Harmony Torquay is, as one would expect, a bed and breakfast in Torquay. There were a few reasons why Harmony stood out to us: the accommodation has over 350 positive,… read more glowing “this is the best B&B I've ever stayed at” reviews and we figured that it wouldn't have made much business sense for the owners to offer monetary compensation to that many guests—so the reviews were surely genuine. But the main reason we chose this accommodation over others was that it offered parking (free parking!). The B&B is in a good location; it's about a 20-minute walk from the Torquay seafront. Parking at The Harmony is free with your room booking. You can leave your car from check-in until 10:30 AM on your checkout day. There is an eight-space carpark at the front of the building with another smaller carpark to the side of the B&B. Check-in time was from 3:00 PM until 6:00 PM but, as we were traveling from London and the traffic on the A303 decided to screech to a halt at Stone Henge, we realised we would probably arrive outside of the check-in window. We contacted the Harmony and the lovely lady on the phone (Michelle) was very helpful; she offered to wait around for us to arrive—the first instance where service not only met but exceeded our expectations. We arrived at about 6:35 PM and had a warm welcome from Michelle who was at reception…. Harmony Torquay is, as one would expect, a bed and breakfast in Torquay. There were a few reasons why Harmony stood out to us: the accommodation has over 350 positive, glowing “this is the best B&B I’ve ever stayed at” reviews and we figured that it wouldn’t have made much business sense for the owners to offer monetary compensation to that many guests—so the reviews were surely genuine. But the main reason we chose this accommodation over others was that it offered parking (free parking!).
The B&B is in a good location; it’s about a 20-minute walk from the Torquay seafront.
Parking at The Harmony is free with your room booking. You can leave your car from check-in until 10:30 AM on your checkout day. There is an eight-space carpark at the front of the building with another smaller carpark to the side of the B&B.
Check-in time was from 3:00 PM until 6:00 PM but, as we were traveling from London and the traffic on the A303 decided to screech to a halt at Stone Henge, we realised we would probably arrive outside of the check-in window. We contacted the Harmony and the lovely lady on the phone (Michelle) was very helpful; she offered to wait around for us to arrive—the first instance where service not only met but exceeded our expectations.
We arrived at about 6:35 PM and had a warm welcome from Michelle who was at reception. She offered us useful tips for things to do in the area and also turned our attention towards a map of Torquay. Next, we were given a mini tour of the facilities, including the reading nook/games room/social room and breakfast area before being shown to our room.
Checking into our room (#7), I was impressed by the simple yet modern style: matching bed cushions and curtains tied the room together. There were complimentary sweets and biscuits (which my wife loved) along with a very handy information pack noting places to visit, places to eat at and top things to do in Torquay, Brixham, Paignton and Babbacombe.
There was an ensuite bathroom with a shower. And a nice touch: a note on the wall reminding guests who are staying multiple nights to reuse their towels where possible—especially important during this current drought.
Breakfast at the Harmony was a pre-order affair: you select your cooked breakfast from a menu the night before you intend to dine. I found this odd, at first, because I rarely know what I’ll want an hour from now, nevermind ten hours from now. Eventually I found a combination that I liked and just stuck with it. And I appreciate that this style of breakfast helps to avoid wastage and makes chef James’ job easier.
When you come down for breakfast in the morning, you have the option to grab different juices, yoghurt, jams and cereals from a buffet table. They also have hot coffee ready to go!
During our time in Torquay, staying at the Harmony B&B, I had a comfy and relaxing night’s sleep (even though our room was facing the main road; thank you double glazing!). The bed and pillows were of a good quality and the walls were soundproof—or all of the other guests were very quiet, I’m still not entirely sure. The large ceiling fan was a godsend, in this current heatwave, and it made me reluctant to leave the room on checkout day.
Hosts Michelle and James are both lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed our morning conversations. I would definitely stay at Harmony again. More
