Last summer I spent a few days in Salcombe after my Mum had booked this place as a birthday present for me. It was my first time in Salcombe so I didn't really know what to expect, but my Mum had been going there for years so I was looking forward to discovering it. The Ria View is run by Peter & Bernice Henesey Smith.
LOCATION:
The Ria View is on Devon Road in Salcombe, Devon. Salcombe is a tiny town on the south coast. The roads to get there are quite windy so take care.
Prices for a double room at the Ria View start at £62 per night and go up to £84 per night. This includes breakfast.
PARKING:
The parking at the B+B itself is very limited. We managed to get mine in but there is room for 3 cars and they can only be small
cars. The spaces are not very long and apparently the police have complained in the past about the cars overhanging and blocking the pavements. If there's no room or if you have a longer car you can park it at the church which is only a short way up the road.
ACCESS:
The Ria view is very close to Salcombe town centre. Its about a 5 minute walk so its very convenient if you're planning on exploring Salcombe (which really needs to be done on foot as there's very few places to park).
The B+B is not wheelchair friendly at all. There are steps down from the car park to the front door. Also, from the front door there are steps down to the lane which leads down to the town. The lane then also has steps down into the town and these are quite steep. In general, Salcombe is quite hilly and has lots of steps and did not seem to be particularly wheelchair friendly.
THE ROOM:
The room was really lovely. There was a double bed with plenty of cushions and covers. Each side of the bed there was a small table and one side had a radio alarm clock. There was a table with drawers and a TV on top opposite the bed. There was a mini fridge which was empty for you to put your own things in apart from a jug of water and small jug of milk (so much nicer than the packets of milk you usually get). Also on the table were tea and coffee making facilities including sugar and biscuits. There was no wardrobe in the room but there was a hanging rail in one corner. There was also a luggage rack and extra storage with drawers under the bed.
The view from the window of the room was beautiful. It overlooked the harbour and really made all the difference to the stay. You need to book early though because not all of the rooms have this view.
The bathroom was in what looked like a closet in the room. It was small but perfectly adequate (although any slightly larger people may have found it a bit cramped). There was a shower with constant hot water. The shelf above the toilet had no back and lots of my toiletries tried to make bids for freedom down the u-bend!
The room wasn't huge but it had everything I needed. The only thing that wasn't so great was the mattress which was very soft and which I found uncomfortable, but it didn't ruin the stay which was the main thing.
The B+B only has 3 rooms so there are never a huge amount of people in the place. However, this also means that it can get booked up very easily.
BREAKFAST:
Every night you choose your breakfast for the next morning. They put a sheet up on the landing and you write your choice onto this. There is a choice of full English, scrambled egg with smoked salmon, or fruit and yoghurt.
Breakfast is served downstairs in the breakfast room. As well as your choice from the list, there is also a selection of cereals, juice, tea, coffee and toast. Peter and Bernice are in the breakfast room to help you to anything you need and also to just have a chat and answer any questions you might have about Salcombe. They were really lovely people and very accommodating. The food was all very tasty (although as I was on holiday I didn't sample the fruit and yoghurt!!).
FACILITES:
Although the B+B itself has no facilities (there is a garden and from what I remember you have to ask to use it) it has an agreement with the Marine Hotel just down the road. This means that you can use the pool and gym at the Marine. This made a big difference to me as I don't really like swimming in the sea but really love to swim (it's the thought of all those creatures of the deep and the sand getting into places it shouldn't!).
OVERALL:
Although the B+B was quite pricey I think this just reflects Salcombe in general where they know they have the tourist market and therefore prices are high. I think that the B+B was really lovely and I really enjoyed my stay there. The owners were helpful and friendly, the views were beautiful, everything was on hand and the food was yummy. I would definitely go back there if I go back to Salcombe.
Pictures of Ria View B&B, Devon
The view from the window of our room - you don't wake up to that every day!
Another very good review here - I remember Salcombe from my childhood days - my grandfather retired to the area. I would have liked to have seen some pictures of the B&B itself - especially the room, as far as I am concerned a picture really is worth 1000 words when it comes to hotel reviews. Richard.
Maestrolover 21.06.2008 17:36
Nice useful review and you are definitely right - what a gorgeous view to have from your window...
very helpful by (100%):
