre of lawns, terraces and gardens overlooking Meadfoot Beach toward Berry Head and Thatcher Rock.  What a surprise.

The spacious cream and beige drawing room is romantic and serene.  It has comfortable, traditional sofas with plump pillows and a fringe along the bottom.  There’s a grand piano, lavish draperies, deep ornate cornices, painted portraits of “borrowed” ancestors.  There’s a gas fireplace, lots of art, TV and a video player.  The wall of windows look onto spectacular coast views. French doors open to the sea-facing terrace with garden furniture.  You can enjoy scent of the old English roses while you dine al fresco.

The dining room has rich green walls, white moldings, a gas fireplace with a marble surround, a crystal chandelier, an antique mahogany table to seat 10.   An antique chaise lounge and other carefully-chosen possessions create a rich atmosphere.

The second bedroom also has a queen bed, antique brass.  It is painted cream and has silk curtains and Austrian silk window blinds.  There is a Georgian mahogany armoire and a mirror fronted armoire, a large French tapestry, an upholstered Louis XVI-style bench on which to sit gazing at the gorgeous views of the sea and the gardens.  There is a TV and a video player in this room too.

The third bedroom has soft green walls, green silk curtains, white bed covers and curtains, a Louis XV- style sofa with antique tapestry cushions, a large antique English mahogany armoire and a large window that admits lots of light.  This is a rather plain room, but it’s very nice.

Although the house is in a quiet little area, the village of Torquay is a bustling town, a small city, really, that has been very popular with British and overseas travelers for many decades. There is much to do and see here,  restaurants, bistros, pubs, shops, a casino - all walking distance from the house (over a hill).  The house is a 15-minute walk from the town center and the busy harbour area. There are many parks, fine houses, a sense the history of this resort town.

You are welcome to use the hotel’s amenities, pool, tennis, lounge, restaurant.  The beach is a 1-minute walk.  The nearest shop is ½ mile. The nearest pub is right down the road.   The pretty village of Wellswood is a 15-minute walk.  There are other nearby picturesque villages (including Cockington and Coffinswell - noted for their thatched cottages).  Three miles inland is deep countryside.  You can explore Dartmoor National Park (½ hour drive). Plymouth is 45 minutes by car.  The Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan are 1.5 hours away and are not to be missed. London is 200 miles (a bit under 3 hours by train).

Heating and electricity are included. The telephone acceptss incoming calls only, but you can purchase a card for multiples of £5.  Mobile phones work better in the conservatory or garden. The owner will proved a baby's cot and a high chair. Pets are not accepted. This is a strict non-smoking house.

This house is accessible to anyone who can manage stairs.  There is a guest powder room on the main floor. Outdoors, the two terraces have three steps down from the house.  There are two further steps from the terrace to the second “secret terrace”.  There are then 30 steps up to higher terraces and it’s rather steep.  Some of the pathways are gravelled.