PlacesToStay.org.uk
landmark · Paignton
Compare Paignton seafront and Torquay hotel bases for Paignton Zoo, with current house closures, hilly routes and family-room choices.
Advertisement · We may earn commission from bookings through our partner links.
Find stays near Paignton Zoo on the map ↓Paignton Zoo gives an English Riviera break a substantial wildlife day among wooded paths, play areas and habitats across a hilly 80-acre site. Stay on Paignton seafront for a promenade evening and a separate journey inland to Totnes Road, or choose Torquay for a hotel by the station and time around Torre Abbey. The zoo is not on either seafront, so the useful comparison is the setting around your visit rather than an imagined hotel at the gate. Current development has changed the routes, and three indoor houses are closed for maintenance.
FIND YOUR BASE
Paignton keeps the overnight in the zoo’s own town while adding an Esplanade Road hotel and a seaside evening.
Good for: A zoo-focused family break with promenade time.
Before you choose: The seafront and Totnes Road zoo are separate locations. Arrange the bus or road journey rather than treating a beach hotel as entrance-side accommodation.
Torquay adds a different Riviera setting, with The Grand beside the station and Torre Abbey as a contrasting cultural stop.
Good for: A longer stay combining animals, the bay and local history.
Before you choose: The zoo journey starts in another town. Allow for the return connection and choose the actual family room and outlook, rather than assuming every room faces the sea.
EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS
Explore accommodation near Paignton Zoo. Check the route to the visitor entrance before booking.
The map starts at Paignton Zoo. Move towards Paignton seafront or Torquay for the researched hotel bases.
Advertisement · Map supplied by Stay22
The map loads automatically as you scroll to this section.
Map not loading? Open the accommodation map separately ↗
ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
The two seaside addresses give different Riviera evenings. Compare Paignton’s Esplanade Road with Torquay’s station-side seafront, then plan the zoo journey.
Esplanade Road supports the Paignton seaside base. Compare the two-double-bed and sofa-bed categories and select a named outlook if it matters.
Before you book: Choose the exact bed arrangement and outlook; some rooms have a restricted view. Confirm parking charges and space availability, and discuss the complete access route if needed.
Visit official website22-25 Esplanade Road, Paignton, TQ4 6BQ
A seafront hotel on Esplanade Road overlooking Paignton Green, with double, larger family and named bay-view room categories.
Sources checked 2026-09-24
The station-side seafront address supports Torquay. Confirm the family bed layout and view category, with a separate journey to the zoo.
Before you book: Confirm the actual beds and adult or child occupancy, bathroom and step-free route. Check parking arrangements and leisure terms before booking; the hotel name alone does not specify a sea view.
Visit official websiteSea Front, Torbay Road, Torquay, TQ2 6NT
A hotel at the Torquay station end of the seafront, useful for comparing arrival convenience with Park Hill Road. Its room names distinguish station, inland and sea outlooks.
Sources checked 2026-09-17
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Compare Torquay harbour, Torre Abbey Sands and Babbacombe, with hotel-view distinctions and a manageable two-night plan.
FAMILY BREAKS
Use the current map to choose manageable sections, with play and food breaks between them. The large, hilly site and indoor-house closures make an all-at-once circuit less useful than a paced visit.
ROMANTIC BREAKS
A seafront meal and a slower morning give a wildlife-focused couple a fuller break. Torquay adds Torre Abbey, but its lift is currently out of service, so check access before making that the cultural finish.
A LITTLE ROOM TO EXPLORE
Frame the wildlife day with a Riviera evening, then choose a modest seaside or cultural finish before travelling home.
Arrive at the chosen hotel, leave luggage and spend the evening around its own seafront. Make the next morning’s Totnes Road journey explicit before dinner.
Give Paignton Zoo the main day, choosing current open areas, ranger talks and rest stops from the map. Leave time to revisit an animal area rather than trying to pair the zoo with another large attraction.
From Paignton, keep a simple seaside breakfast and departure. From Torquay, add Torre Abbey if its opening and current lift restriction suit your party. These are alternative finishes in the base you chose.
Less time? With one night, keep the zoo and local dinner. Omit Torre Abbey if it would compress the main visit or complicate access.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
The zoo currently lists the Ape Centre, Savannah House and Desert House as closed for essential maintenance. No reopening date is given. Check the latest notice if any of these is central to your visit.
No. The zoo says hire is confirmed only after its team contacts you. Request equipment ahead, allow for the refundable cash deposit and use the access map to avoid the more difficult slopes.
The zoo has free on-site parking, including accessible bays, but spaces are first come, first served. This does not include parking at your hotel or on the seafront.
No. Animals may rest out of sight or be temporarily off show for welfare reasons. Treat keeper talks and current routes as planning aids, not guaranteed sightings.
No. Visitors need their own compatible sling. The facility is beside Whitley’s Kitchen; a RADAR key can be requested from the team if needed.
Research-led base and accommodation comparisons, not firsthand reviews. Attraction admission and accommodation are booked separately.
Sources checked 2026-09-24. Check current arrangements before travelling.
