Overall we had a lovely stay at the Grand.
The staff were pleasant and very helpful in accommodating the needs of our family which included a 5 month old baby. This included them organising a bottle steriliser to be in the room ready for our arrival.

The room was clean and the Nespreso coffee machine made a lovely cup of coffee.

We did think the room decor was a bit tired and dated. The furniture fabric was faded and the wall paper and curtains very late 80s/early90s.

Despite having a wi-fi router in the room the recption would cut out if you moved into another room (ie:bathroom or bedroom a in a suit)

The beds were very soft which from my point of view was lovely but i know some people prefer a firmer mattress.

We ate in the restaurant which was lovely. again good service and yummy food.
Breakfast was fine but there could have been more options for non-cooked food.

After my visit to the "Ritz" a few months ago, i was wondering what this afternoon tea was going to be like!
The Ritz may need to take a look at The Grand and learn something!
It was a lovely experience, lovely service, great sandwiches and patisseries.
Staff smiling, nothing was too much trouble and they poured the tea for us unlike the Ritz.
You also had numerous choices where to have your tea. Outside by the pool,outside in a more secluded area, The Great Hall with a piano (No pianist though)! in the large Area near the bar.
The Sandwiches were what i expected unlike the Ritz Cheese & Pickle!
You also had no time limit, you could sit there all afternoon if you wished. It was even a pleasure to pay, more than half the price of the Ritz!

Will look forward to visiting The Grand Hotel again soon.

I booked a one night,romantic package as a surprise for my partner.The greeting and reception we received on arrival was exceptional,staff helpful and our car taken away and parked for us.
We were taken to our room by a helpful and and friendly concierge. As promised chilled champagne,chocolates and delicious strawberries were ready for us and polished off quickly.
The room was clean,spacious and well equipped with a proper coffee machine,I had requested an executive seaview room,and we could see the sea but I was disappointed there was no balcony for the price I paid.
The room was extremely hot so we requested a fan which never arrived,I was surprised at this.
We had a pre dinner cocktail in the lounge,nice but expensive and we were not allowed to use the terrace as there was a private function.
We dined in the Mirabel restaurant,I will be honest I found the food very uninspiring but maybe it was a bad choice.
As there was no air conditioning it was a hot sticky night and we couldn't have the window open as the seagulls were so loud,but we were in Eastbourne!!
The bed was huge ,but it rather felt like a water bed it was so soft.
The ensuite was nicely done out,but the hot water was dangerously hot and I find shower curtains annoying.
As promised in the package our bed was turned down for us,sprinkled with rose petals and swan shaped towels left,very sweet.
On departure our bill was wrongly calculated but rectified quickly.
I enjoyed our stay at the Grand but would not return as I felt it was not good value for money.
Before we left we sat on the terrace and I noticed a member of staff walk past a table with the day before's dirty plates and glasses on it and a broken bottle underneath it,I was very surprised and would not expect this of a Five Star hotel.

We booked the Grand for an overnight treat as we were going to Eastbourne for the tennis. As the tennis started at 12 noon but check in was not until 3pm, I had phoned ahead and spoken to the Concierge, who was very polite but could not promise there would be a parking space. On arrival about 12 however, he was very helpful and when we said we would not need the car again that day (and therefore did not mind being blocked in) he quickly found us a space. Reception were also happy to check us in and promised to deliver the bag to the room when it was ready.
Later we picked up keys for our room (room 408) and were directed to the lift. They failed to tell us that the lift only went to the third floor where we then had a long trek along a corridor and up a flight of stairs. The room however was spacious and beautiful with sea view and a side view over the main reception. It looked newly refurbished and the carpet was deep and very sumptuous. The bathroom too looked very recently refitted. We had heaps of space and the obvious advantage of being on the top floor was there was no noise from above.
We ate later in the Garden restaurant, which was very relaxed; evening meal of three courses took 2 hours which suited us perfectly. There was a piano player who played the whole time which really added to the atmosphere. The food was excellent as was the service.
We were told that because the hotel was busy, breakfast was being served in the room free of charge if we wanted it there so we went for this option, ordering and requesting time of delivery and leaving it outside the room. It arrived exactly on time and was precisely what we had ordered and was fresh and hot. Lovely to have breakfast in bed looking out at the sea.
Two slight moans in the morning. Firstly we didn't' treatise that the previous guests had set the alarm for 6am and this had not been turned off. We felt that should have been done when the bed was stripped. Then when leaving the room at 10.55 (check out is 11am) we accidentally let the door close with a bag still inside only to find that the door card had been deactivated, so we had to go all the way down to Reception to get them to reactivate it so we could collect the bag. Very annoying as it wasn't yet 11am.
We wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

The Grand Hotel is a traditional hotel offering exactly the exemplary service and fine surroundings that the older generations in the family expect, yet even the youngest members of the family are welcomed and catered for with a designated play room and menus to suit. The outdoor pool was a real hit. The only problem was trying to persuade the children out of it.
We were together for a family birthday and received special attention from an events team and a private dining room with our own waiting staff.

we stayed here for almost a week. Having spent a frenetic time at a major family event in Windsor and endured a rather disappointing stay at one of its landmark hotels, we arrived a bit tired at The Grand.

From the moment of arrival, the valet parking, and the warm welcome at Reception, we knew we were not going to be disappointed this time. After a cocktail we were taken to our accommodation which was just as agreed when making the reservation some months earlier. It was a large room with good comfort and services. The sleep quality was to prove to be as good as one would wish for.

Over the following days and evenings we had some wonderful meals in the River Room and we also tried the fine-dining Mirabeau Restaurant. Whilst the latter did not disappoint, we felt that the hotel's main restaurant was well able to compete with it. The service and the ambience was perhaps slightly better in the River Room in our opinions and there was no major discernible difference in the quality of the food or its preparation between the two restaurants. Whereas the fine-dining struggled a little bit here and there to match its marketing, the River Room well exceeded its relative status.

We found the service levels to be excellent in every department throughout our stay and all the facilities we used were as promoted. Yes, we dined in a local highly recommended restaurant on one evening and whilst it was a good enough experience, we each concluded that dining at the River Room was just as good.

Eastbourne is a very pleasant location to holiday in, but the Grand Hotel made it a memorable location for us. We would certainly look forward to returning. It may be a long drive from Ireland but it will be well worth it. We look forward to returning. Thank you to management and staff for a most relaxing and enjoyable experience.

We took friends here for a birthday treat; afternoon tea and a massage and use of the spa facilities. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Valet who was inappropriate. He asked various questions concerning my vehicle, one was whether I was the buyer and owner or whether "mummy and daddy bought it". I felt very uncomfortable and was shocked by this rude and unnecessary question. I explained that I purchased my vehicle and it was not "mummy and daddy" as he rudely suggested (not that I should have answered this question in any event). Chris at the spa was very helpful and attentive and we all enjoyed our massage and the facilities. Afternoon tea was great; a perfect selection of bites and teas. Aside from the awkward greeting, we had a lovely time. Great value for money and would recommend visiting; the afternoon tea was very popular and the lounge was full. A pleasant afternoon.

Everything about this historic edifice is sumptuous . One way are glorious views of the sea front , the other way fabulous gardens and the outdoor swimming pool . Every room reminds you of elegant times passed , totally up-dated but restored with great respect for their original splendour . Picture galleries , sweeping stairs , intricate ceilings , four poster beds , stunning windows and even one bathroom with a stained glass window the size of one of the clock faces on Big Ben ! The food , award winning . The Health club , inspired . Local attractions abound . The only problem is that there aren't enough parking places . But ... ask for a reserved space when you book , especially if you have ambulatory problems , or give your keys to the concierge when you arrive . He will do his best but he's not a magician , otherwise he'd be working on the nearby pier .

What can you say about the Grand.....just Grand. My wife & I have been going there for the past 5 years to watch the ladies tennis at Devonshire Park & there's nowhere better to stay....After checking in & escorted to our room we change into the lovely white gowns & spend the rest of the afternoon in the spa, swimming pool area & finish off with afternoon tea.

Stayed 4 nights in an Executive Seaview Room (Room 126) during June 2015. We loved our room which was a good size having a large balcony with a sea view, king size bed, armchairs, dressing table, wardrobe and plenty of storage space for all our belongings. The bathroom had recently been updated with new tiles and a bath that had an integral shower which when you used was rather lacking in space because of both narrowness of the bath and the shower curtain.

The main lounge near Reception is an attractive, stylish room with comfortable armchairs and where afternoon tea is served. Just off the lounge is the bar and a another lounge area. Finally, there is beautiful atrium style lounge area opposite the main entrance. We didn't use either the indoor, the outdoor pool or the spa facilities though they all looked impressive.

The hotel has two restaurant's - the Garden Restaurant which is the main restaurant and is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers "traditional British favourites created with a modern twist" and Mirabelle which is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday and "serves a modern European menu of seasonal specialities". Breakfast in the Garden Restaurant was good and especially if you selected the freshly cooked fried breakfast as opposed to what was on offer from the buffet.

We had dinner in both the Garden Restaurant and Mirabelle and the fixed price menu changes weekly in both plus there are other menu items available at a supplement. Our meal in the Garden Restaurant was not enjoyable. It started OK with an asparagus risotto which was quite tasty but my wife's main course was poor with a sea bream that was very dry and without the sauce stated on the menu. This was replaced with a pasta dish with artichoke though this was predominately tomato and bland. The best part of the meal was the Crepes Suzette cooked at our table though there were a £6 supplement (which wasn't charged because of the fish problem). Mirabelle was very good and the fixed price menu is only a few pounds more. Not only is the food must better but it has a more intimate atmosphere.

Staff throughout were numerous, efficient, helpful (especially the concierge) and friendly.

Definitely fitted the bill for a special occasion.
Staff friendly and helpful. The breakfast was well presented.
We were greeted by the concierge who got our car parked and cases delivered
to the room which met our expectations.

We have stayed at the Grand in Eastbourne on a Number of occasions and generally appreciate greatly the 'Old World' charm of the , faultless courtesy and service provided by the staff.
However on our last visit (special offer) we were allocated a room at the rear of the Hotel ~ no fault there ~ but what we do take issue with is the appalling standard of furnishing.
Two 'easy chairs' that had all comfort of Victorian correction chairs and worse still, a chest of drawer, dressing table and side table constructed from cheap utilitarian matchwood second hand furniture from the 1930s/40s and presumeably sourced from a 'Bed & Breakfast' clearance sale. You know the type ~ drawers will not close easily ~ warped tops ~ sagging plywood, This should not be the standard strived for, of a 5 star hotel.
Our complaint about the 'comfort' or rather lack of; of the 'easy chairs' fell on deaf ears and the management refused to change them or, completely ignored our request.
We were very disappointed with the hotel with this respect, on this particular visit and, I am afraid, will be considering our options in future.

On arrival the hotel looks stunning from the outside, in immaculate condition with beautiful gardens.
On entering the reception the scene is set which is best described as faded elegance.
The staff are friendly and welcoming, the service is great and spa treatments lovely.
The decor of our room was somewhat tired, and whilst it must once have been gorgeous is in need of sprucing up.
The Molton Brown toiletries in the bathroom were a welcome touch :)
Afternoon tea was served in a small and slightly overcrowded lounge area, however the food was excellent.
Was surprised and disappointed that we had to queue for breakfast for some time - not what you would expect at this level of hotel.
Overall, an excellent weekend however think it is possibly time for refreshing some of the decor....

We stayed there over the Easter weekend and had a fabulous time. The location is perfect for beach and is an easy drive to picturesque villages and towns like Battle, Rye and Beachy Head.The many lounge rooms were very comfortable and staffed with attentive and polite staff. The breakfast was very nice. I would recommend the buffet breakfast rather than ordering though . The buffet is very well done and presented and much better than a set made to order breakfast.
Overall I enjoyed my stay. My only complaint is that the first room we were given was over the refrigeration units and it was very noisy. We didn't sleep very well the first night but the management moved us to another room.

The Grand Hotel has been in Eastbourne for years. They have a swimming pool, restraints, spa, gym and many more great things. When you drive up the drive in The Grand Hotel, you are warmly welcomed by the valet people. Despite just parking you luxury car, they know Eastbourne very well. You can ask them where's a god place to explore or eat or what rev you feel like doing. The Grand Hotel has a luxury & historic feel to building. If one decides to dine for dinner in the main The Grand Hotel dinner area, then you are expiated to wear a blazer {there is a notice for dress code outside the room}. On the other hand if you either want a light brunch or lunch then you can dine at The Grand Hotel Bar. With all poise things I've said, there has to be sadly some negative area of The Grand Hotel. One of the main things that let down The Grand Hotel experience is that despite the price tag on some things, but again The Grand Hotel is a Luxury hotel what else do you expect.Once you have order you meal of some description, you can be waiting for some time, even if there is a few table filled, you do tend to wait for you meal.

To sub up to experience of The Grand Hotel,it's luxury, good and over all enjoyable.

The Grand Hotel is a majestic structure perched on the shore of the English Channel with nearby access to the South Downs Way and other long-distance hiking paths through marvelous scenery. We stayed at The Grand Hotel for six nights. Our partial ocean-view junior suite was spacious and comfortable with plenty of storage and closet space, which was appreciated during our lengthy stay. The room also featured a coffee-making facility and a safe. The Hotel's fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools and spa were all first class. Service was terrific throughout the hotel. The well-coordinated staff were obviously well-trained and professionally managed. All of the staff were friendly, courteous and helpful. The Hotel had two restaurants (the Garden and Mirabelle), both of which were first class and offered varied menus of well-prepared food. We ate three nights in each of the two restaurants for variety sake. Breakfast was served each morning in the Garden Restaurant. We did not have a clear-cut favorite between the two exceptional restaurants. If only the Hotel could have done something about the weather, our stay would have been magnificent. We intend to return to The Grand Hotel to make up for lost time...

This hotel certainly lives up to its name. The ambience is kind of stately and sometimes you feel you ought to whisper. The Junior Suites are large and comfortable but not the best as Suites go. The food is excellent The staff are plentiful and helpful, but leave the tipping until the job is done otherwise you might find yourself having to manoeuvre your own car out of a tight spot!

My wife and I enjoyed a three day stay at the grand last week, the hotel itself was as grand as the name suggests, our room was of a good size and had obviously been recently redecorated and upgraded. The room facilities were more than adequate and the super king size bed was very comfortable.
Our plan when booking our stay was to enjoy the local area and come back to the hotel to swim in the indoor/outdoor pools and then eat at one of the two restaurants at the hotel.
We arrived on the Sunday evening and had booked to eat in The Garden Room as it was the only restaurant open, unfortunately the meal we had was very disappointing. I brought this to the attention of the restaurant manager and although I was offered another main course my confidence in the kitchen was not sufficient to risk it.
This lack of confidence in the catering at the hotel meant we then had to look elsewhere to eat in the evenings and unfortunately Eastbourne is not over endowed with good restaurants.
The breakfast is curious in that you can help yourself or ask the waiters to take your order, we opted to do the latter and were very well looked after on the first and second morning, on the third morning we again gave our breakfast order to one of the waiters but when it arrived it consisted of the elements I had ordered but each and every one was ridiculously overcooked, the poached eggs hard,the bacon sausage and black pudding crisped the tomato unyielding. I spoke to the gentleman I took to be the manager who came over and asked me if I had ordered the meal cooked in this way and I assured him I had not and he took a photo of it to show the kitchen.
I was asked if I would like the breakfast replaced but the point is as made to the manager at the time the meal should never have been allowed out of the kitchen of a hotel that suggests it offers a five star experience in the first place.
Overall I Would have loved to give the hotel an excellent review as so many elements were excellent but the food offered on our first night causing us to change our evening dining plans for our stay and the admittedly almost laughable breakfast on the third morning prevent me from doing so
PS the "free wifi" was so slow to be almost unusable

Nice hotel.

We have stayed here over the previous 15 years, and always enjoy it. The ambience and situation of the hotel are both outstanding. There are now some points which seemed to indicate a change of attitude within the the running of the hotel:
1. In our room (executive sea-view), the bathroom was decidedly old-fashioned, and importantly, there are no grab-handles or any means of support in the bath/shower. Rooms at this price should have a walk-in shower as well as a bath, and a visit to any London hotel would confirm this.
2. Amenities provided were parsimonious, a tiny bottle of shampoo, a bottle of bath gel, a very small cake of soap and a shower-cap between 2 people is downright mean. Likewise, there was no cotton wool, and a few little extras which make a difference.
3. No extractor fan, or window in the bathroom, so it felt perpetually humid.
4. The food in the Garden Room is now getting a bit mass-produced, stale-looking and canteen standard. Also there is some slackness in the dress code, despite the request for collared shirt/tie or jacket in the evening.
5. Smokers spoil the lovely terrace by congregating there and polluting the air.

I didn't use wi-fi, so I don't know if it was available, or if it was free.

Apart from these points, a very good stay, thanks to the kindness and efficiency of the staff.

We were fortunate to be given a present of spending a night at the Grand with the lluxury of a seafront room - this was a very rare gift and we could not have had a better present and experience. From arrival to departure the staff were without exception happy and helpful. The large bed was so comfortable with the feel of silky sheets.The unexpected coffee machine thoughtfully had the instructions beside it and delivered exceptional coffee - with extra supplies during the evening visit from a lovely young lady. The facilities and staff certainly deserve the 5 * rating

The staff were very attentive and all 10 of us were treated well throughout our two night stay, including 4 children.
The attention to detail and service for Birthday lunch with 14 member of the family on the Sunday could not have gone better.

Superb hotel , with good food & large clean rooms & great beds & clean bathrooms - all you would expect from a 5* hotel. Plus a heated out door & an indoor swimming pool. The desk staff are very helpful , offering suggestions which were spot on for what we wanted to do. HOWEVER its the details . Sometimes we got replacements for our coffee maker in the room. The system we chose was to go into the lounge before dinner for a drink & order dinner meal & Drinks . Sadly we were 3/4 of way through our meal ( we always skip dessert) when I gave up and had to go to the bar and ask for our drinks. The following night the red wine was so cold it MUST have come out of a fridge (if not freezer !) I appreciate not MAJOR but at the price they charge & they boast they are the only 5 star hotel on the South Coast ( ?? ! ! ?? ) I would expect them to have the ability to serve drinks without us having to leave a meal to get them.

My wife and I took advantage of a three for the price of two offer, and enjoyed three happy days in the Hotel. Not our first visit, so already a familiar haunt, and we were treated to excellent service throughout. Check-in was easy and friendly, Dave, Gary and Tony on the Concierge desk really looked after us, Ahmed and Alexander in the lounge gave us gracious service, and Barbara, Martin and Shaun in the Garden Dining Room as always, were superb (as were all the staff we encountered)

Our room was a junior, and although quite small, we found it enchanting, quiet, and we both slept well on all three nights. The room service was excellent in all aspects, and in spite of the Hotel being absolutely heaving on two of the three nights, we found that standards did not slip in any way. Some of the staff were absolutely rushed off their feet, but still had time for a quick word and a smile

My only minor negative comment is that there has been a slight drop in the dress code of the Dining Rooms. While I am in no way a snob, I was saddened to see a (very small) minority of guests turning up to eat in T-shirts and shorts. The whole point of the Grand Hotel, in my opinion, is the elegance of the whole place, and it is really nice to take your wife or partner to somewhere where you can really dress up and feel special, particularly for dinner. I hope General Manager Johnathon Webley has a serious look at this change in policy. I understand that the Hotel has to fill up the rooms and keep its occupancy rates high, but is it too much to ask the Gentlemen to put on a jacket and tie for dinner, or the ladies a smart dress?? Thin end of a wedge if you ask me. What next - bare tatooed chests and bathing trunks ??

All in all a wonderful experience and much recommended

Normally we like to do a bit of research on a hotel before we book, but our visit to the Grand was on a whim. Saturday morning - unexpected free couple of days - let's go to Eastbourne. We phoned the hotel, got a good deal, and were in the bar by 4 o'clock. And what a treat our stay was! Hotels of this quality are quite often pretentious, verging on the snobby. None of that at the Grand - excellent service by genuinely friendly staff, comfortable rooms, and a delightful atmosphere of elegant times gone by, without being remotely stuffy.
The breakfasts were excellent, the evening meal easily lived up to our expectations, and the bar had a huge selection of malt whiskies. Nice pool and spa facilities as well. A pet hate of mine in hotels (call me picky if you like) is the lack of a tray in the bathroom shower on which to stand your shower gel and shampoo, so I was gratified the Grand provided one, rendering our stay a faultless experience. The only blip was that I was served a pot of hot water for breakfast one morning instead of tea. The very pleasant and apologetic waitress and I had a laugh over that. To dock the hotel points over something as trivial as that would indeed be picky. Enjoyable stay? Absolutely, especially as the weather was rubbish and we spent more time in the hotel than we would normally have done.
Go there again? Yes please. Definitely a Five Star experience.