Built by William Mackworth Praed in 1769 as the Assembly Rooms, the ABode Exeter, formally the Royal Clarence Hotel, is credited as being the first hotel in England. On 7th September 1770, an advert appeared using the word hôtel for the first time, published by the landlord, Frenchman Pierre Berlon. The hotel was eventually named after the Duchess of Clarence (Queen Adelaide), wife of the future King William IV, who stayed there in July 1827.