Cary Arms & Spa gallery Gallery
Cary Arms & Spa
Torquay,
Devon
Inn
+44 (0)1803 327110
Visit owner's website
£265 - £485
per night
A seaside inn on Babbacombe Bay with views of sea and sky, rooms to feel happy in, a spa and homely, hearty dining
17 rooms
Rooms sleep 2 – 4
Children welcome
Pets welcome
Babies welcome
Your enquiry details
2 Guests 04 Dec 24 - 04 Dec 24
Direct with the owner
Visit the owner’s chosen website for availability, online booking or contact details.
Enquire through Sawday's
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What part does Sawday’s play?
£265 - £485 per night
The Experience
The inn is a Devon delight with interiors by way of New England: at the inn, wood-floored rooms – all but one with a private terrace or balcony – have yachting photos and breezy décor, while beach huts and suites have cantilevered sun decks. Staff go above and beyond to welcome, leaving sticks of rock on pillows and snifters of sloe gin to snaffle, delivering newspapers.
Move from bedroom to spa (treatments, hydrotherapy pool, sauna and steam) to the cosy pub downstairs, all without dragging your eyes away from the sea views. You’re anchored to the English Riviera, windows framing the water. Downstairs the pub serves up comforting menus – regional, ever-changing, with an emphasis on seafood and a vegan menu, too – and breakfasts of pancakes or bubble and squeak with duck eggs, plus a continental spread.
Pick up the South West Coastal Path from the front door or fish with the locals from the jetty. Walk 10 minutes to Oddicombe Beach for sea kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkelling.
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We think you'll love
- The secluded location tucked into a bay - and the bell to ring if you spot a dolphin
- Walking downstairs for gastropub dining from local, seasonal menus
- The sea views from the spa
You should know
- The hillside setting is not ideal for those with limited mobility
- You’ll need to pay to use the spa
- There’s a steep walk uphill to the car park (or summon the valet service)
Essentials
- EV charger
- Swimming pool
- Hot tub
- Garden
- Open fire / woodburner
- Breakfast included
- Breakfast available
- Meals available
- Vegetarian meals
- Parking on premises
- Free parking nearby
- Accessible by public transport
- WiFi
- Spa
- Central heating
- Limited mobility
- Wheelchair access
- Mobile reception
- Hob
- Bar
- Barbecue
- Licensed premises
- Paid parking nearby
- Air conditioning
- Relaxation areas
- Tennis court
- No smoking
- Credit cards
- Working farm
- Owner has pets
- Pets welcome
Family friendly
- Baby monitor
- Books and toys
- Children welcome
- Babies welcome
- Stair gates
- High chair
- Fire guard
- Cot available
Nearby
- Pub/bar within 3 miles
- Restaurant within 3 miles
- Shop within 3 miles
Activities
- Bikes available
- Food courses
- Kayaking
- Other courses
- Sailing
- Surfing
- Wild swimming
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Accommodation
Pricing
- Nightly price
- from £265
- Surcharges
- Extra bed/sofabed £25 per person per night.
- 6 Suites for 2
- £385
- 1 Suite for 4
- From £450
- 2 Suites for 2
- £485
- 7 Doubles
- From £265
- 1 Family room for 4
- £395
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Information
Booking information
- Closed
- Never.
- Dogs
Biscuits, dog bed and bowl in the room.
Dogs £25 per night. Dog bed and dog bowl available. Dog-friendly options for a couple of room types.
Dogs welcome in main area of the inn and garden terraces, but not conservatory. South West Coast path on the doorstep; Babbacombe beach dog-friendly all year round.
- Meals
- Lunch from £7.95. Dinner £25-£35.
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Reviews
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This charming inn is just magical- even on a rainy day! The staff pay attention to the minutest of details and the service is impeccable. The sea views from the restaurant, most rooms and spa are stunning and very special. I loved going out for a walk on the South West Coast Path (pick it up directly from the doorstep)and then soaking in the hydro pool and sauna, before enjoying a delicious dinner- all without taking my eyes off the sea.
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Accommodation, dining, views, service, walks - everything was all so lovely & enjoyable! We lacked for nothing. We found plenty to do even in November, walking along the coast & taking the cliff railway up to Babbacombe Model Village & the quaint town of St Marychurch. After hours of exploring we came back to the Cary Arms & entered the restaurant where it was warm and cozy with the fire going. The food was unbelievably good for each meal, & our room was beautiful with a balcony, where we stood admiring the sea & mountains, listening to the waves. We loved it here! Highly recommended.
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We stayed Feb 2015! We saw your offer of 3 nights for price of 2 and contacted hotel; who only had the 2 for 1 offer on, but I mentioned Sawdays and they gave us a balcony room over looking the sea which was amazing. I particularly loved the lounge to sit in before dinner. Walking is for the fit but the cliff railway takes the strain and is yards from the hotel (uphill!). We don't travel by car and it is just accessible by train and taxi for a lovely seaside break from London
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Location
The neighbourhood
The hotel nestles into the bay at the base of a cliff – you wind down here via a steep, single-track road, but the effort (and the views) are worth it. There’s much to do in the bay, directly from the doorstep: excellent walks lead around the headland, boats to charter and moor in the inn’s six spaces. Harbour towns are close; Torquay (10 minutes) with galleries, shops and a theatre, Brixham’s famous fish market can be reached in under half an hour. Paignton (20 minutes) has a zoo and a steam railway that’s worth a look.
Local points of interest from Dany Richford
- Queen Victoria visited the Babbacombe Bay twice. Once in1846 when she did not land and again in 1852. This time the queen was taken close to the shore in a rowing boat so that she could admire and sketch the scenery.
- During the day, Babbacombe's sun-trapped beaches are the main attraction. Water sparkles like sapphire and you can lose yourself in the surroundings of the unique Coral Coast. Babbacombe Cliff railway is available to take you up and down from the beaches.
- The world’s most famous crime writer, Agatha Christie, was born in Torquay in 1890. 1938 she bought Greenway, a beautiful house overlooking River Dart at Galmpton near Brixham, a short drive away. Every year we take part in a festival celebrating her life.
- Outdoor sports are a must! Coastal walks, horse riding, scuba diving, sailing, fishing, kayaking, tennis, golf, swimming etc. We are surrounded by a selection of great activities hosted throughout several little bays around Torbay.
- Look out for 'Sammy' our resident seal. Often seen by the pier point or lazing in the sun on the Babbacombe rocks. Friendly and fun he plays with all the divers, swimmers and fisherman.
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You can't beat this setting - sitting on the terrace on the lookout for seals and dolphins and waking up by the sea. We loved our lunch in the pub, where we were brilliantly looked after by the team.