PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Page 77
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A SPECIAL HOTEL FOR COACH TOURISTS.
An Innovation Which is Likely to Make a Strong Appeal to Coach Owners. A Paignton Hotel Proprietor's Enterprise.
THEdevelopment of touring by motor coach continues to proceed apace, and from the arrangements which are being made for the forthcoming season by enterprising coach owners throughout the length and breadth of
the country it would appear that the 1928 season is destined to be one of importance in the history of the travelby-road movement. With an increasing iteterest being shown by the public in this form of recreative travel, it is only natural that the need for hotels in places that possess scenic or historic associations, and which are likely to he stopping places for the night, should assume much importance.
There is, of course, quite a number of hotels in the largest places at which motor-coach tourists often call, but accommodation at many of them is not always available for a large number of visitors who are, perhaps, only staying for a night. It would, therefore, seem that the obvious development in connection with this branch of the movement must be along the lines of the establishment of special hotels the proprietors of which set themselves out to cater mainly for the motor tourist.
Perhaps the first hotel which can claim to come within this category is the Paignton Hydro Hotel, which has been built specially to attract the motor tourist. It is situated in a good pesition on the sea front at Paignton overlooking Torbay and Torquay, and the facilities are such that four motorcoach parties can be accommodated each day. It is managed personally by the ?proprietor, Mr. W. Purkis, who also owns the Palm Court Hotel at Torquay, and who is well known amongst the principal motor-coach operators throughout the country, this being clearly indicated by the fact that he received over 3,000 motor-coach bookings last season.
If at any time there should be a call for more extended accommodation than is offered by the Paignion Hydro Hotel, rooms are available at the Palm Court Hotel.
The Paignton Hydro Hotel will be run on first-class lines, which is a wise policy when one considers that there is now, a tendency for the better-class traveller to make greater use of the Motor 'coach.
Motor-coach owners who ran . daily or weekly trips to Torbay from Bristol, Bournemouth, Exeter, Penzance, and other centres will find special interest in the booklet which sets out menus for all meals—at different prices and to suit all tastes—and a special feature will be made of seeing that the meals are ready at the time the party is due to arrive.
The Paignton Hydro Hotel is fitted up in the most up-to-date manner, with running water in all the bedrooms. It has a splendid Tudor dining-hall designed by Mr. Mather, of Loudon, the designer of the Plaza and the Kit Cat Restaurant. A London orchestra will be in attendance during the season to dispense music during meal hours, and it will be available for dancing when required. A sun lounge overlooks both the sea and the lawn.
An office has been established to afford full information in regard to motor-coach and other tours, and visitors will be-able to book to any centre to which they desire to travel.
The exterior of the hotel is in the half-timbered Tudor style, and attached to' it is a garage which will accommodate eight of the largest types of motor coach. It is equipped with 'fuel pumpa from which petrol will be supplied at commercial rates. It is interesting to note that arrangements have been made so that drivers and conductors can 'be put up, and the facilities which are available for their use include bathrooms.
Hairdressing saloons for ladies and gentlemen are a prominent feature of the hotel.
The knowledge that the hotel is now rapidly booking up for the season', trade will be of general interest to motor-coach owners, and those who contemplate tours to this part of the country should apply for open dates.