The Cream Of Devon

I would definitely recommend driving to this resort, as you need a car to appreciate the magnificent views and explore the coves of the south coast. A trip to the Eden Project is definitely recommended, as the biospheres are absolutely breathtaking and the man-made jungle is fascinating. I was plesantly surprised by Eden, as it was actually my partner who suggested it, but if the idea of lots of plants doesn't excite you, do not be put off - there is much, much more to see and do. Paignton is also very close by and worth visiting, as it's a typical old-fashioned seaside resort with a pier with old penny machines.

Quick Tips:

Don't be on a diet when you visit Devon - the food is just too delicious to resist. There are lovely cafes dotted around the coastline, and the fish and chips are irresistible. I would also suggest taking comfy shoes, as most of the things to do involve a lot of walking around.

Best Way To Get Around:

You can't survive without a car in Devon - everywhere is so spread out, and to fully enjoy the area, you need to drive to places where buses cannot reach.

Best Things Nearby:
The town of Torquay is only a short drive away; you can walk there, but beware of the steep hills. In Torquay there are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants all around the harbour so you can sit and watch the fishing boats. Paignton is about 10 miles away and is worth a visit as it still has an old-fashioned pier. Paignton also has a zoo which is worth a visit if you have your family with you. Also just a few hours drive is the Eden Project which is in St. Austell, read my activity listing for more information.

Best Things About the Resort:
Its location was amazing: our apartment overlooked the sea and we woke every morning to the waves splashing and sun shining into our bedroom window. In the summer I would definetely say the pool and the activities such as Tennis, Lawn Chess, mini golf and if you walk 2 minutes to the front of the resort is the beach where you can do watersports and build sandcastles.

Resort Experience:
I would definitely recommend this resort, but would suggest having a car as it is high on a cliff and quite a trek into town. Our apartment was lovely, slightly old-fashioned, but very spacious and homey. It was well decorated and had everything we could want including a conservatory at the back (this isnt the case with all of the apartments).

We went to the bar and restaurant one evening and it was reasonably priced and very tasty. All the amenities are good and the staff was very helpful and nice.

In front of the resort is the swimming pool which wasnt open when we travelled as it is only open in the summer time but looked lovely and I can imagine the views from the pool in the summer are amazing. We also made use of the tennis courts which are within the complex.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

We spent a day at the Eden Project and, initially, it wasn’t something I was really looking forward to doing as my expectations of the place were not high. Once we arrived, we parked our car and had to walk about half a mile to the entrance -- you can get a bus, but we found them quite infrequent.

When you have gone through the main doors, you enter the outdoor area and can just see two huge biomes; one is the humid tropics biome, the largest conservatory in the world, and one is the warm temperate biome. In the outdoor area, there are different exhibits set up and you are able to interact with them, which would be great for kids and also educational. When we went, the weather was quite cold and a little rainy, but once you walk into the biomes, everything changes. In the humid tropics biome, we literally had to remove most of our layers as it was really warm in there. In the warm temperate, we found it more comfortable to walk around, but in both, we found it absolutely fascinating being able to see what grows in these areas and we also got to taste the fruit and vegetables.

This is one place I would definitely recommend visiting even if plants are not your thing. I promise you it is amazing and worth the £10 entrance fee. I would suggest visiting in the afternoon when it is less busy and you get to spend more time at each exhibit.