I recently enjoyed dinner and an overnight stay at the newly opened Mercure Paignton with my husband and son. This was a #invited experience, thanks to their PR company, following the opening of this £30 million new build.

The Hotel

The hotel is well placed across the road from Paignton seafront with views of the pier and in walking distance to plenty of seaside fun including the arcades and an indoor glow-in-the-dark crazy golf. Being near public transport, including the fab South Devon stretch of the railway line, it’s very easy to get to or make use of for a day out. The hotel is modern but not too bare, with plenty of sea blue touches giving warmth and comfort and reflecting the seafront it overlooks.

Mercure Paignton say that their “interior design draws inspiration from the 19th-century seafront houses and the UNESCO Global Geopark. Subtle nods to the glamour of the English Riviera and natural botanical shades create an inviting ambiance throughout the hotel.”

The Room

We enjoyed the comfort and pleasure of a Deluxe Privilege Room with double bed and sofa bed with bay view. I’m sure the bed was larger than double though, as hubby and I weren’t squished in the middle like we would normally be on a double.

The sofa bed was in it’s ‘sofa form’ when we arrived so was great to sit on and enjoy the view, with it being made into the sofa bed in the evening whilst we dined.

Like the ground floor restaurant and sociable areas, the rooms are a rich yet calm blue with touches of gold bringing light and a touch of glamour into the space. The room included eco-friendly toiletries, a state-of-the-art smart TV, a large walk-in shower room, complimentary water, Nespresso coffee machine, and the very useful free wifi (teen was super happy).

They have family, pet friendly and accessible rooms across a good range of budgets, and plenty with that all important sea view! We we very impressed by the quality of the blackout curtains as well, as these kept the morning light out perfectly for a lay in for the family.

Dinner

In addition to the accommodation, there is a lovely bar, terrace and their Latitude 50 restaurant, which is open to residents and non-residents alike.

After some deliciously created cocktails on the terrace including my fave Espresso Martini, we enjoyed:

Starters:

• Lamb shoulder and olive croquette with zaalouk and a poached egg
• Salt and pepper squid
• Pork belly bites with carrot remoulade

Mains:

• Braised featherblade of beef, shallot puree, thyme and parmesan triple cooked chip
• Brixham fish and chips
• Moules frites in a classic white wine garlic and cream sauce with fries and baguette
• A side of chargrilled sprouting broccoli, garlic, anchovies and chilli

The food was really delicious, well cooked and with good portion sizes. The mussels were a great size as you’d expect from the local catch, and I was particularly impressed by the softness and taste of the braised beef. The lamb croquette was also especially tastebud-tingling! We feel there was a nice mix of comforting and well known dishes, and then some special dishes with interesting touches.

Latitude 50 has a mix of dark wood, and velvet seating, cream marble tables, and hints of gold amongst the lighting, it’s a calm, yet sophisticated space. For the Paignton area, and especially so close the beach, we think this is fairly unique as many other places are very casual with a more basic offering.

The Morning After

Being an avid sea-dipper, I popped out across the road and had my morning fill of nature and the sea before heading back to get cleaned up for that all important breakfast! The offering was a mix of hot and cold buffet, with plenty on offer, and self serve coffee machines.

Verdict

We had a really comfortable stay with some tasty food, and I would highly recommend them as a base for a Paignton or South Devon break, no matter the time of year.

You can visit their website here.

2023 © Disclosure – all images, unless otherwise stated are copyright of Dining Devon. For some of our visits we are #invited or products are #gifted, and are noted as such. This means we have been given something complimentary in exchange for our views in the hope of us sharing on our socials. This does not affect our opinions which are not seen or pre approved by venues before we publish or share our experiences