I have always wanted to stay at The Grand, I new this was going to be a different experience to the more modern feel of a London 5-star hotel and this certainly did transform me back to a Victorian era. If you were not expecting a ‘traditional’ hotel then you would be disappointed, but, for a change, it was nice to experience something different.

We didn’t book a car park space (I did not realise that you could), I believe these are priced at £25 per day, however we were able to drop off our bags and we were provided with a parking coupon for the local roads.

As we were checking in, the porter took our bags to the suite, check in was efficient, we had already booked a table for dinner on both nights but we had not booked breakfast (you do need a restaurant reservation for breakfast), again, I didn’t realise this and they only had very early or very late slots available, fortunately our suite had room to dine so we opted for a room service breakfast each day. We were staying in a Seaview Suite, this had traditional furniture, it was clean and well presented with a tv in the bedroom and lounge area. We didn’t have a balcony but did have great views of the pool and sea. Wifi in the room was very good.

After unpacking we went down to the outside pool, we were lucky to get 2 sun beds and enjoyed the afternoon by the pool, they do offer a drinks service (would have been nice if the staff were a little more pro-active, rather than having to find someone each time you needed a drink). The pool water is a great temperature and they have plenty of towels.

We had dinner in the Garden Restaurant on the first night, this offered a large menu with plenty of choice, the wine list was also impressive with some good reasonably priced bottles. The food was great and service excellent too.

Breakfast the next morning was a disaster, we filled out the menu choices the night before (the menu was collected by housekeeper during the turndown service), but unfortunately this didn’t arrive, I knew the hotel was full so waiting a while before chasing, when I called down to room service, they didn’t have any record of our order, we then had to start the order process and wait for the breakfast (we should have booked the late restaurant slot, it would have been quicker!). The breakfast was good, the bacon and sausages were good quality, poached eggs were a little over-done.

Another relaxing day by the pool and then diner in the Mirabelle Restaurant, we opted for the 7-course tasking menu (without the wine paring), again a good wine list, service was fantastic and the food was exceptional.

Unfortunately, the breakfast experience was again not great, I had booked a 10AM slot in the restaurant but felt this was going to be too late for us (as we were checking out that morning), so again we filled out the breakfast menu but this time dropped it off to reception, in the morning I called down to cancel the 10AM restaurant reservation. I ordered the breakfast for 8.30AM, and at 8.45AM, thought I had better check, when I called down I was told that I had cancelled the breakfast! – NO, I cancelled the 10AM reservation in the restaurant but not the room service breakfast! – At least they did have our menu card and didn’t have to wait too long.

I asked for the bill to be emailed over to me so that I could check this before checking out, on reviewing the bill I noticed an erroneous charge of c£65, I asked the reception to look at this as it didn’t correspond with any of the drinks/food charges that I made, they came back to me with ‘’it was for lager and cocktails’’, this was definitely not ours and advised them accordingly. Unfortunately, the charge had not been removed when I did check out at reception, this was rather annoying as I had already made them aware of the issue. I do feel that erroneous charges appear on guest bills too often (always check your bill!) and I am waiting for the hotel to explain what had happened? – They didn’t have the signed receipt available for me to look at.

So, a couple of niggles but on the whole we did enjoy ourselves, the hotel is dated but this has a certain charm, the staff are fantastic, I felt the food and drink prices were on the reasonable side for a five start hotel and we did enjoy the outside pool. I do hope to be able to return.

Some tips…..

- Book a parking space (if this is important to you).
- If you order a room service breakfast, call down and check they have the order.
- Book your restaurant reservations for dinner and breakfast (before you arrive).
- Check your bill for errors.

Feel like I'm somewhere really special when I am here. Beautiful surroundings and the staff are kind, friendly and helpful. I would love to be able to afford to stay for a week

Very slow service

Staff are very helpful , friendly and polite, we have always had a nice stay at the Grand.
It can be a bit pricey, but would recommend a stay
The spa is wonderful and the treatment we had was very good

Had a lovely couple of days early in July at The Grand....cheering on & pampering hubby after he had cycled the South Downs Way.
As always; staff were welcoming & helpful, our room was well equipped, the refreshments & food was delicious. We felt rested & could almost forget the world outside. Thank you

Amazing hotel the best in Eastbourne

Beautiful room and the breakfast was amazing

Will definitely be coming back
Very clean and will be recommending this hotel to many friends and family
Doorman staff were really Friendly down helped us out a lot

Good value as we utilised their 30 pct off promotion. Would definitely recommend if you can get the same offer as with no competition- it is the only 5 star in Eastbourne- full price is quite expensive.

Absolutely amazing place. Nothing is too much, staff is great, food amazing and cleaning top rate. Since we step in everything was great. Any request was done quickly and efficiently. We couldn’t ask for more.

The hotel has always been very comfortable and welcoming to our familyover the years on many occasions and it was impressive how the staff managed to maintain this, plus the sense of luxury, despite the current restrictions.

My stay at The Grand Hotel was absolutely brilliant. I enjoyed every minute. Very friendly and helpful staff and very luxurious surroundings. I can't wait to go back.

A perfect place for solo travellers- welcoming, friendly with unobtrusive and relaxed Covid measures in place. Excellent choice of food and drink with portion sizes perfectly balanced. There is always a very relaxed atmosphere.

Both my husband and I had a lovely time celebrating our 30th Wedding Anniversary at the Grand. The staff were welcoming and very accommodating. The only slight disappointment was the Spa experience my husband had - I would't bother with the Reflexology. I would definitely come back.

Lovely afternoon tea, excellent service.

From the friendly welcome at reception to the service at our table, all made this a special afternoon tea for my friend's 80th birthday. The catering staff even gave my diabetic friend low-sugar options on her own cake stand, together with a little cake and a 'Happy Birthday' sign. We will happily return again.

A lovely period hotel with friendly helpful staff, good food and bar service, particularly enjoyed Mirabelle restaurant. Stay was spoilt a bit by a failure to have the room ready with feather free bedding as requested due to a SEVERE allergy. Could be life threatening so not pleased but it was rectified speedily.Jacuzzi bath in our suite did not work throughout our stay.

We have been visiting this hotel for years. It is expensive but worth it. The location is great, as is the Health Club. Service in the restaurant can be slow, but the food is good and the staff were helpful in accommodating my son’s special dietary requirements. We will certainly visit again.

From arrival to departure, the staff were terrific. Breakfasts were great too, the first morning was a little shambolic but i think there were problems with new staff. Second morning was very much improved. But this dis not detract from our stay, which was great. Room was large and airy. Birds were noisy and we had bin lorries collecting bottles early one morning! But honestly it is a lovely hotel and the staff were terrific.

Hotel de 5 *, mais parece Hotel de 3*,e Com muita tristesa que vejo estes hoteis sem qualidade, pois este em portugal não teria mais de 3*

Great old fashioned hotel, located right on Eastbourne seafront . Nice that we asked for rooms together and got adjoining doors.The weather wasn’t great but we managed to check out the outside pool which was a nice bonus and very warm .

The whole experience was very enjoyable and the staff pleasant and helpful. The hotel location was very close to all amenities with ample parking on site.
The food at the restaurant was exceptional, though the wine list could have been more extensive.

A very nice stay with superb food and service in a quality hotel. The food was the best I have experienced in the UK and the staff are extremely sharp in catering to your every need. Expensive but very enjoyable!

Beautiful hotel stepping back in time. Rooms refurbished. Restaurant delightful. Outdoor pool very warm and inviting. All staff respectful, polite but treat guests as friends. Recommend sea view room.

Lovely old hotel. First floor sea view rooms, some have large balconies with table/chairs to enjoy the gorgeous view in private. All Covid measures in place. Exemplary service from all staff. Large en-suite rooms. Most comfortable hotel bed EVER! Great breakfast, cooked to order plus continental, order whatever you like. All staff wearing masks and gloves.
Downside - no music or any kind of entertainment in the evenings, a lot of guests are over 70 so maybe that’s why, they’re all heading up to bed after dinner so the bar is pretty empty 😂🥂

Great food and service

Very traditional hotel which would benefit from significant investment and upgrades to the exterior and much of the interior.
Extremely pleasant staff.
The refurbished bedrooms are nice.
Internal pool is small and gloomy.
Dining is a long way short of "5 star" quality.
All in all, overpriced for the quality and facilities provided.