Gara Rock

We went back in August so slightly late review but I took a punt on booking this hotel after stumbling across it on the internet- it surpassed all expectations! The location is amazing but do agree with other reviews that you cannot pop out for dinner elsewhere etc as it is very remote. The staff could not be more friendly and the food in the main restaurant was amazing. The room was very clean and the views were stunning. The beach at the bottom of the cliff is clean and not too busy which was perfect- though wear good shoes for the walk back up! We went mid week and were glad to leave on the Saturday as quite a few young families turned up and kids at breakfast were not the best behaved, including one that climbed on the back of his chair which of course fell over resulting in him smacking his head on the floor and parents didn't really seem to care. One of the days we were there it was pretty dire weather but it was very relaxing to sit in the lounge with our books and a bottle champagne with nowhere to be- apart from my massage which was a real treat. This place isn't cheap but I think you do get good value for money but do try and go mid week when it's that bit quieter. Will absolutely be back one day!

The location is magnificent. The staff are very friendly, helpful and relaxed. The TV reception in the room was poor, the phone charger and the Marshall sound system did not work, the door to the garden was missing a handle and the curtains were missing curtain rails which made them look shabby and were difficult to pull. The common areas are very well kept and of a high standard. The restaurant could’ve more choice on the basic menu, we were there four days so we run out of things to eat. We walked to Salcombe to enjoy some different food as we were not into a tasting menu. We prefer the restaurant with the view where we ate a few years ago, which is now only used for the more formal dining experience so we felt we were pushed to the middle dining area which we didn’t like. It’d be better allowing diners to eat any where, no matter what menu they chose. Over all we had a fantastic experience, the food is a very good standard, the staff are very friendly and genuinely helpful and will be returning but we hope you can tidy / update the rooms and their facilities as above. Air conditioning would be nice.

Overall a lovely stay in an incredible location but a few opportunities for improvement. For this reason we feel “luxury” and “opulent” are a bit misleading but appreciate that this is subjective. This is based on our own views, using other hotels we’ve stayed at as a base for comparison. Ultimately we would return but would hope the management address the areas of improvement. Good - Location and views! Although you have to drive or walk to find a shop etc but that suited us fine. - Service. Overall brilliant. Welcoming and attentive when dining etc. - Peaceful. Slept very well with only the sound of the sea (if you open a window). - Breakast. Delicious, perfect temperature (often some parts are cold but the time it’s been plated) and plenty of it. - Cinema room. What a lovely touch and perfect end to our Sunday! - Driving directions on the website. We had no issues reaching the hotel. Could be better - Overall decor/design is beautiful but in need of a refresh. Eg paint chips, stained chair backs, broken furniture in the rooms, decking uneven by the spa. - Cleanliness. Dead flies, cobwebs and spiders legs in our bathroom window area. Windows all around are in need of a clean. Spa area had dead flies and cobwebs near doors. - Spa area extremely slippery, particularly in the shower area. - Customer service. Unfortunately a member of staff had a fall before my spa treatment. Whilst this cannot be avoided (and I insisted on her not proceeding as she was pregnant), I think it would have been nice for the management team to reach out and try to rearrange for another next day or at least acknowledge it. - Bedding and towels. Like I said, this is a personal preference but at a luxury hotel, I would expect high quality towels, pillows and duvets where you sink into them. Towels were scratchy and not “in the style of the hotel. - Housekeeping was a little strange. They just threw the “scatter” cushions back on the unmade bed and left a bottle of water.