Heavenly scents in picturesque South Devon

Cliffden Hotel in Teignmouth, set in seven acres of magnificent scented landscaped gardens, is the perfect place to relax or to discover the beauty of the English Riviera.

A potted history of the Cliffden Hotel

Cliffden House was built in 1815 for Sir John Strachan on 35 acres of grounds adjacent to the Dawlish Road. The original gardens were built in the Regency style gardens, with smooth lawns, shrubberies and trelliswork and wall-plants against the lower storey of the house. The story of Cliffden House and its development goes a bit quiet until 1912, when Heber Mardon purchased Cliffden. The gardens of the Cliffden remained much the same until then, except fot a tennis court built by the Tinline family from South Africa who owned Cliffden from 1900 – 1912.

In 1914 Mardon commissioned Messrs. Treseder & Co to design and lay out his garden at Cliffden, with the work being completed in 1920 and, according to Messrs. Treseder & Co’s 1920 catalogue, “The garden was transformed from a piece of pasture land into a place of delight, where Nature can be enjoyed in the varied seasons of the year.” Features included a small stream, seven artificial ponds, conifers, flowers and a three acre lawn with superb views.

In 1927, Cliffden was purchased by the Mules family for use as a retreat for women suffering from psychiatric disorders, but Drs. Bertha and Annie Mules transferred the ownership of Cliffden to their brother Dr. Roger Mules who moved into Cliffden with his wife Ruth after the death of his sister Bertha in 1963. In 1970, a new wing was added for the family’s private use.

In 1988, when Dr Mules retired, he put Cliffden House up for sale with the understanding that Cliffden and its grounds would be used for the greater good and it was sold and converted into a hotel associated with Guide Dogs for the Blind. In 2001, Action for Blind People took on the management of the hotel.

 

Hotel Facilities

The Cliffden has a wide range of facilities and services to help make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Swimming Pool at Cliffden Hotel

Hotel facilities

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