Duke Of Cornwall Hotel

History

A lovely old building full of history

Love this hotel, dated , needs TLC but such a beautiful hotel

Location, beautiful old building. Spacious and comfortable bedroom.

There is absolutely no wifi, completely unacceptable in 2026!! The hotel is old but perfectly comfortable, with spacious rooms, a comfortable bed and lots of hot water. The staff on Reception are very nice indeed, but without wifi this is not a hotel to stay in. The hotel needs to state this upfront and make sure guests know beforehand - I suspect they do not do this as most people would choose to go elsewhere.

My stay was wholly unsatisfactory and deeply concerning, particularly regarding accessibility, health and safety, and service standards. Despite advertising itself as accessible, this hotel is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments.

Accessibility & Safety
Before arrival, I was assured by phone that the car park and access routes were safe and suitable for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. This was completely inaccurate. The car park was uneven, full of potholes, loose gravel, rubble, and blocked vehicles. Access to the hotel required crossing narrow steel walkways with slopes on either side, extremely slippery in wet conditions, bordered by scaffolding and an unprotected drop — with no warning signage. A wheelchair could not safely use these walkways at all (mine physically would not fit).
The entrance involved wet, slippery steps. I required physical assistance from my partner and son to enter and exit safely. This was distressing, dangerous, and observed by management without alternative access being offered.
Internally, the passenger lift is too small for wheelchair use, and the wheelchair lift was out of service throughout my stay.

Room & Facilities
I was promised an accessible ground-floor room with a disability-friendly bathroom. Instead, I was allocated a room on the fourth floor, with no suitable facilities. The bathroom was not accessible; the shower had a raised lip, making it unsafe for anyone with mobility issues.
I specifically raised concerns about emergency evacuation before and during my stay. I was told lifts could be used in a fire and reassured that I would be “alright” because the hotel had “never had one.” This response demonstrates a serious lack of understanding of fire safety and disabled evacuation planning. No Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) could be provided.

Condition of the Hotel
The property is in a clear state of disrepair: dirty carpets, stains from leaking showers, cracked window panes, doors that do not fit properly (a serious fire safety concern), unbearably hot rooms with no thermostat, broken fans, and extensive scaffolding. The condition bears little resemblance to online images, which materially misrepresent the current state of the hotel.

Service & Food Hygiene
Wi-Fi did not work at all, and attempts to contact reception by phone were diverted to a full voicemail. Service was inconsistent and ineffective.
A complimentary breakfast was offered following my complaint, but the cooked food from the bain-marie was cold. Sausages were removed from service only after being checked — after some had already been eaten. This resulted in upset stomachs later that day and raises serious food hygiene and temperature-control concerns.

Financial & Emotional Impact
Because parking was unsafe and unreliable, we were forced to use Uber transport to attend a Plymouth Argyle match, incurring unexpected additional costs. Combined with the physical risk, distress, and lack of reasonable adjustments, this significantly compounded the experience.

Final Thoughts
Despite being advertised online (and often appearing in searches) as a Best Western, the hotel is no longer owned by the brand, and the standards fall far below what would reasonably be expected. Management was unable or unwilling to provide clear ownership or contact details, and attempts to contact those responsible have gone unanswered.

In summary:
This hotel is not accessible, not safe for disabled guests, and is seriously misrepresented online. The cumulative failures — unsafe access, lack of reasonable adjustments, inadequate fire safety planning, poor maintenance, food hygiene concerns, and service failures — make this a place I strongly advise mobility-impaired travellers to avoid.
Ironically the head office appears to be in Torquay - home of Fawlty Towers …

Great location, friendly staff and large rooms. Like that you can get more coffee from the reception as needed. Good value room. Pet friendly too.

Nicely furnished with bath and shower. Nice and central. Parking fee reasonable. Reception very welcoming including restaurant staff. Evening meal excellent.

Comfy warm rooms with specious bathroom.

I have stayed here for the past three years for work appointments. The staff have always been welcoming and helful and the supplied breakfast has been plentiful and varied. The room was reasonably set up with a comfortable bed and clean bathroom.

Cheap, great location, friendly staff