Gara Rock

We arrived at Gara Rock having walked from Salcombe and were greeted with a cold and unfriendly welcome. When we said we were only having drinks we were told we had to sit outside in the rain and began talking with a lady who had been sent outside because she ordered a tea cake! We were refused tap water by the waiter and could only purchase large bottled water. We were made to feel like second class citizens and got the feeling the staff wanted us to leave as soon as we arrived. Unpleasant experience all round.

A wonderful stay that was so nearly five star. The location is breathtaking, you couldn't get more of a sea view if you tried. Eating dinner and breakfast with that backdrop was quite special. The rooms were amazing; gorgeous rainfall shower, huge comfy bed, bath in the room, soft towels and robes, coffee machine and a balcony. Most of the staff were very friendly and helpful. The high points were the view, the room, the food and the cocktails. Two things for me stopped it being five stars; A lack of communication - for example, we were not told when breakfast was or how it worked, such as what was included in the pre paid breakfast package, nor were we told the time of check out either. We rang reception quite a few times to clarify some of this but got no answer. The main thing that let it down for me was lack of vegetarian options, particularly in the main restaurant. To pay that much and only have one option was disappointing. Especially when they had three or four extra specials in addition to the menu and not one of them was vegetarian. I even asked about additional options and was told that was it. It seemed kids were better catered for as I witnessed kids in the restaurant being served personalised meals off menu. So overall, close to five star but I feel some improvements needed on customer service.

Hotel's main attraction is its location, its truly stunning, right on the coast with access to coast path. We had a junior suite and it was lovely, big and beautifully furnished, could do with a chest of drawers though.. anything more than two or three days and you'd be working out of your suitcase. The staff are friendly and some were very helpful. Our big issue was the Kitchen restaurant. I'd written to check if they had gluten free bread for the burgers and they confirmed they did, but when we ordered in the restaurant, they didn't, so I had to order the burger without the bun.. and that's exactly how it came, one lettuce leaf, one slice of tomato, one slice of onion and the burger on top.. all on a small side plate.. It indicates a kitchen that takes little pride in what it serves.. No attempt was made to dress the plate or to supply an alternative to the bun.. Maybe a mushroom some avocado, some caramelised onion.. anything to make it look less sad than it did. The fact that the Kitchen restaurant feels like a temporary arrangement placed in the lounge didn't help.. also the seats we were on were more like upholstered bedroom chairs rather than dining chairs meaning the table was too high and you had to lean out of the chair to eat. I expressed my disappointment and they gave us a glass of wine and eventually took the burger off the bill. Its also worth noting that breakfast is £20 each, but does not include what they call 'speciality coffee'.. not sure if you'd call a flat white a specially coffee and pretty unreasonable to then charge another £5 if you want one with your breakfast. It has pretensions of an upmarket boutique spa hotel, and the rooms suggest it is.. but the quality of the food and service from the kitchen is way below that level. Worth going for location and rooms, but eat out.. plenty of good places in Kingsbridge if you're up for the drive.. if not.. stay somewhere else.. we wouldn't go back.

We arrived home today after a two night stay at the utterly dreamy Gara Rock and I have been dying to leave a review because this place is a complete gem and thoroughly deserves whatever accolades/praise comes its way. The location is of course utterly beautiful but it is the staff that make this hotel so special (aside from the plush furnishings and sumptuous interiors). Every single member of the team couldn’t have been warmer or more helpful, a special mention to Katie who was so knowledgeable and such a brilliant representative of the hotel. We ate in both ‘The Kitchen’ and the main restaurant where we went for the relatively new tasting menu. The former was the best fish and chips I’ve ever had and the tasting menu was utterly wonderful, creative, beautifully presented and delicious. We used the spa and each had massage treatments which was such a treat. Sophie the therapist was wonderful. Pool area was beautiful, clean and what a view! Gara Rock left such an impression on us that we are returning at the end of May. This time with our two children and the Grandparents, we cannot wait!

Went to stay in February 2024 and was quite quiet during this time, as you can expect, and was amazing. Room was lovely, indoor spa and pool was empty and extremely nice to relax in during our stay with wet weather! Service was excellent both in reception and restaurant and food was really good. Would definitely come back again - even in the rain it was a lovely stay.

Last time I stayed at Gara, I thought it was great... this time, It was even better! The service was brilliant in the restaurant, the waiting staff new exactly how the food was prepared and gave very detailed descriptions of how the dishes are prepared and presented. I had two starters for a main and they were by far the most aromatic tasting and wonderfully displayed dishes I'd eaten in a long time. Upon check in, we were greeted by a friendly face and a big smile, handed a beautiful scroll of paper, which opened up to be a rustic style map of local activities . Such a fabulous touch! The bath products on offer in the room were wonderful. Bath salts and a range of essential oil body lotions, shampoos and conditioners to leave you smelling delectable. Our room was incredibly well presented and absolutely gleaming! Not a spot of dust or dirt in sight, which is amazing for a building with so many dogs in it! Which leads me to say, it was just fabulous that we could take our lovely dog to the stay with us. It was great sitting at dinner with other families and their pets and the space provided made it easy for everyone to be comfortable (including our dog who likes to sit right in the middle of the room -.- ) The spa was incredibly clean and maintained to very high standards, thanks to Steve! We had a brilliant time switching between the sauna and the outside balcony area to cool off and watch the waves crash upon the cliffs. The hot tub must be one of the only hot tubs I've been in where there isn't a layer of muck sitting on the top of the water surface! And, the water didn't leave your skin feeling dry at all! I didn't think Gara could get much better, but they've really stepped up their game! Nothing was too much trouble and the staff are just wondeful. We'll be back!

This was our honeymoon and it couldn’t have been a more perfectly restful and chilled out stay. Weddings take it out of you and we honestly felt like we had been there for weeks. Julia in the restaurant was just such a lovely bonus as well - she is the epitome of hospitality and friendliness! The food was excellent, in particular the breakfast and specifically the French Toast. The puddings are sublime. Our treatments in the spa were just what we needed and again the staff were excellent. We loved that we could wander around in shorts and flip flops and truly relax. Just perfect.

Absolutely perfect stay , gorgeous views, food and service we can’t wait to go back already. We’ve stayed in many spa hotels and this is one of my favourites. We had a lovely coastal walk, visit to salcombe by boat taxi and used the facilities including the cinema one evening was perfect birthday celebration Thankyou !

We stayed as a couple in December in a Junior Suite as a birthday treat. Having visited many spa hotels in the South West, Gara Rock stands out as our favourite by far. All of the staff on reception throughout our stay were welcoming and friendly despite the miserable weather. On arrival, we were given a quick tour and shown to our suite. The room was immaculate - everything was spotlessly clean and beautifully decorated with a stunning sea view. The bed was the comfiest in any hotel I've stayed in. There were facilities in the suite for self-catering (oven, fridge etc.) if we had needed, but we chose to eat in the restaurant. Extra touches like a small jug of milk in the fridge for tea and coffee were appreciated. Because of the weather, we were unable to explore the stunning coast path as planned, and spent the afternoon in the lounge area near reception instead. There was a selection of board games available which we enjoyed, and we were able to order snacks from the bar. Prosecco was reasonably priced and lovely. The hummus and charcuterie were both delicious! We didn't have any spa treatments booked but were still able to enjoy the facilities. The pool was a lovely temperature for swimming some short lengths and the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi were quiet and relaxing. The location of the spa facilities is perfect, overlooking the sea. We ate in the restaurant and are so glad we did. All three courses were delicious (especially the chicken pie). There was a selection of reasonably priced wines available. Our waitress was friendly and attentive throughout the meal. Prices were comparable to other hotels we have stayed at but the food was tastier. There is a cinema room available to book with a selection of DVDs or the option to log in to your own Netflix account. A member of staff from reception got everything set up for us. This would be an especially lovely treat for anyone staying with family. Breakfast in the restaurant finished a little earlier than we wanted to go. We ordered room service a few minutes before the end of service and it was delivered promptly. Eggs Benedict was perfectly cooked and the granola and pastries were delicious. Overall, Gara Rock is, without a doubt, our favourite hotel we have visited for the quality of the room and food, and hospitality of the staff.