I've coined the phrase "Busy Doing Nothing" to describe what a lot of our guests do all day when they're staying with us.
Don't get me wrong, some guests come to the English Riviera for a specific reason like to walk the South West Coastal path and enjoy the stunning scenery. Others make the very most of being in South Devon and are off out first thing in a morning and don't return until late at night having ticked off lots of tourist attractions throughout the day. They'll visit our museums, castles, National Trust Properties, go on the steam train and ferries, visit quaint villages like Cockington and really explore the area.
For many guests though, their primary reason for coming on holiday is to relax. They often have stressful lives, and spending a few days away and quality time with their loved one is all they want. Therefore they have very little planned for their time with us and will just go with the flow. They'll see where they end up and not aim to do anything or go anywhere in particular. Sometimes it's just nice to leave your car on our car park, your mobile phone in your room and see where the day takes you.
There's certainly plenty not to do! Those of you who have already visited will know what a lovely walk it is into town through Torre Abbey and along the Victorian promenade or via Rock Walk (Royal Terrace Gardens) to the harbour. There are plenty of benches on route so taking a seat and enjoying being on holiday is easy to do. There's also a plethora of bars, restaurants and cafés along the seafront, and as this is the English Riviera all of them have outdoor seating too so you can sit and people watch. Whether it's a nice cup of tea, a mid-morning flat-white or a spot of lunch, even an ice cream in the sun, it's all a reason to stop and do nothing.
The harbour area in Torquay is lovely and if you've ventured this far, you're now in the town centre. As with any town, we have a high street and plenty of shops to wander round. Our main high street is bigger than most, and there's every kind of shop you can imagine from independent clothes shops to high street brands, departments stores to owner-run coffee shops and cafés, charity shops to gift shops. Holiday makers seem to love a few hours wandering round the shops. I think it's something about being able to take your time. If you were at home, you'd have a reason to go to the shops like you need a new shirt so you make a dash to the shops, buy the first one in your size and go home again. On holiday it's a completely different experience. You have no-where particular you need to be so you can amble round the shops, browzing and trying on clothes, buying presents and having a general mooch in your own time. This must be why so many of our guests come back with arms full of carrier bags. If you feel you've done Torquay, another day you could hop on a ferry to nearby towns Paignton or Brixham.
If you do fancy a little culture while you're out, you could pop into Torre Abbey or Torquay Museum, or if you want something to do, there's the cinema, the bowling alley or you could play crazy golf. Then there's the pitch and putt, the tennis courts, the art galleries, or the crime museum. Or why not pop into The Elephant (our local Michelin star restaurant) for a long lunch (recently voted in the top ten most affordable Michelin star places to eat in the country). Afternoon tea is another relaxing experience to while away a few hours. Why not enjoy it at The Grand Hotel?
You'll no doubt be exhausted doing very little by now so if it was us we'd think it was high time for an alcoholic drink! One of our favourite bars is Coco with their afternoon sun and outdoor seating just next to Abbey Sands which you would have passed on the seafront on the way to the harbour. They get the last of the sun so it's an ideal late afternoon spot. They open about 4pm so we usually arrive around then to ensure we get a seat. We've enjoyed many a beer, G&T or glass of chilled wine sitting there watching the world go by.
Don't forget how easy it is to be #busydoingnothing at The 25 Boutique B&B too!
After a nice lie in, we serve breakfast until 9:30am so as long as you're in just before, you can take as long as you like then until you return back to your comfy bedroom. It's easy to spend time relaxing in your bedroom watching a film on Netflix or catching up on your favourite show. I'm sure Alexa would give you an easy listening play list if you ask her. You could help yourselves to a drink and a snack from the honesty bar in the drawing room and read a book on the sofas or go and enjoy the sun on our terrace. We have a selection of games and cards available in the drawing room too.
However you spend your time in Torquay, whether it be cramming in as much as possible or just being "busy doing nothing" then we hope you'll consider staying with us at The 25.