Hilton opens its doors - with a little help from Bert & Buoy and a Riviera palm tree

Torquay’s new Hampton by Hilton hotel is opening its doors with a little help from a palm tree and Bert & Buoy the artist.

The hotel is at the heart of the £32 million Torwood Street development in Torquay which has been more than a decade in the making.

It has already opened its doors to key and essential workers. But the grand and official opening to visiting guests is scheduled for May  17 – if Boris Johnson’s Covid roadmap goes according to plan and the tourism and hospitality sector locally and nationally is allowed to re-open after the latest lockdown.

Developers the THAT group say the hotel ‘celebrates the South Coast and tells a narrative of seaside playfulness and nostalgia for the Great British holiday’.

A spokesman said: “Passionate about Torquay as a holiday destination, the hotel celebrates life on the South Devon Coast.”

Hampton by Hilton have worked with South Devon artist Bert Fowler of Bert & Buoy to capture a sense of nostalgia and the joys of British hospitality on the coast with an immersive art experience.

The spokesman said: “Bert and Buoy have created a series of nautical artwork and playful motifs that are exclusive to the hotel.

“Bert’s coastal colours and nautical motifs run all the way through the hotel in various forms; from an impressive 10m oceanic entrance mural to subtle graphics on menus and framed artwork in the bedrooms.”

The hotel comprises 131 contemporary guestrooms, complimentary hot breakfast, open-plan lobby with bar and restaurant, free Wi-Fi, a 24 hour fitness centre and business meeting rooms.

The spokesman said: “The hotel is set to become a beloved landmark in Torquay.”

And that is why it also includes a striking exterior with a Riviera Palm Tree growing through its front entrance canopy!