Highlights
- Robert Smith designed the Redcliffe Hotel in 1852 after serving 29 years with East India Company's Bengal Engineers.
- British officer worked on UNESCO World Heritage sites in India and designed palaces for Rajah of Murshidabad.
- Year-long refurbishment will restore original Indian architectural features while reducing rooms from 67 to 55.
A historic Devon hotel designed to resemble an Indian Maharaja's palace by a former East India Company military officer is undergoing a major refurbishment that will restore its splendour by early 2027.
The Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton, which occupies a prime sandstone headland between Paignton and Preston beaches with panoramic views of Torbay, was designed in 1852 by Robert Smith following his retirement from nearly three decades of service in India.
Smith, born in France in 1787, joined the East India Company at age 16 and enlisted with the Bengal Engineers.
During his distinguished career, he became renowned as an exceptional surveyor, mapmaker and draughtsman, fighting in Mauritius and Nepal while designing bridges, roads, harbours and lighthouses across the subcontinent.
According to writer and photographer Gethin Thomas's 'My World Photography' blog, Smith designed palaces for the Indian Rajah of Murshidabad in West Bengal and worked on restoring the Qutb Minar tower in Delhi, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
His extensive experience working with Indian red sandstone profoundly influenced his architectural vision for the Redcliffe.
Ill health forced Smith's retirement from India in 1832 at age 45. He moved to Devon to be near his sister Mary, his only surviving relative who lived in Torquay's Warren Road.
Using inherited wealth from his French heiress bride, Smith commissioned local builder J.R.K Tozer to construct the Redcliffe based on his own designs.
Modern restoration vision
Documents held at University College London describe the building as a fusion of Indian, Italian and Gothic features, with a central rotunda and two wings.
The project was completed in 1864, though Smith relocated to his sister's home in 1872 following her death, living there until September 1873.
The Singer family later acquired the property, initially operating it as a convalescent home for sailors and soldiers before converting it to a hotel in 1902.
The Twigger family developed it into one of Torbay's premier hotels from 1979, hosting regular guests including novelist Dick Francis and cricket umpire Dickie Bird.
Tudor Hotels Collection, which purchased the Redcliffe in 2021, received Torbay Council approval in 2024 for renovations restoring Indian-style elements.
The refurbishment will reduce guest rooms from 67 to 55 while adding enhanced spa facilities, a new restaurant/bar and upgraded dining areas.
Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS)
