We spent 5 nights at the end of last month (Jan '12) at the Grand in one of their Master Suites. The accommodation was excellent with separate living room, luxury bathroom and superb bedroom offering a double aspect outlook over the sea. The deal on the rates being offered was very attractive with the use of the leisure facilities adding to the enjoyment. The atmosphere at the Grand is relaxed and in no way 'stuffy' making dining in the Garden restaurant a pleasure and worth dressing up for (increasingly rare these days). Of equal importance was the standard of service from the staff. Room service was excellent, always prompt,curteous and friendly. They were attentive but not obtrusive.

We have stayed at the Grand at least 4 times and it is to their credit that their standards have not slipped enabling us to come away this time thinking that this was the best yet.

I love this place. I first went for a work function and returned with my family for a one-night break. Service was impeccable, the room was enormous and they were even able to organise a babysitter for my young child to give me and my husband a much-needed few hours off. The best bit was the baby-sized bath robe! We're fully intending to go again.

I have just spent 3 nights with my fiance and our 2 dogs at The Grand and consider ourselves fortunate to experience a wonderful hotel,exceptional service, top quality food all within 100 metres of the sea! The Grand combines old world charm and courtesy with modern day efficiency. The value for money is exceptional, we have already booked another short break and hope to return many times to this very inspirational and special place.

I was lucky enough to be whisked away to The Grand for a 24th birthday surprise by a very special person. Whilst The Grand may be oldly worldy in some senses it was perfect for a gentle romantic break... We had fantastic friendly service that was helpful and accomodating at all times (I was on crutches with a broken foot). The location of the hotel is unbeatable, we rose at 5.30am to sit ourselves in our arms chairs, drink tea and watch the sunrise over the sea from our 'Seaview room'. Couldn't have asked for more! A wonderful dinner in the Mirabelle restaurant (Shin of beef highly recommended!), cocktails in the bar to couples waltzing, relaxing massage and facial in the morning! The Grand will always be a very special place to me.

We visited the Grand Hotel for a formal dinner dance and arranged to stay the night of the function. We were delighted to be looked after so well as hotel guests and as guests of the function also. Attention to detail and service was excellent.
We shall look forward to repeating the experience another time.

I wanted to take my mother-in-law away for her birthday, she enjoys staying in hotels and I was attracted by the line "The only 5 star seafront hotel In the UK". We travelled as a group of 5 from 3 yeasr old upwards. I didnt fancy the drive to eastbourne so booked a bargain train fare in advance for under £25 for all five of us from Victoria.

I contacted the hotel directly well in advance and they were most helpful in assisting me to book a couple of rooms at a very reasonable price, I had a stinking cold when I booked and was not making any sense, but they replied to all my questions and emails promptly and politely.

The visit to The Grand was an absolute delight and is worthy of my only 5 star rating I have given on Tripadvisor ( so far ). It can be very tricky for a large hotel such as the Grand to balance the needs of a modern traveller whilst maintaining such rich heritage and keeping the building in the standard it deserves. The Grand manages this with aplomb.

It is also difficult for a hotel to offer family freindly visits without destroying the more formal elements that other guests require. The Grand achieved this well too.

I enrolled my daughters into the "Grand Kids" junior programme, and they were treated as welcome guests by all the staff in the hotel. They signed in under their own name, they were given goodie bags, and their own robes. This cost just £10 per child. We tooked advantage of the family dining session ( not included in the £65pp !), where they ate for free and the adults choose from the set menu. We dined in the formal dining room, which the kids really enjoyed. The service for dinner was excellent, we loved the silver service and the pianist.

We took the kids swimming twice, ensuring that they didnt distrub the spa dwellers, but mostly had the pool to ourselves. The spa staff were so helpful and welcoming.

I really enjoyed walking around the hotel, learning about its famous residents of the past, and loved looking round The Great Hall, where so much history has taken place. Taking a few minutes to sit on a sofa and looking up at the granduer of the the 4 storey hall, it was easy to transport yourself back a century, and imagine yourself to be a guest at the same time as famous classical musicians or royalty.

I would definately go back to the Grand, they made me and my family so welcome. With young children it's easy to be seen as a burden for some hotels, the Grand has set up itself to accomodate both young and old alike at the very highest of standards.

The Grand in Eastbourne is an iconic five star British hotel no doubt. The architecture and location in Meads (the posh bit!) sets it apart from just about all other Hotels (including those in Brighton) and it exudes an air of what was once great about Britain - a kind of understated class and efortless ease. Whilst the kitchens would not win any culinary plaudits the food is what a metaphorical Colonel would expect when taking his wife to dinner (no nouvelle cusine here). The rooms are spacious and very quiet (as is the whole town) and the facilities are good. I was very impressed by the gym and the spa. Room service is prompt and polite and all in all I was very happy. I will be going there again.

What was obviously once the Queen of the town has fallen on harder times. The bones are still good, but the hotel is a bit down at the heels and faded. From a distance still beautiful, but up close, not so much. High tea is still wonderful.

I went for a last minute spa day with a friend on 30th December, 2011 and it was one of the few places that still had availability. We thought it would be busy, however a lot of the time we had the facilities to ourselves. The pool was smaller than I thought it would be, however the jacuzzi, sauna and steam room were great. The pool was a good temperature for 'paddling' time away. The staff were very friendly and the half hour massage was brilliant. I had not been on a spa day previously and I must admit the idea has been sold to me. We had a fantastic 'girlie' day, however it would be a great break for anybody wanting just a total chill out and relaxing day. You can choose where to have lunch, so we chose by the poolside. The only advice would be to remember to take your swimming goggles as the chlorine was quite strong. Sorry I can't comment on the gym, the idea of using it was there, however that is as far as the notion went, afterall it was a day about relaxing! It looked small, not busy, and appeared to have good quality equipment in there.

Spent the weekend here for an anniversary and had a lovely time!! The deal we booked on was also very good value!

Our room was decent but with annoying, drafty rattling windows

We decided on a three night break at the Grand after a quiet Christmas.  Back in September we booked 'an Interlude' break - between Christmas and NY.  
We have stayed many, many times at this hotel over the years.  Having first come here for Conferences in the late 70s.  It's changed hands over the years but it still very 'Grand'.
We'd booked 338 on the third floor.  It's an Executive room overlooking the town.  If you crane your neck you can just make out the sea.  It's a very comfortable, large room and quiet. The bathroom needs a bit of updating but there's lots of very hot water and a jacuzzi bath.  The furniture is old fashioned but this is what this hotel is about.
The food in both the Garden and Mirabelle restaurants was very good indeed.  The service was good and the staff  were very efficient and friendly.
The hotel was very full and their were lots of children here too.  They had sectioned off part of the dining room for ' Family Dining' which we thought was a nice touch.  I wouldn't have classed this as a family friendly hotel but there you are.
My husband used the gym and said it was very good.  There is an indoor pool and a spa too. There is an outdoor pool but obviously not available at this time of year!
Whether this type of hotel will still exist in a few years time is debatable.  We think the younger generation will want a more modern hotel with all the gadgets and gizmos.  There is an Ethernet connection in the room which is free for 15 minutes a day.  There is no Wifi in the hotel.  We did manage to pick up a signal in front of the conference suites but it got very crowded there at times!!!!!
Overall we had a really good break and a battery recharge for the year to come.

We only stayed one night whilst travelling to Normans Bay to see family.
We hadn't pre booked and were fortunate to get a room on a walk in basis.
The hotel is old fashioned in some respects but certainly not dated.
We were probably the youngest there and we are in our forties but it was a truly lovely weekend. We loved it when we were asked to move in the bar so they could transform it to a ballroom floor.
Worth a stay for the old world charm.

We stayed here as part of a company "Christmas package" and I must say the hotel and location were very impressive.
The hotel is right across from the beach (all pebbles in Eastbourne), has its own outdoor pool plus indoor spa, but unfortunately being December we declined venturing to any of them. Although we did walk along the promenade to the pier in the late afternoon and that was lovely - very bracing, clean and safe.
The evening we stayed there were 3 parties taking place, but they coped admirably with plenty of staff around to serve food and drinks etc.
Our room was at the front and so I expected some road noise, but because the hotel is set back a bit there was none and we had a good nights sleep. My only fault would be that the "double" was in fact 2 singles push together and so there was a bit if a lump down the middle.
Apart from that we had a good time and everything else went off swimmingly.
Would thoroughly recommend, lovely setting and great walking country.

Good hotel for that special event.Bit pricey but well worth it.Good night to be had in the bar drinking cocktails

If you want a traditional but excellent British seaside hotel then the Grand is it. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left , the service , food and Accomodation was excellent . If we had to find something to comment about, it was the usual problem with British hotels ...lack of consistency. The towels were changed twice a day - good - but on our second night no face clothes were left!!! A small point.

Go to the grand. Not cheap but quality never is

This is how hotels should be. It deserves its 5 Star rating. It makes the chain hotels in London look like rubbish. From the moment we walked through the entrance everything was perfect.

From the minute you arrive the buildings splendor, the staffs professionalism, the cleanliness, the comfort, i could move in and live here what more can i say better than Claridge's Hotel in Mayfair thats saying something not quite the Ritz, but could these guys teach a few Hoteliers how it should be done, bravo everyone fantastic we will be back.
Only problem was the old fashioned Modem system that did not work all the time.

My husband and I have just returned from staying at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne. We were celebrating our 3rd Wedding Anniversary. We booked a soothing spa deal. It wasn't cheap by our standards but thought it was well worth it and wanted to treat ourselves for a change. I was concerned that other reviewers had commented about the accommodation being dated, but I was pleasantly surprised with our room, although one of the smaller rooms it was very nice and comfortable, I would class it as more vintage than dated. We enjoyed our massage although I was expecting 50 minutes but got 25 minutes, neverthless, very nice. We had dinner included in the price in the Mirabelle room, and enjoyed this experience very much. All of the staff were very attentive and polite. When in our room we did not hear any noise and found the whole experience to be a wonderfully peaceful and relaxing time. I am sure we will be back sometime soon.

Have been here on several occasions for business, afternoon tea and dinner. The service is lovely and just like stepping back in time, in keeping with the feel of the hotel. Dinner was delicious, breakfast superb. Room was a bit small after some of the other rooms I have stayed in & the shower wasn't especially powerful. The bathrobes and Molton Brown toiletries helped though.

Thoroughly recommend lunch & afternoon tea.

We stayed here just for one night but it's a lovely step back into a different time. The staff are exceptionally polite and helpful. Their advice for dinner was excellent. Breakfast was lovely and the breakfast room is amazing.

My only criticism would be that the room didn't seem to be aired - it smelled slightly when we arrived - it cleared when I opened a window.

Excellent hotel - would definitely stay again.

Just returned from yet another excellent stay - this time a family weekend celebrating my mother's 95th birthday. I can find no fault with the service, accommodation and food. In fact no fault with anything. Everyone working here is determined to deliver high levels of service in a kindly and gentle way. They manage to create an incredibly 'homely' feel in what is a large hotel. We will be back.

This was our second stay at The Grand. We stayed there 3 years ago for a Valentine break and then last weekend for my husbands 50th birthday. We have thoroughly enjoyed both visits. All staff are very helpful and really looked after us. The food in both restaurants is sensational and the ambiance of the whole place is delightful. If you are looking for a modern hotel then this is not for you, this is a step back in time, a beautiful building with a history and you feel like you have gone back to a more 'old fashioned' time. We had the same room as before (by coincidence), we only have deluxe, but it is a big room and the bed is sooooo comfortable! The decor is fine but I cannot compare with more expensive rooms which others seem to have complained about as I have not been in one! As I said, ours was fine or perhaps we are not as fussy!? We had a good deal of 2 nights B&B and get 3rd free. We spend a bit while we are there but I can honestly say that as the food is so fantastic along with everything else, it's well worth the money and worth doing from time to time for special times. The breakfast is fantastic, scrambled eggs and mushrooms to die for! We will certainly be back in the future.

Stayed last weekend and from the welcome when you arrive, to checkout ,the staff are fantastic. My only negative was the room, for £270 per night it is very dated. I was quite dissapointed when entering room but by the time I left on the Monday morning I would gladly pay that again for a stay in this amazing hotel. The indoor pool was fab and due to the good weather the outdoor pool was very busy. Breakfast was very good, we had room service first morning but I wanted to go down to dining room next morning and was not dissapointed. Smoked salmon, cold meats, an array of yoghurts, fresh fruit and berries.. and honeycomb!. Yummy, and that was before the cooked breakfast!!!!!! All in all a perfect place with first class staff who are so professional and attentive without being intrusive.

We stayed at the Grand for 2 nights in a Junior side seaview suite. It cost nearly £600 B&B for the 2 nights. Whilst there are many positive things about this hotel such as the beautiful public rooms, the generally polite staff, the location. There are quite a few things which let it down and it really doesn't justify it's £300 a night price tag.
The main areas for improvement were:
The bathrooms, we had read that some of the bathrooms had been refurbished and the carpets removed. We requested one of these rooms but were given a room with the tired carpeted type of bathroom.
The pillows, if you like lovely soft feather pillows you will be fine but I requested foam pillows and they were not at all good quality.
The car park was full to bursting whilst we were there and we ended up parking on the roadside and paying for this and also having to be up and out at 9 to move the car.
The kids package as mentioned by a previous reviewer there is no sign of a treasure hunt or special check in cards for youngsters and the baseball cap was so small our son couldn't wear it.
The plumbing which was so noisy with the radiators turned on it kept us awake most of the first night, on the second night we turned all the radiators off so less noise but a bit chilly.

In conclusion, this hotel could be amazing but falls short of the mark and is ridiculously overpriced when compared with 5 star London hotels.

This hotel remains a gem in a sea of often rubbish and tatty other hotels nationwide..who profess 4/5 *...we stayed here last week without the children for once, room 126 whereas we normally take a suite. Staff are superb, the retention of these helpful people seems excellent, vouching for their satisfaction in post. Mirabelle restaurant is excellent..breakfast a marathon of good food should you wish...we must have stayed now 15 times in all..and keep coming back. I will comment that the bathrooms are looking tired now, please don't have carpet in them for obvious reasons..and green carpeting in all rooms we have ever been in are somewhat tired and tearing in places. Heating bills must be enormous as many windows are no longer correctly fitting, but we would not stay any where else...the whole experience allows us to keep returning. The defunct 2 for 1 offer was particularly good value..the current 3 for 2 I dont feel is so good. Well recommended...just needs some TLC in places...see you at Christmas!