Bishops Court Resort - Torquay, United Kingdom 

Oh dear... Where to start...I know..Reception. We were greeted with the fact that despite their website advertising entertainment, there wouldn’t be any all week, on account that there was a very low number of guests staying that week. Only 14 rooms booked that week despite them telling us they were almost fully booked when we enquired. Having quelled our disappointment, we went to our room (203) that boasted a Terrace/ Balcony with a Sea view (assuming you had keen eyesight and a good imagination you could see it between the tree branches). Lovely Gardens though. Approx 4 Acres of landscaped gardens, very tranquil, nice to look at, but areas still in need of some TLC like the miniature Tennis court and summer house. I may not have played Tennis nor sat in the summer house but it was there, in full view, an eyesore! Room had old fashioned well used furniture together with creaky bed and aged mattress. TV a bit basic, (Freeview is cheap, that’s why it’s called Freeview so it wouldn’t hurt having it on). No TV Lounge in the hotel either so missed the Euro Final. Shower curtain hanging on by a thread and black mildew around the bath and the tiles. The lift which is found on the second floor, not the ground floor has advisory notices all over it stating that it is very slow and to be patient while it makes its way to you. Suffice to say, you can grow quite old waiting for it and a packed lunch would be advisory if using it. Later that evening as there was little activity in the dining room, we asked at the reception where we would be eating as there was a wedding reception in full swing in the Mansion House. We were advised that there was a staff shortage and we would therefore be taken by Taxi to "downtown Torquay" to a restaurant of our choosing for dinner. We chose VIPs Restaurant - FANTASTIC! On returning to the hotel, we discovered that the Bar we had a drink in prior to dinner had been closed (Staff shortages again) but it would be ok for us to "Gatecrash" the wedding reception’s bar and get a drink there. Would you? Sunday didn’t improve any- Breakfast average to cold no staff to be seen anywhere in the hotel, bars closed all day and again in the evening we enquired about dinner and were told it would be served in the hotel that evening (Pity) however the Bar would not be opened as it had been broken into and had to remain locked until the Police arrived. The other Bar was also closed (Staff shortages yet again) but the night porter offered to open it and get us a drink. Having said that, they were out of Dry Martini and the Cider was flat. It was free though on account that the till was switched off and the porter didn’t know how much to charge me anyway. The evening meal was pathetic, only one other couple in the dining room and with no background music it felt like your doctors waiting room minus the magazines. The atmosphere around the whole of the hotel was the same and it reminded me of the "Mary Celeste" fables. So straight after the meal, we went to look for another hotel. We left Monday morning and never looked back. In short the hotel desperately needs money spending on it to get it to an acceptable level of modern day comfort. If they afforded as much attention to the main hotel as they do the Health centre, which is very impressive and for large functions, which they apparently concentrate on it would improve. We did get a refund after speaking to the manager which was cold comfort but something at least to put towards a decent hotel. He did advise us that in instances where there are fewer than six people eating in, it is customary to send them all to a Restaurant in town. Was Sunday an exception then as only 4 people ate in that night? I believe we were shipped out because of the wedding reception taking priority. In its heyday, this would have been the place to stay without doubt. Currently however, it does look past it’s "sell- by" date. We had surfed `Tinternet for hotels in the area and their website makes for good reading. Reality checks in though when you do. This review may seem a bit damning to some people who have perhaps stayed there in the past and enjoyed it. I am reporting my experience as it occurred and without exaggeration. I only hope people staying there in the future have a better time of it. I hope the current owners start to invest in the hotel and improve things. Holidaying in this country seems to be on the verge of collapse with cheaper holidays abroad all but guaranteeing good weather there and it needs to be competitive but at the same time, quality. I might even consider staying there again if it did improve...drastically.....considerably.....nerr.

We were visiting the UK from Australia and had a very happy couple of nights at Bishops Court. We didn't have a reservation and just turned up at the door. We didn't want to spend too much on a room so took the cheapest room they had and were very pleased with both the bed (which we were told was new and it was verycomfortable) and the view which was sensational. By saving on the room I was able to enjoy a couple of treatments in the spa which was very relaxing. Nice, comfortable and well priced is how I would rate my experience.