🇬🇧 Torquay, United Kingdom
Kingston House
📍 75, Avenue Road, Torquay, TQ2 5LL
Photo: official website
Your stay — Kingston House
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Torquay.
The Property — Kingston House
Kingston House is a modest, family-run Regency townhouse on a quiet cul-de-sac near Torquay's seafront. Inside you'll find clean, traditional decor and a small honesty bar; it's the kind of place where you get a proper welcome and a detailed breakfast order taken the evening before. Best for couples or solo travellers who want a quiet base away from the strip's noise but still walking distance to the harbour and beaches.
Chronicles of Torquay
Torquay grew from a fishing village into a fashionable seaside resort after the arrival of the railway in 1848. Wealthy Victorians built grand villas along the hillsides, giving the town its characteristic white stucco and ornate balconies still visible today. Its mild microclimate – sheltered by Dartmoor and warmed by the Gulf Stream – earned it the nickname the 'English Riviera'. Modern Torquay balances faded grandeur with a working harbour, a small theatre scene, and a strong identity as a gateway to the South Devon coast.
Best Time to Visit
Full Torquay guide →Best months
May, June, September – warm but not overcrowded, hotel prices lower than July/August, and the gardens around the English Riviera Centre are in full bloom in late spring.
Peak / festival surge
July and August, when school holidays and warm weather fill the town. Hotel prices can double; expect crowds on the promenade and at the beaches. The main events are the Torbay Airshow (June) and the English Riviera Food Festival (September), but August is purely holiday season.
Budget shoulder season
Late May and early October offer good weather, far cheaper rooms (often 30-40% less than August), and quieter streets. The sea is still swimmable in September.
Weather & packing
Torquay's coastal microclimate means it can be damp in the morning and bright by noon, even in July. Pack layers: a light raincoat or softshell always, and a warm jumper for evenings, as sea breezes drop temperature quickly.
Live City Briefing — Torquay
- Torquay's main shopping centre, The Fleet Walk, completed its revamp in late 2025 with a new cinema and food court – good for a rainy afternoon.
- The 2026 English Riviera Airshow is confirmed for 5-6 June, but there are no major festivals on 2-3 July – expect a standard busy summer weekend with lower-key local events.
- Roadworks on the A379 at Newton Abbot have been ongoing since early 2026 to improve access; allow an extra 20 minutes driving to Torquay from the M5.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Kingston House, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the first or second floor at the rear of the building (away from Avenue Road). These rooms are quieter and often face the garden or side lane.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms overlooking Avenue Road. Street noise from traffic and pedestrians is noticeable here, and there’s less privacy.
Best views
Rooms at the front on upper floors offer a view over Avenue Road and the rooftops toward the sea. Rear rooms look onto the hotel’s garden or neighbouring gardens — pleasant but not panoramic.
Quietest floors
First and second floors (especially rear-facing rooms) are quietest. Third floor may also work if it’s set back from the road, but check for thin walls.
🔊 Noise notes
Avenue Road is a residential street with moderate traffic, so early morning and evening there’s engine and exhaust noise. The hotel’s own car park and service entrance at the side can cause occasional clatter.
Insider tips
Ask for a rear-facing room when booking — they’re consistently quieter. If you’re arriving by car, the hotel has limited on-site parking; you may need to park on Avenue Road (free after 6pm).
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Kingston House
Free Wi-Fi for all guests, typical speed 15 Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload. No login required – select 'Kingston House' network and accept terms.
No lift; all rooms on first and second floors via stairs only. Guests with mobility issues should request ground-floor rooms at booking.
Free digital copies of The Guardian and local Herald Express via a tablet in the lounge. No physical newspapers or PressReader.
Check-in from 14:00 to 20:00; early bag drop available from 10:00 upon request. Late check-out (until 12:00) costs £20, subject to availability. No after-20:00 check-in without prior arrangement.
Free storage for same-day arrivals and departures, left at reception. No overnight storage.
Step-free access via ramped side entrance to reception and ground-floor breakfast room. All guest rooms require stairs (two flights to top floor). No adapted bathrooms or hearing loops.
No on-site parking. Free street parking on Avenue Road and neighbouring streets (no permit needed, but check for twin-yellow lines near junctions). Nearest public car park: Torbay Road car park, 5-min walk, £9 per 24 hours. No EV charging points.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; a £50 incidental card hold at check-in for damage/incidentals.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: All Saints Church (374 m · ~5 min walk)
- Church: The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Andrews (421 m · ~5 min walk)
- Church: Church of Our Lady of Walsingham with St. Cuthbert Mayne (611 m · ~8 min walk)
- Church: Central Church (642 m · ~8 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Union Square Shopping Centre — 1.1 km · ~13 min walk
Torre Abbey Meadows — 581 m · ~7 min walk
Dinosaur World — 1.8 km · ~22 min walk
Unleashed @ The Royal Lyceum — 1.1 km · ~14 min walk
Rocket Park Playground — 811 m · ~10 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 640 m · ~8 min walk
Well Pharmacy — 469 m · ~6 min walk
Belgrave Stores — 348 m · ~4 min walk
Torquay — 760 m · ~10 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Pound Sterling, GBP
Avoid airport and hotel exchange bureaux for poor rates; use high-street banks or Post Office branches in Torquay town centre.
Contactless card and mobile payments are widely accepted; some market stalls or small B&Bs may prefer cash.
Rounding up the bill or leaving 10% in restaurants is appreciated but not compulsory; taxis and hotel porters get £1-2.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Cafe filter coffee or Americano from a chain like Costa or Greggs costs around £2.50-3.00.
A filled baguette or jacket potato from a high-street bakery or cafe, £5-7.
Pie, chips and mushy peas or fish and chips from a takeaway chippy, about £8-10 for a main.
Torquay harbour has several takeaway stalls selling pasties, burgers and doughnuts; Brixham fish market nearby for fresh seafood on the go.
Tesco, Sainsbury's, Lidl and Aldi are the budget supermarkets in the area.
High-street chains in the town centre (Primark, Next, M&S) and charity shops on Fleet Street for bargains.
Day bus pass for £4.50-5.50 covers local routes; from Exeter Airport take the 345 bus to Torquay (about £7 single).
Pack a picnic for beach days to avoid overpriced seafront cafes; visit attractions on free-entry museums days; walk or cycle the coastal path instead of paying for parking.
Good to know — Torquay
Type G · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ £0.75 · GBP
Emergency Contacts
Torquay999 is the UK's single emergency number. For non-urgent police matters, dial 101. For non-emergency medical help, call 111. Local Torquay police station: 01803 500400.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Torquay, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Kingston House
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 640 m · ~8 min walk — pharmacy · Well Pharmacy — 469 m · ~6 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Exeter St Davids (via shuttle bus from airport) → Torquay Station
💡 Hop the 56 airport shuttle bus to Exeter St Davids (single £2.30) then catch the train. Buy an off-peak day return on GWR’s website—saves a third on walk-up fares. From Torquay station it’s a 10-minute uphill walk to Arran Lodge; a short taxi costs £5.
Torquay Bus Station (8-min walk from Arran Lodge) → Paignton, Brixham, or Teignmouth
💡 Buy a day rider ticket (£5.20) if you’re making more than two local trips—it’s valid on all Stagecoach buses in Torbay. Bus 12 runs along the seafront, so grab a window seat for the full coastline view.
Exeter Airport (EXT) → Arran Lodge, Torquay
💡 Book with Apple Taxis or Torquay Taxis online a day before—costs £5 less than hailing at the rank. Ask for a fixed price quote upfront.
Exeter Airport (EXT) Bus Stop → Torquay Harbour (adjacent to Arran Lodge)
💡 Buy a digital return ticket on the app—50p cheaper than cash. Sit on the left side for sea views past Newton Abbot. The stop is a 3-minute walk from Arran Lodge up Terrace Walk.
Exeter St Davids station → Torquay station
💡 Take the Paignton-bound service. From Torquay station, it’s a 20-minute walk downhill to the hotel, or pick up the number 12 bus from the stop outside the station.
Exeter St Davids → Torquay Rail Station (then 15-min walk or short taxi to Crown Lodge)
💡 Buy advance tickets online for cheapest fares; station to Lodge is downhill along Torwood Gardens Road.
Torquay Bus Station (stand F) → Lee Hotel (Warberry Road stop)
💡 The bus stops right opposite the hotel. Use Stagecoach app for live times – the service is reliable but gets packed during Torquay United home games.
Paignton bus station → Livermead Hotel stop (opposite)
💡 This bus runs the whole seafront. Get off at the stop just after the Livermead Cliff Hotel sign – the return stop is directly across the road. Buy a day rider (£5) if you’ll make more than two trips.
Crown Lodge (stop on Warren Road nearby) → Paignton, Babbacombe, or Torre Abbey
💡 Get a day rider ticket (£5) for unlimited hops — useful for exploring the English Riviera; buses are cash or contactless.
Torquay Railway Station → Paignton
💡 The Lee Hotel is a 10-minute walk uphill from Torquay station – not great with suitcases. For Paignton, buy a return; single fares are barely cheaper.
Exeter Bus Station (opposite train station) → Torquay Harbour (Crown Lodge is 5-min walk uphill)
💡 Sit on the right side for sea views past Teignmouth; ask driver for nearest stop to Crown Lodge — get off at Torquay Town Hall.
Exeter Airport (EXT) → Crown Lodge, Torquay
💡 Pre-book with a local firm like Torquay Taxis Direct for a fixed price — avoid surge pricing at arrivals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Kingston House?
Request a room on the first or second floor at the rear of the building (away from Avenue Road). These rooms are quieter and often face the garden or side lane.
Which rooms should I avoid at Kingston House?
Avoid ground-floor rooms overlooking Avenue Road. Street noise from traffic and pedestrians is noticeable here, and there’s less privacy.
Is Kingston House noisy?
Avenue Road is a residential street with moderate traffic, so early morning and evening there’s engine and exhaust noise. The hotel’s own car park and service entrance at the side can cause occasional clatter.
Which rooms have the best views at Kingston House?
Rooms at the front on upper floors offer a view over Avenue Road and the rooftops toward the sea. Rear rooms look onto the hotel’s garden or neighbouring gardens — pleasant but not panoramic.
What are insider tips for staying at Kingston House?
Ask for a rear-facing room when booking — they’re consistently quieter. If you’re arriving by car, the hotel has limited on-site parking; you may need to park on Avenue Road (free after 6pm).
What time is check-in at Kingston House?
Check-in at Kingston House is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Kingston House have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi for all guests, typical speed 15 Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload. No login required – select 'Kingston House' network and accept terms.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Kingston House?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Kingston House?
A filled baguette or jacket potato from a high-street bakery or cafe, £5-7.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Kingston House?
Day bus pass for £4.50-5.50 covers local routes; from Exeter Airport take the 345 bus to Torquay (about £7 single).
When is the best time to visit Torquay?
May, June, September – warm but not overcrowded, hotel prices lower than July/August, and the gardens around the English Riviera Centre are in full bloom in late spring.
Top Attractions in Torquay
💡 Go early on a hot day to get a decent spot. The tide goes out a long way so you get plenty of flat sand for games or just lounging.
💡 Pick up fish and chips from The Captains Table on the quay—better quality than the tourist traps. Sit on the eastern side for a quieter view.
💡 Walk the full loop around the harbour to see the working fish market (early mornings only). Grab a pasty from the harbour kiosk—it's cheaper than the sit-down places.
💡 Visit at low tide to walk right around to the harbour wall; the cafes at the back sell decent pasties for under £4.
💡 Bring a picnic and sit on the grass near the bandstand. Free outdoor concerts happen on Sunday afternoons in summer.
💡 Free live music at the bandstand most Sunday afternoons in summer. Grab fish and chips from a nearby takeaway and sit on the sea wall to watch the boats.
💡 Come early morning for a quiet walk – popular with dog walkers before 9am.
💡 It gets busy on sunny weekends—go early morning for a bench spot. Combine with a walk along the promenade to Meadfoot Beach.