Hampton by Hilton Torquay — Hotel in Great Britain

This was the worst hotel experience I have ever had. Firstly on arrival there was no visible check in desk. After wandering around for a few minutes with my bags with no one around offering any assistance I asked the man serving at the bar where was the reception desk, he waved me towards the end of the same bar where a very small table sign on the bar marks reception. No one was there, finally a woman appeared from a door behind and I asked if there was anyone on reception. She waved me back in the direction of the same man serving at the other end bar who had just waved me to that end of the bar, she then just walked off. Are your staff incapable of informative verbal communication?

Eventually the bartender came over and asked if I wanted to check in, why the question when i had already asked him for check in! No words of welcome at all.

I asked for a quiet room with a view. He said there were no standard rooms with a view and they are all quiet. I asked if I could get anything to eat in the room he said no. He did not offer any information as to anywhere else to eat in the hotel so I took the lift to my 1st floor room. I was tired and hungry so decided to sleep. The room was muggy and did not smell fresh.

Sleep was impossible due to the noisy and erratic air-conditioning which alternated between blasts of stuffy hot air and chilling waves of cold no matter what temperature I set it to. I tried to switch it off completely but it would not shut down. By 2am I was getting chills and a headache and would have left if I could have got transport to my destination. In spite of asking for a quiet room there was noise late at night and door slamming in adjacent rooms. By 6am not having slept a wink I thought a nice hot shower would make me better, but there was no hot water at all, it was barely tepid even running the tap a long time. It eventually came on at around 9am. Should there not be hot water at all hours?

I went down to have breakfast, waited for anyone to appear to ask if there were any options to bread. Finally a lady staff appeared and said crisp bread was not available. Went to get a coffee and waited while the coffee machine was being fixed, as I stood patiently the staff member turned around and brusquely waved me off saying there's another machine which was tucked around a corner, this was also out of order.

Food options were standard continental aside from some baked beans and scrambled eggs mixed with parsley. I asked an inside of kitchen staff member for plain eggs and he made me scrambled eggs without the parsley, I would like to comment favorably about him, I think he was from another country and he was the only staff member who was pleasant and helpful. Perhaps he could help train reception and bar service members.

It would have been nice if there was a herbal tea or decaf sachet in the room. There were just two teabags and two coffee sachets, very was disappointing when you do not want caffeine at night.

The bathroom was not well cleaned, pieces of used clumped toilet tissue on the floor and hair and dirt in the shower and muck on the tap and dispensers. The box of tissues was empty under the two crumpled and torn sheets of tissue that had been placed on the top on the box, the tissues had obviously been handled, looked used and stuffed back.

I attach photos.

I was checked out by a very sullen staff member with no word of pleasantry, and left sleep deprived and quite unwell from the hot and cold air-conditioning all night not to mention the rock hard uncomfortable mattress which I see has been noted in reviews going back a year only for management to respond with "its takes time for our Hampton mattresses to soften up". Well I can assure you I will not be returning to subject myself to assist you...

Had an amazing stay at Hampton by Hilton in Torquay. The hotel was great - staff really helpful and had lots of time for questions and help about the hotel and local area.

Everything was clean and tidy and the rooms had everything you could need (great TV, iron/board, hairdryer) and then even more - me and the kids loved the hilton App for unlocking rooms and doors to hotel - very space age!

Whilst going to the room, it was clear the importance that the staff have with COVID and making everyone feel comfortable and safe. The rooms have a sealed sticker when you first take your room. On a number of occasions I saw the staff preparing a room for new occupancy and they were even on their hands and knees with disinfectant cleaning the skirting boards!!! Staff gave us lots of space and I never felt claustrophobic or concerned about COVID.

The breakfasts were good and the kids loved getting their own breakfasts, At the moment the hot buffet breakfast is provided by a chef due to COVID and ensuring multiple hands don’t touch the ladle. Lots of different hot foods, and normal European cold meats/cheeses. One thing I wasn’t sure about was the self-serve omelette maker. Was actually really easy to use and turned out decent omelettes and you could pick your own fillings.

Wasn’t sure what to expect from Torquay - as last time I was there (almost 20 years ago)I was working in the Hospital for a few days and never got to leave the building - we only stayed for a weekend, but could have easily filled a week. Felt very relaxed there and was easy to get around.

The restaurants and bars were very family friendly and had great menus for adults and kids. Really liked Offshore and Rockfish.

We ate in the hotel on first night and wasn’t disappointed. Had Pizzas which were up to the normal Hilton Hotel standard. One of the reassuring things about Hilton is the excellent Pepperoni Pizza - day or night - always guaranteed.

Would love to go back to the Hilton again soon - possibly different time of year to see what’s going on outside of Summer - lots of water sports activities to try.

We spent hours crabbing and the kids never got bored over the weekend doing it. Caught a ferry over to Brixham and spent an afternoon there which was good fun. Even took our crabbing nets and tried our luck there.

The car park was potentially frustrating - I managed to get a car park space on the road the Hotel was on (less than two minute walk to front door) and the helpful advice by hotel staff using the local car parking app made a great difference and meant I could just update the parking each day without going to the car. Similar thing was possible from the Harbour car park that was just a short walk behind the new car park being built at the moment for the hotel (directly opposite). So overall wasn’t really a problem - will be nice when the new car park is...

My recent stay at the Hampton by Hilton Torquay was mostly enjoyable, with a few notable strengths and some areas needing improvement. The room was clean, modern, and stylish, surpassing the design of rooms at a typical Premier Inn, which is also located just across the street. The Hampton’s central location, cleanliness, and good value make it a compelling choice.

However, there were some issues with the room. The mattress had an uncomfortable ridge in the middle, creating a sensation of rolling out of bed. It’s well overdue for replacement or at least needs turning. The fridge in our room was another disappointment—despite being switched on for two days, it never got cold, remaining at room temperature throughout our stay. Additionally, the bathroom’s shower lacked a door or flap, causing water to splash onto the floor. This appears to be a long-term issue, as the grouting on the floor tiles near the shower entrance showed traces of mould.

Breakfast at the Hampton was included in the room rate, which is a plus, but it didn’t quite match the quality of Premier Inn’s breakfast, which costs £10.99 per person. The selection was decent but felt slightly underwhelming. Service during breakfast was strained, with only one staff member, Kate, managing a busy dining area. She seemed overstretched, leading to some sharp comments. When I handed her our dirty plates to help, she retorted, “Do I look like a waitress?” I also overheard her say to another guest, “It’s not rocket science, is it?” which, even if meant jokingly, raised eyebrows amongst the other guests.

Parking was available at the car park behind the nearby Premier Inn for £10.50 per 24 hours, though I noted Premier Inn guests paid slightly less at £9.50 per day. This minor price difference added to the sense that the two hotels are quite comparable. Overall, there’s not much to separate the Hampton by Hilton and the Premier Inn opposite it. The Hampton offers better rooms and includes breakfast in the price, while the Premier Inn has a superior breakfast but charges extra for it. I’d recommend comparing rates to see which offers the best deal.

Despite the issues, I’d consider returning to the Hampton for its prime location, clean and modern rooms, and overall value. However, addressing the mattress, fridge, shower design, and breakfast staffing would elevate...