The Grand Hotel

The Grand Hotel is a traditional four-star seafront hotel on Torbay's Sea Front at TQ2 6NT, a short coastal walk from Torquay's harbour and Princess Pier. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating and sits among Torquay's more dependable dog-welcoming choices for a classic English seaside break.

Guests travelling with dogs repeatedly point to a warm staff welcome, an easy seafront location, and plenty of free parking outside the hotel. Several are long-standing regulars who return year after year with their dogs, which tends to be a stronger signal of genuine pet-friendliness than any single glowing review. The hotel clearly runs with dogs as a normal part of the guest mix rather than an exception, to the point that guests who would rather not share a hotel with dogs occasionally grumble that there are too many of them about.

There are practical trade-offs worth knowing. Dogs are only accommodated in specific designated rooms, and guests who stayed in them describe basic, sometimes tired rooms on the smaller side, often without a sea view, so expect a budget-class room rather than one of the period rooms with a view. A £20 per night pet charge applies on top of the room rate, with a second dog charged at £10 per night. Dogs are also not permitted in the main restaurant or breakfast room, which several guests found awkward, particularly families juggling young children and a dog at the breakfast buffet, although part of the bar is set aside for guests who want to eat with their dog beside them.

The Grand suits couples and solo travellers with a well-mannered dog who want a traditional seafront hotel and do not mind eating separately from their pet at mealtimes. It is a weaker fit for families with young children plus a dog, where the dining restriction is harder to work around, or for anyone set on a larger room with a view as part of the stay.