Grand Hotel Brochure

How it all began…
The Grand Hotel first opened in Torquay in 1881, in
response to the Great Western Railway’s expansion
into the South West. Its striking Victorian architecture,
elegant interiors, fantastic seafront location and
award-winning food has earned it pride of place as
Torquay’s landmark hotel for over 130 years.
During that time, The Grand has witnessed many
historical events and has played its own role over the
years. In 1926, it was one of the first hotels in the
UK to install central heating – a pioneering venture
at the time! During World War Two, the hotel was
requisitioned by the Royal Air Force. Behind the
wallpaper in the rooms on the fourth floor, there
are messages and dates that some of the aircrew
scribbled on the walls and the restaurant was used
as one large dormitory. Each crewman was given a
pillow and blanket, and requested to find his own bed
– namely, whatever area of the floor was vacant by
the time he got there!
We’ve welcomed many famous guests throughout
our history, including the world-renown ‘Queen of
Crime’, Agatha Christie and music legends, such as
the Rolling Stones.
Originally built with just 12 bedrooms, The Grand has
been expanded several times to reach its present size
of 132 en-suite bedrooms. Keith Richardson purchased
the hotel in 2001 and undertook an extensive
refurbishment in order to pay homage to its period
architecture and Art Deco interiors.
The Grand Hotel is an AA 4 Star hotel and also holds
an AA Rosette for Fine Dining.