Richmond Hotel Torquay: Reviews, Prices, and What to Know

Planning a stay at the Richmond Hotel Torquay means navigating conflicting information: is it open, closed, or rebranded? This fact-checked review draws on verified details across major booking platforms, guest reviews, and local sources to clarify what you can actually expect from this budget property on the English Riviera. We address parking costs, restaurant availability, pricing bands, and the hotel’s unusual recent history — including its reported 2021 sale to developers.

Last checked: 2026-07-26

Former name: Diamond Hotel Torquay / Richmond Hotel · Number of rooms: 45 rooms · Star rating: 2-star · Address: 27 Croft Rd, Torquay, England TQ2 5UD

What happened to the Real Fawlty Towers hotel?

The classic sitcom Fawlty Towers was inspired by a real Torquay hotel — but it was not the Richmond. The property that inspired John Cleese was the Gleneagles Hotel, also in Torquay, where the Monty Python team stayed during the filming of a documentary in the early 1970s. The Gleneagles is a separate, still-operating seafront hotel with a completely different history from the Richmond. The Richmond Hotel has no direct connection to the Fawlty Towers story. The implication: any search results linking the Richmond to the sitcom are based on a shared town, not the property itself.

Is the Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay still open?

The Grosvenor Hotel, another budget property in Torquay, entered administration in 2018 and subsequently closed. It has not reopened as a hotel. The Richmond Hotel, by contrast, continues to appear on major online travel agencies (OTAs) including Expedia, TripAdvisor, and Kayak, despite an urban exploration video from 2023 showing the building in what appears to be an abandoned state. The bottom line: while the Grosvenor is definitively closed, the operational status of the Richmond remains ambiguous — OTAs still accept bookings, but independent documentation suggests the property may not be functioning as an active hotel.

Which hotel did Agatha Christie stay in Torquay?

Agatha Christie’s favourite hotel in the Torquay area was the Burgh Island Hotel, located on a tidal island off the coast near Bigbury-on-Sea, approximately a 30-minute drive from Torquay. She also stayed at other local properties, including the Imperial Hotel in Torquay. The Richmond Hotel does not appear in documented records of Christie’s Torquay stays. What this means: the Richmond has no historical connection to the famed author; searchers interested in Christie’s Torquay should look to Burgh Island or the Imperial instead.

What to watch: Among these three lower-priced Torquay properties, only the Gleneagles has a clear, current operational status. The Richmond’s conflicting signals — OTA listings versus abandonment documentation — make it the highest-risk option for travellers who expect a fully functioning hotel.

Pros and cons of the Richmond Hotel Torquay

The trade-off: You may secure the cheapest room rate in central Torquay if the hotel is functional, but the risk of arriving to a closed or minimally operational property is higher than with any comparable competitor.

Pricing & what to expect to pay

The Richmond Hotel is positioned as a budget property. Kayak UK records average rates of approximately £44 for a weeknight and £41 for a weekend night, with a recent booked price of £47. Trivago advertises rates from £26 per night. On TripAdvisor, typical standard-room rates fall between US$48 and US$91. These figures place the Richmond among the cheapest hotels in Torquay with on-site parking claims.

Momondo, quoting in Indian rupees, lists cheapest deals from ₹3,695 per night, with an average current rate of roughly ₹6,094. This currency conversion suggests international booking channels offer similar base pricing. The pattern: all sources agree the property operates in the low-to-mid budget band, but none confirm whether the advertised “from” rates include taxes, service charges, or parking fees.

Location, parking & getting there

The hotel sits at 27 Croft Road, Torquay TQ2 5UD, approximately 0.1 miles from the South West Coast Path and 0.4 miles from the English Riviera Wheel. The seafront is within a five-minute walk, making the location convenient for coastline access. Parking is claimed as free on TripAdvisor, Kayak, and Trivago, but Expedia flags a self-parking surcharge. Hotels-in-torquay.com describes “public parking on site” with a full English breakfast served. Nearby dining includes a pizzeria within a six-minute walk. Why this matters: the location scores well for first-time Torquay visitors who want walkable access to the seafront without a car, but the parking ambiguity makes it less reliable for self-drive guests.

Alternatives to the Richmond Hotel Torquay

If the Richmond’s status uncertainty gives you pause, these nearby properties offer more predictable booking experiences at similar or slightly higher price points:

• Gleneagles Hotel, Torquay — 3-star, 35 rooms, seafront, operating. The property tied to the Fawlty Towers inspiration.
• OYO Hotels in Torquay — OYO, the same chain that brands the Richmond, operates other Torquay properties with more consistent guest review patterns.
• Independent guesthouses on Croft Road — Several small B&Bs along the same street offer verified free parking and breakfast without the rebranding confusion.

The bottom line: for first-time Torquay visitors, a known-quantity property with current guest reviews and a direct booking channel reduces the risk of an unexpectedly closed or stripped-down experience.

“"Great budget hotel, Breakfast staff were wonderful very friendly and helpful."”

— Anonymous guest review snippet, Guest reviewer quoted by Momondo

“"Lovely staff great location."”

— Anonymous guest review snippet, Guest reviewer quoted by Momondo

Frequently asked questions