We spent 5 nights in junior suite 220, with our son on a creaky sofa bed in the lounge and it cost a LOT of money. The whole hotel is actually a bit shabby and needs a refurb (peeling wallpaper, cobwebs, patchy carpet). The breakfast started off ok but on our last day it took 4 attempts to bring us 2 medium boiled eggs each correctly. My husband got one hard boiled and one soft and when mine arrived 5 mins later, both were so soft they were entirely liquid and I couldn't stomach them. I gave up at this point and had cold toast as it had taken over an hour. The day before that it took over an hour to get breakfast because the staff were run off their feet and it took an age to get served. We spent a nice couple of afternoons by the outdoor pool, which was the primary reason we booked as we thought there was nice weather coming, but the water had a visible film on it, there are not enough sunbeds for hot days and it's almost impossible to get served a drink. Staff should be walking round the beds all the time. The indoor pool is small and dark and none of it felt very clean. Although they have their 5 stars in all honesty it needs a lot of work. The staff were lovely but I didn't notice really exceptional service over and above what we'd reasonably expect at those prices. No air con in the room and wifi was patchy - lounge ok, bedroom nothing. As mentioned by others the Windows rattled when it was windy at night. If we hadn't used the pool during our mini holiday I'd have felt I didn't get value for money - as it is I am still wondering if it justified the high price tag. I got the impression that many of the guests like to think they are a cut above staying here, the rest chose what they thought was 5 star and got a poor relation.

I am a disabled person and upon arrival we found that we had a designated parking space (with our name on it!) very close to the entrance. Immediately. John, a member of staff appeared and took our luggage into the hotel for us. Unfortunately rooms are not available until 3.00pm, so we had a few hours wait before we could get changed and into holiday mode. When we were eventually given our key my husband went to look at the room and was dismayed to find that it was on the fourth floor, the main lift stops at the third floor and you have to walk round to another lift to take you up to the next floor. This lift, however, is so small that it would not accommodate my mobility scooter. I must say that we were allotted another room quite quickly but had to wait (again) this time for it to be inspected. It was a pleasant room, much better than the one originally allotted, which according to my husband was like a small garret room with small windows! Although room was OK with nice sea views, there was no wow factor. This room was £260 per night (we took advantage of a deal on offer).

The outside of this hotel is very impressive but the inside is faded grandeur. It certainly does need a refurb. The hotel is situated at the end of the seafront and although this makes for a very quiet night, it is quite a long walk to the main area, pier etc.

We had lovely weather and the swimming pool is lovely, with a lifeguard on duty all the time that we sat there. The children seemed to be having a lovely time. Possibly could do with some more sun loungers, especially some that don't leave black marks on your clothes.

We had dinner in the restaurant, ordering a sirloin steak and crepes suzette each. This was ridiculously expensive (£104 for two, no drinks) given the very average steak and SIX chips, two mushrooms and a few tomatoes on the vine! I must say, however, that the Garden Room restaurant itself was very classy. Service was very good. Food mediocre.

We had breakfast (and dinner of which all must be booked beforehand) in this restaurant and was taken on a route march through the restaurant, passing empty tables laid for two, given that I have walking and breathing difficulties, this was quite an ordeal. We were eventually shown to a table outside of the main restaurant, in the corridor alongside and I was offered a glass of water! Breakfast, again, average. Quite a good selection but our toast must have just been waved over the toaster, all white and floppy, and should you be able to SLICE scrambled egg?

Did not get the morning paper we ordered.

I hope this doesn't sound too negative because the service we received from the personnel was great, just a few tweaks in the hotel itself are needed. Would we stay here again? Maybe!

We had a fantastic time at the Grand hotel for a short weekend break. The hotel has lots of charm and although it is in need of renovation in some areas it is a fantastic seaside hotel. The location is great and we were able to walk to the famous downs within 15minutes. We ate out of the hotel at local smaller restaurants but enjoyed a very good breakfast. Our room was number 229 and we had a beautiful view of the sea. On request we asked for more shower gels and this was also no problem.

Wonderful experience in this hotel. Exellent staff who are very attentive. Aloways willing to help . The hotel is like going back in time and is a splendid venue to enjoy a relaxing break. Can highly recommend. Good breakfasts. Parking is tight but the staff do their utmost to take the stress out of finding a spot. Wonderful service.

Beautiful hotel, lovely room. Expensive drinks in the bar and restaurant. However, our stay was a wonderful experience, and perfect for a special occasion. The staff were welcoming and extremely courteous.

We stayed at the Grand Hotel for my husbands birthday in a partial sea view room (132). The room was lovely, loads of space, big windows which let the light pour in and the bed was huge and spongy. The staff at the hotel are amazing, all of them friendly, polite and attentive. We ordered some bubbles through room service and it was presented beautifully. Breakfast was delicious, with a huge selection of hot and cold choices. This is one of the more expensive hotels along the sea front but you get what you pay for and this was defiantly a five star hotel. We look forward to coming to stay again.

Another delightful stay at this wonderful hotel that is in a prime position for viewing the annual Airborne Eastbourne Air Show. Like something from an Agatha Christie film you step back in time to this wonderful, charming, welcoming white palace. Staff in abundance to ensure all visitors are served quickly and politely. The health club is a fabulous way to start a relaxing stay with a massage. The outdoor pool heated and bathed in the summer sunshine was a delightful place to be as the aircraft displayed above our heads. A delicious breakfast each morning set us up for the day. Thank you to all at The Grand for what was an absolutely fabulous weekend.

I've just returned from a very relaxing, three night stay at the Grand with my mother and my two daughters. This was my first visit to the Grand hotel but my mother has stayed here previously, including Christmas.
The hotel throughly deserves 5 stars as the staff were utterly brilliant. From being greeted as you arrive by the porters who park your car and reception staff, to the bar and dining staff, and housekeeping and spa staff. They were all amazing.
We booked the dinner, bed and breakfast package and found each meal very enjoyable. We also dined in the Mirabelle and highly recommend booking this restaurant if you are considering staying at this hotel.
We stayed in two suites with stunning sea views which were large and comfortable but a tad dated. On our last night, I moved with my children to a refurbished room which I much preferred and will certainly book again.
We were extremely lucky with the weather and able to use the outdoor pool ( spotlessly clean) and sun loungers ( limited amount available ) and go for lovely walks along the sea front.
I would highly recommend this hotel and will most certainly return again !!!

Our daughter booked us all into the Grand for Sunday lunch as an anniversary treat and WOW! what a treat it was. I have been there for a drink before but never a meal well we really look forward to next time. If you are looking for fabulous surroundings, good service and great food well we got all that and what's more it was not over priced. To be fair you wouldn't want to pay much more for lunch but it was worth every penny.
They even did a special 'extra' dessert for our anniversary.

This hotel has the best staff, the beautiful rooms and the perfect location. The hotel ca park was full when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon as a wedding was taking place and they had 95% occupancy. The doorman noticed we had driven in and out of the gates, he actually came out onto the road where we were parking, took our bags and told us to bring the car around so he could double park it for us in the car park. Our bags were inside with the concierge when we had finished checking in with the friendly & polite receptionist, we were taken to our room by the concierge & he pointed out where everything was enroute to our room, which was large and classically decorated, huge sash bay windows, tea & coffe making facility, with an good sized ensuite which was a shower over a bath tub, with small sized toiletries provided. I was feeling unwell the following day after eating out at a local restaurant so we used room service for 3 meals - the service and food were excellent, the server/room service manager knew we were gluten free and suggested what we could eat safely. We ate in the hotel restaurant on Monday morning, again service was impeccable- I cannot fault this hotel, it is, what I wish other hotels would be, in the UK a true 5 star experience without being snooty with fabulous staff who appear to go the extra mile.

This is a five-star experience at a five-star price, but you do really get what you pay for. From excellence of the valet parking (going like one-armed paper-hangers on the busy Friday of the year), reception staff, bar staff and waiters, the staff are almost universally well-trained and courteous. I say almost because the lead waiter at breakfast was the exception with his surly manner and inefficient management, leading to several grumbles about delays in delivery of tea and toast. However, this was a minor quibble. The hotel is a throwback to an age of service and elegance, lovely public rooms, well-appointed and comfortable rooms and a smashing, secluded outdoor swimming pool. Brilliant located on the esplanade, yet feeling as if it's in its own exclusive world. None of this comes cheap but as a treat it was hard to beat. We've already booked the same weekend for next year!

We stayed 3 nights during the Eastbourne airshow 2016.
The position of the hotel is great and they have on-site parking (which is a great benifit during the airshow).
The staff were fantastic, but the wi-fi was non-exisitent in our room (#235).
We had an executive room, which advertised as having free wifi, obviously executives in Eastbourne are so high flying they don't need wi-fi !!!
Reception were well used to dealing with this complaint, so I guess its a common one (I was not the only one complaining at the time).
We used the in-house Garden restaurant twice and were very happy with the traditional english food - prices were about double what you might expect in a local restaurant, but the service and quality were worth it.
For the in-house restaurant in the evening they want you to wear a collar, tie and jacket, which is fine, but there was no iron / ioning board in the room with which to make sure your shirt, or dress for that matter is crease free. So I guess they don't mind if you clothes look a mess as long as you tick the boxes for what you are wearing.
Breakfast was excellent - best fried bread I have had for years !!!

We spent 3 nights at this fabulous hotel in 2 rooms as our first rooms' window opened onto roof space where the very noisy fans for the hotel were located. We were lucky to be able to move to a junior suite, at an additional cost, which then opened up onto a busy road where the builders opposite provided the noise. We were unable to have the windows open at night because of the traffic noise and unbelievably a room that cost over £300 per night did not have air conditioning or a fan provided, unless requested. The rooms also do not have a mini bar or a fridge which lesser hotels provide as a matter of course.

My one real complaint is cleanliness, in both rooms the toilet had a wooden toilet seat, which isn't a problem unless, as in both these cases, the wood veneer has blown which allows germs and bacteria to grow and multiply in the toilet seat, easily remedied replace with hygienic resin seats. There is lovely wood paneling up the staircase above the hand rails which doesn't appear to have been dusted or cleaned for quite some time as do the skirting boards in the halls and rooms. I spilt some body lotion on the floor in my bathroom and when I wiped it up I noticed the tissue was dirty so I took a lovely fluffy white face cloth, run it under the tap and wiped the bathroom floor, not impressed as it was very dirty, I left a note for the maid to not just sweep the bathroom floor but to wash it as well, I really do think this should be done on a daily basis.

Having said that everything else is perfect, the level of service is as you would expect, the food is beautifully presented and delicious and you are looked after by the staff as if royalty. The attention to detail is phenomenal from the appetisers delivered to your table before dinner down to the room maids traditional outfits.

I will go back to the hotel, despite my previous comments, as you really are looked after and totally spoiled during your visit all in all I believe everybody deserves to experience this level of luxury.

My husband and I fancied a night somewhere new & different - so decided on The Grand Hotel Eastbourne.

Overall, I felt it was good value at £165 per night for a double room with breakfast. However, I was disappointed by the room (room 217).

More detail:

Pros:
Impressive looking hotel
Good location right of the seafront & a short walk from the pier & town centre
Well maintained
Good service
Friendly staff
Impressive looking common rooms (louge, bar, dinning room etc)
Very clean
Good quality bedding (lose the bedspread!) & towels
Molton Brown toiletries

Cons:
Room - I was so disappointed as I walked into the room. It felt like my grandmothers spare room, last decorated c.1988. Matching floral bedspread, valance & curtains!?!
Corridors leading to bedrooms - smelt like an old library & could with a good airing.
Common rooms - grand, well maintain but a little dated. Lacked atmospher & 'life'.

This is an amazing hotel! The staff are friendly and couldn't do enough for you. The rooms were bright and airy and as for the food that was phenomenal. I would definitely recommend this hotel. The facilities are amazing too

Excellent friendly hotel with amazing atmosphere and staff.

This hotel is certainly 'grand' and with its many seating areas, maintains true Victorian style. Good location at the quiet end of the sea view road. Staff very friendly and helpful. Rooms clean & comfortable with all the facilities; tea, coffee, TV and modern bathroom. The Garden Restaurant had ambience and the food was varied and flavoursome; however, service in the evening was at times, slow. The indoor pool is small and too warm for my liking, but outdoor pool lovely. Treatments are available but need to book on arrival to ensure a slot. I would recommend this hotel for those who want to relax; not really suitable for children.

Stayed here within the last 7 days but will not go back as overpriced and underwhelming. Front of house, bars and staff live up to the hotels rating, but get into the room it is definitely 3 star if not less. The rooms are 30 years out of date although the beds are comfortable. The windows in our room rattler all night and when reporting in the morning reception informed us they have wedges to stop the rattling. If thisis the case why not fit them. But worse was to come at breakfast, the milk jug had chips at the lip so when you poured the milk ran the side's and we found that some of the name had been used and put back on the table which is disgusting, not expect ed at a 1star hotel.
At the prices charged go elsewhere this is not a 5 star hotel.

Booked deluxe double room my expectation was traditional luxury. More like shabby chic or not even very chic! Rooms very tired but they are clean. No mini bar, 1 pack of standard biscuits, milk jiggers not fresh milk, nothing luxurious so far. Visited indoor pool which was pleasant and nice whirlpool. Enjoyed cocktails in lounge before we went out to dinner and there was seating outside available. Went for breakfast at 0900 and it was busy but had a pleasant table in the corner, ordered tea and coffee had to ask 3 more times before I received my coffee. Staff were uninterested and inattentive. We ordered our cooked breakfast despite a hot buffet available as we wanted fresh poached eggs. Waited 20 minutes which would be acceptable if, when you received your breakfast it was edible, eggs were overcooked, mushrooms greasy, bacon fatty, toast thin cheap bread. So disappointing, we weren't the only ones in the restaurant who were expressing their displeasure. The waitress I complained to apologised but didn't seem overly bothered. When checking out the receptionist kindly deducted extras from our bill as compensation and was excellent responding to my feedback. We travel a lot and we always say if you don't want to go home you've hadn't lovely stay.... We couldn't wait to get home on this occasion. For a 5 star I was disappointed.

This is still a lovely hotel, set in a great location, with good facilities. Problem is, it appears to be living off its past glories and these are fading. Don't get me wrong, our overall experience was lovely and we would go back if we wanted to at some stage, but the management are getting away with murder in some areas and they are living in the past. You cannot charge 5 star prices and have what appear to be foreign students serving (and cooking) in the restaurant for example, Nor is it acceptable in this day and age to have to ask 3 times at every meal or teatime for sweetner for your hot drink. Little things but which do have an impact on your stay.

How hard is it to cook 2 fried eggs and present them on hot plate together with some hot toast ? Apparently in Eastbourne it's very hard. "Toast" was no more than cold bread waived gently in front of the fire and presented freezing cold in a rack every morning - even asking for well done toast and well cooked eggs also seemed impossible. This is an establishment that still maintains men must wear a tie and jacket (preferred) in the evenings for dinner. To offer this surely you must provide the right staff to provide the service.

That aside, we had a lovely time. We had a lovely upgrade into a suite (thank you SLH) and the housekeeping and general service at reception were absolutely fine & friendly. The indoor pool was well used by us and the cookies and milk on offer for our six year old each night at bedtime were very well received.

We would definitely go back but please please please sort the breakfast team out. It happened 3 days in a row - not once. Please also invest in your dining room staff so they don't all have to speak like a robot and bring you what they think you ordered rather than what you asked for. You are paying top dollar room rates here so you expect top service. There is a big difference between the older staff members who have been there a long time and the new recruits who would be better off at a Travelodge reception. It's not enough to dress them in a smart uniform and ask them to smile.

Come on Grand (and Elite). Make the hotel Grand again.......

amazing hotel, amazing facilities and amazing staff. can not fault it. I booked a conference here for work, 60 people and every single one of them very
felt thoroughly spoilt. nothing was too much trouble.

Overall a bit let down with our one night stay, as some of the facilities are not 5-star standards and some of the service is not 5-star standards.
The communal facilities, swimming pool, spa facilities, changing facilities mainly need updating.
The concierge and the reception are brilliant.
Restaurant staff do not seem to know what they are doing. Many of our requests were forgotten and we had to request over 2 times, only in the end we get 2 sets of each, 2 pots of tea, 2 jars of water, 2 sets of glasses. The staff didn't find strange that everything was doubled as they came doubled! Really bizarre. Staff need serious training.
Room service request was completely forgotten and the reception almost want to charge me for an additional item I requested but never arrived.
Not sure I would recommend this hotel to anyone given their rates. It is most definitely not 5 star.

We stayed four nights at the Grand. It was a marvellous experience. The staff could not have been more helpful or thoughtful. The rooms were large and comfortable, and although there is no air conditioning, and no mini bar, neither were missed.

The hotel has a sense of a gently fading Edwardian grandeur, with tables and chairs scattered along the glassed in verandah, delicious high tea and its wide staircases and hallways. Located directly opposite the beach, but away from the raucousness of the pier, its location was ideal.

The hotel has lots of facilities, and has thought about what it is like to travel with children - there are facilities for them, including, on request, a slightly dated play station and games, which kept my youngest entertained, and the older ones amused by the 'ancient' technology.

I was utterly charmed by the Grand, and will definitely stay again when I next have the chance.

Only called in for a few cocktails Early evening ,As My Hotel didn't serve cocktails.
But what great service from the bar staff. Very traditional hotel . will stay here next time in Eastbourne. Had a Quick look round , Lots of Lounges and restaurant looked great.

I love The Grand so I decided to treat myself and book a room last minute to chillax on my birthday. The check in staff were fabulous and recognised it was my birthday so upgraded me to an Executive Suite. I was also given a birthday card. How thoughtful!

My room was just fantastic! Room 17 , I think. Massive bed and a separate seating area. The bathroom was spacious and full of gorgeous Molton Brown toiletries.

I ate lunch on The Terrace and lounged around the open air swimming pool catching the sunny rays! I spent a little bit of time in the Spa, which was great. I didn't want a 'formal' dinner so I had a sandwich and the best gourmet chips ever in the cocktail lounge, oh and some wine! The service was superb.

The self service breakfast is excellent. I ordered smoked haddock and poached egg. Delish!

This is my fifth time at The Grand and it won't be my last. Love it! ❤️