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Fawlty Towers hotel to relaunch in September
The Torquay hotel connected to the creation of one of the most memorable British comic creations, Basil Fawlty, is to relaunch in September following an extensive refurbishment programme.
The former owner of Hotel Gleneagles in Torquay – the late Donald Sinclair – was John Cleese’s inspiration for the character of Basil Fawlty and was described by Cleese as “the most wonderfully rude man I’ve ever met”.
During the early seventies, John Cleese and the Monty Python team briefly stayed at the hotel while filming.
Sinclair is said to have thrown Eric Idle’s briefcase out of the window, claiming that it was a bomb and, when an unsuspecting guest enquired as to the time of the next bus into town, the eccentric hotelier replied by chucking a bus timetable at their head. The team were disturbed enough to eventually move to a different hotel.
Hotel Gleneagles will be remarketed as a boutique-style property for its autumn relaunch.
The interior of the hotel – which has 41 en-suite bedrooms, a large conservatory and an outdoor heated swimming pool – has been completely revamped. Ceilings have been raised, mirrors and Italian chandeliers installed, furniture imported from Holland and new carpets have been laid.
Operations manager at Hotel Gleneagles, Trevor Cornish, said: “We’re going to be boutique and we’re going to be different.” Details: www.hotel-gleneagles.com