Name: Gara Rock
Address: East Portlemouth, Salcombe, TQ8 8FA, GB

10/10

Exceptional

02 Aug 2026

Tamsin

Beautiful location and views from the bedroom balcony. Lovely large bathroom with freestanding bath and separate shower. Would recommend

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2026

Joe

Very friendly and attentive staff. Room was very clean and tidy. Food was delicious, indoor and outdoor pool were very nice and relaxing. Will hopefully be returning in the near future!

8/10

Excellent

29 Jul 2026

Ellen

Gara Rock is stunning, although getting there feels more like a Colin McRae driving experience than a relaxing hotel arrival. Between the road closures, single-track lanes and blind corners, we were relieved to arrive without needing a co-driver shouting pace notes.
The welcome was lovely, our room was beautiful (gara suite with balcony) and the views were incredible. The location is perfect for walking, with a gorgeous coastal path towards Salcombe and peaceful Gara Beach nearby. Proper walking shoes or trainers are definitely recommended. The rooms are well serviced, very comfortable but the balcony was lacking - and could have benefitted from nicer furniture and some plants.
The biggest downside was the lack of soundproofing. We could hear people walking around upstairs and chatting from neighbouring rooms, which affected the otherwise relaxing atmosphere. The room also became quite hot, although during the day we could open the front door and balcony door for some air.
We asked for two wine glasses for the room and were initially told no because they were short, despite glasses being visible everywhere and the restaurant being After seeing my unimpressed face, the gentleman came running after us with two. Fair play for sorting it, but “no” was a baffling first answer.
Some decorating was taking place, but nothing too intrusive. The restaurant was excellent, with great service, delicious food and reasonable prices. The pool and sauna were quiet, lovely and well maintained.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Anthony

So good we extended our stay by another night!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Jul 2026

Helen

Great hotel when you get there, staff were really helpful, limited menu if you were staying more than a couple of nights. They really could do with better signs to help you get there some of the roads were terrible making it an extremely stressful journey

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2026

steve

Very chilled place. Great staff and food. Lovely beech and amazing views.
We have been in winter time but first time in the summer. Totally recommend it.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2026

Michael

The setting for this hotel is as good as it gets, set on cliff tops overlooking a wonderful sandy beach below.
Staff were great, food excellent, strangely, catch of the day was well priced but steak and pork chop overpriced.
Our room was wonderful but lacked air-conditioning, was west facing and we were there in another 30 degree plus heatwave, but a fan sufficed.
Outdoor pool was excellent but weather so good we didn't get to the spa.
Simple to charge the EV , some roads are scary narrow but follow hotel's instructions to minimise this. That's Devon! Enjoy

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Charlotte

Amazing place, beautiful views and staff couldnt be more helpful

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2026

Kevan

Didn’t live up to the hype

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2026

LAWRENCE

Loved

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2026

Sheila

The hotel is in a stunning location and the interior is very stylish and relaxing. The staff could not have been more helpful; they were professional, friendly and attentive.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 Mar 2026

Hannah

Overall this hotel was lovely and a wonderful location.

Positives
The staff were very friendly and accommodating. We stayed in a pet friendly garden suite which was ideal, the hotel food was fabulous and the spa was clean with a lovely pool, steam and sauna rooms.

We did have a leak in our bathroom coming from upstairs which wasn't fixed and also there was some noise coming from upstairs. Housekeeping only came once in three days and didn't fully clean, I did mention this on the last day but apparently they had tried to access when my husband was in the shower so didn't hear them.

Negatives
By the time I had realised housekeeping had finished for the day so the room didn't get cleaned. A member of the team did change towels etc though, however fo a luxury hotel I would expect full daily cleaning.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Mar 2026

Marion

The room was fantastic great sea view and spacious.
The spa unfortunately was a disappointment the main issue was no handle rails either into the pool or jacuzzi.
The staff were amazing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2026

Liberty

Room was amazing, staff were so kind and helpful and the facilities were lovely.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jan 2026

Diana

All was exemplary but the extra special something was the staff. Wow was a team!
First visit but will be back.

Leisure Pet

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2025

Donna

Fantastic stay

Fantastic hotel, rooms are beautiful, view stunning. Very relaxing.
Great food and drinks.
The staff make the hotel even better, so friendly, they couldn’t do enough.
A real credit to the hotel ! We will definitely come back!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2025

Nigel

Great sea views and lovely to walk to the local beach and Salcombe on the coastal path. Lovely room, dining experience and lounge areas

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

08 Sep 2025

George

For the price, was a shame the steam room wasn’t working and room cleaning service was average, was woken up in the morning twice by a cleaner watching YouTube outside my door. Rather bizarre. Food was great and restaurant staff were superb.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2025

Andrew

Outstanding food, awesome location and great vibe! Highly recommend!!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Aug 2025

Lee

Too expensive

Very difficult to get too & too expensive! For the price tag there’s no wow factor

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Aug 2025

Amy

Beautiful place, beautiful room and amazing food. I was a little bit disappointed that breakfast has now become a buffet for the \"continental\" part of it, even drinks are self serve. When we were there before it was all traditional table service and felt a bit nicer. It was still a great breakfast I would just prefer the old way!
The outdoor pool was lovely and the spa was nice too. Views are incredible. Staff are veryfriendly and welcoming.Would definitely go back!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2025

Karen

We had an amazing room, The Penthouse, with beautiful views of the coast. Had a very warm welcome. We did repeatedly say the trip was to celebrate our Ruby wedding Anniversary but this was not acknowledged! The interior decor and setting is beautiful.
We had dinner and room service, food was nice but menu was the similar and a bit limited but other days we found so many nice places to eat. The breakfast was nice, especially eating on the terrace but was let down by having to make your own hot drinks at the buffet with poor quality tea bags. There were so many dogs even in the restaurant and unfortunately dog poo in the grounds although obviously this was the owners fault it was rather off putting. We had some lovely walks along the coastal path and down to the beach, very steep on the return!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2025

G

Fabulous location but very tired.

Fabulous location with stunning views , this Hotel was generally tired and despite being on the south coast of Devon had only one Fish course on its specials menu which was. very disappointing. Service was friendly and courteous but always slow. Although we did not any there is no air conditioning and during our stay the hotels only lift was out of order. A hotel in urgent need of investment !

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2025

Joanne

We had the most amazing stay at gara rock .
The place is beautiful and set in amazing beachside settings with breathtaking views.
Everything is exceptional, the hotel, the setting, the food and the staff. They really made the stay fantastic as they went above and beyond to accommodate you and make sure you have the best stay. They were so friendly and helpful every single one of them. We didn’t want to leave. We will definitely be returning!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2025

James

Hotel is fantastic, only future request would be to ensure travel cot has an associated mattress. Overall a really enjoyable stay

10/10

Exceptional

05 May 2025

Joanna

Beautiful, the views really make this hotel magical.

Its tucked away so you need a car if you're going out for dinner, the ferry is about a 30 minute walk and up/down steep steps, and stops at 6:30pm.

Drinks were outrageously priced.. £16.50 for a beer, a soft drink and two packets of crisps!!

All is forgiven when you take in the sea though. The interiors are also beautiful. Breakfast overlooking the little cove was just the most incredible way to start the day, and it was delicious!

One irritation for me is not having anywhere to put shower gel etc. in the shower - but now I am being picky!!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2025

chris

By far the best hotel I have staying for years. Will be visiting again.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2025

George

Great hotel.
Top tip - follow the hotel’s instructions on driving to the hotel. We followed our satnav / GPS and ended up in “the lanes” which are scary narrow roads.
The walks from the hotel are stunning along the coastline.
Dinner a bit pricey.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2025

Deborah

As usual we had a wonderful stay at Gara Rock. We come here a couple of times a year and are never disappointed!! Love it there!

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

26 Feb 2025

Ashley

Disappointing

We were quite disappointed with our stay. For the money we were hoping for better service and better food. Food was very disappointing throughout, often having to send back cold food and disjointed service even though it wasn’t busy. For the Sunday roast they couldn’t accommodate someone with Crohn’s which was quite poor. Overall customer service was quiet bad and we were celebrating but it was disappointing on many levels. Breakfast service was diabolical. After we paid then were asked for some feedback on our stay. We won’t be returning.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Feb 2025

Danielle

Beautiful hotel in the most stunning location. Fantastic for dog walking and miles away from anything. Beautiful views, with access to sea and sand. Lovely food, rooms are great. Sadly didn’t get to use the spa as was fully booked but very quiet in the hotel so not sure how had booked it!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2025

Angela

Great location next to coast path with views of sea

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Jan 2025

Lindsey

It would have been nice to have ironed linen. Also if staff were a little more interested in their guests rather than their mobiles. Overall a nice stay.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

16 Nov 2024

Verified traveler

Let down like the boiler!

We stayed at Gara Rock for four nights and were disappointed by several issues. While the hotel has potential, the negatives stood out.

There were two boiler outages—one on the first morning and another on the final evening. During the first, we were asked to use the penthouse bathroom but not offered a room change. The second outage was resolved in an hour, delaying our dinner reservation. We were told the issues were due to cold weather and high occupancy, which felt unacceptable.

The cinema room had outdated Apple TV with apps needing updates. No staff could assist, and after 40 minutes of trying, we gave up and watched an old DVD. The stereo sound was limited and quieter than the air conditioning.

Our room was poorly maintained, with scrapes on the walls, no wardrobe lighting, and limited space. One side of the bedroom had no lights, and the living room unit was bare. The TV stayed bright all night, turning back on to a sign-in screen.

Shower gel was used up on day 1 and never restocked.

On the positive side, the restaurant and lounge areas were welcoming, with excellent food. The hotel’s dog-friendly atmosphere was a nice touch, and the TVs had streaming capabilities.

Some staff were attentive, but others were less so. We were given a night’s credit for the boiler issues, but the experience didn’t meet expectations. We recommend the restaurant, but the hotel rooms need improvement to justify the price.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2024

Verified traveler

Great hotel in amazing location

Amazing hotel. Service was excellent. Location beautiful. A bit off the beaten track but not too strenuous walk to get to Salcombe for the day if you want.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2024

Simone

Stylish and relaxing environment. Menu, service and food exceptional. Only come t. Outdoor pool tornado open during winter

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 Oct 2024

zachary

Much better alternative

The cleanliness of the hotel was shockingly bad. The disjointed service was frustrating. The indoor pool area was not fit for service, missing tiles, filthy floor (the maintenance man was walking close to pool with uncovered muddy shoes. The two ladies a the spa reception were especially worth mentioning for being amazingly unhelpful and lazy, well done you two!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Sep 2024

Timothy

The main Restaurant let’s it down

The main restaurant. Where do I start !
The dress code T shirts! There is a bar dining for that. Let’s keep the fine dining to a minimum level of a collared shirt . 1 hour and 23 minutes to get the main course!! Potato’s burnt but cleverly served upside down !!!! And cold plates . Such a shame the hotel was great. Pool great . Staff Great . Tim

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Aug 2024

Helen

Amazing hotel! But little extra thought needed.

Hotel location was amazing with views that are superb! but we wouldn’t be going back as the lanes getting to it are awful and quite stressful! Staff were amazing and so polite but not enough so they were overwhelmed at breakfast and service very slow!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jul 2024

andrew

Great views, service & quality fixtures & fittings. Room rooms with comfortable beds. Could do with matching rooms available & pictures slightly better.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

11 Jul 2024

Verified traveler

Awkward stay!

Booked on impulse for a one night stay.

On checking in i booked a table for 7.30pm to allow time to go to the spa.

When i got to the restaurant one of the staff asked if she could help, i explained i had a table booked for 7.30pm but wished to get a drink from the bar as i was 10 minutes early. She directed me through into the bar area.

When i got there i asked the bar staff if there was a drinks menu, he directed me to a table near by.
Another member of staff came over and asked if i needed help, i explained i wanted a drink and asked if i could order from the bar or did i have to order here.

There then ensued a rather odd process whereby i was asked where i was sitting (nowhere at this point) and i was kind of escourted over to the sofas where i was then asked what i wanted to drink (minus drink menu).

At this point i felt pretty awkward!

They then had no record of my table booking and asked if i was waiting for someone (i was a solo traveller)
They found me a table but my food order took a very long time to arrive, a couple of large dogs were barking in the restaurante (not directly the hotels fault, i appreciate that) and i was only checked on once.

I had planned to stay and have a relaxing drink but i ended up just going to my room straight after as i couldnt face the uncomfortable drink ordering saga again.

There was also no info in the rooms re breakfast time etc like you would normally expect.

Overall a beautiful hotel let down by odd uncomfortable service!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2024

MRS J F WHITEHEAD

Utterly faultless

It’s rare to find a hotel that is better than it looks and states on its website. The staff were wonderful. The food and drink was amazing. Its remote location made it such a peaceful stay. Will definitely return.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jan 2024

Louise

Just wow!

The most incredibly beautiful and relaxing 24 hours escape. Just a stunning hotel!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Nov 2023

Verified traveler

Beautiful setting and lovely hotel. Staff very friendly and welcoming

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2023

Jenna

Amazing place!

We had the most amazing time at Gara Rock Hotel celebrating my husband’s 40th birthday. Really special place and would love to return.

Partner

2/10

Poor

03 Oct 2023

Rachel

Underwhelming! This property has the foundations to be extraordinary (especially given its location), yet the customer service is severely lacking. Rude staff on check-in. Room not ready at the specified time (3pm). No apology given. No offer to help with bags to our room. Room dirty with a stained bath, sofa, curtains, bathroom floor. And the spa, a small pool with 5 loungers is not sufficient given the hotel capacity.
The food is severely overpriced and is satisfactory at best. Burnt food and poor service.
For the price point the hotel is NOT worth the money. Do yourself a favour and spend your money elsewhere. There is much better out there at a fraction of the price.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2023

Chris

Birthday celebration with family. Hotel made it a very special occasion to remember.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2023

Zoë

Wonderful stay

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

30 May 2023

Gordon

Lovely but overpriced

The room was amazing, the staff were friendly and attentive. The food was good but overpriced, especially the breakfast

Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2023

Linda

We had a lovely room and view. Overall very impressed with the location, and style of the hotel. Our biggest grievance is the food that is very expensive . Sandwiches at lunch and cream teas in the afternoon would be a nice touch ,but at a reasonable price for both guests and walkers.

Leisure Partner