great weekend. The welcome was excellent, the staff were really friendly, the entertainment good, the rooms were very nice and clean, food was good, great location. i took a coach party to stay here and i only got one complaint and that was the heating was not working properly, give them credit they were trying to get it sorted, Luke and his team down a great job well done . would definitely come back

We stayed for one night at the Afton. Although our first impressions were that the hotel looks a bit worn, the service was really helpful and friendly, our rooms were neat and clean, and the breakfasts were very good.

We hold our monthly networking events at the Afton Hotel on the first Friday of every month. We always find the staff helpful, courteous and friendly, nothing is too much trouble. The hotel offers a great area for us to meet, there are great views from the bar area making for a calm atmosphere.

Came for the weekend and was attracted to the central location and that dogs are allowed to stay for free. As previous reviews have said it is not a grand hotel but it is very clean and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful.

Parking was great as we are offered a parking permit for £1 a day and we were lucky to arrive early so that we were parked right outside the hotel.

We were allowed to check in as soon as we arrived and had an sea view which I wasn’t expecting.

The location is so central, it made for a great weekend. I would definitely come back here for another weekend in Eastbourne.

Afton hotel review Eastbourne (Room 309) - (5.5/10) "Cheap accommodation with no WIFI and a feeble shower".

Good
" 11 wooden hangers split for 2 guests".
"Scenic seaside location literally on the seafront".
" Great TV size and picture quality".
" Good in-room charging facilities".
Bad
"Toilet seat did not stay up".
"Bathroom door had no lock".
"Roomsize quite small".
" Lack of selection in tea provisions".
" No in-room WIFI !!".

Atmosphere

The hotel had a rather cosy and homely atmosphere which was a bit too compact. The surroundings were great with a location right on the coast. The pier was just a short walk away which was one of the main local attractions. The hotel was a little noisy due to a busy road nearby though and had rather narrow corridors. The single lift meant a rather long wait every time and the staircase smelt very strongly of cigarette smoke which was far from ideal. The staff did create a welcoming experience however with reliable room service.

Tea provisions

4 semi skimmed milk sachets were presented on a clean white tray very neatly. This neatness continued to the other tea provisions including 2 rather small mugs, 4 caffeinated coffee sachets, 4 Tetley tea bags, 4 brown sugar sachets and 11 white sugar sachets.

Whilst it was nice that all the sugar was fairtrade and that there were a sufficient number of sachets for 4 well sweetened cups of tea, the lack of sweetener option, absence of decaffeinated coffee, lack of tea selection such as no choice for earl grey or flavoured tea and the small mug size seemed to negate much of the positives including good presentation.

The kettle capacity appeared substantial however although this wasn't labelled. It would have also been nice to have a full fat milk choice and perhaps a tea biscuit if I was being picky.

The location of the kettle directly next to 2 plugs and the bathroom for refilling was a certain positive so whilst far from perfect, some things had been considered.

Community areas

The downstairs bar area felt characterful and cosy suggesting this would be the overall hotel ambience. Whilst this was continued upstairs the corridors felt a little narrow and pokey and the room was not large and perhaps too compact for a comfortable stay.

Stairs smelt heavily of cigarette smoke and the lift was very slow. There was no extra spaces such as pool or gym that many larger hotels have. The bar could have benefitted from some ciders on draught but wasn't excessively priced.

Washing and cleaning

The shower had dual control ; One knob for pressure and the other temperature which is my favourite system. The bathroom had a large soap and shampoo dispenser rather than sachets which initially appeared less fiddly. This however required several firm pumps to dispense. To make matters worse the shower pressure was very feeble and therefore it took a while to get clean. Shower temperature was also not quickly responsive making the experience less pleasurable. Neither of the shower jet options provided greater pressure unfortunately.

4 towels were split equally between the 2 beds providing sufficient drying equipment. One hairdryer was provided in the drawer which is always a must. This worked fine and was simple to operate.

The toilet seat unfortunately would not stay up on it's own accord and the bathroom door had no functional lock which was a bit disappointing.
It was good to have a mirror in the bathroom and the extractor fan was important, due to compact size, for the prevention of damp.

Chilling in your room

The provision of a key rather than keycard whilst traditional was very refreshing considering the number of times these experience technical wearing out issues due to close proximity to other objects such as phones. I could rest assured that my stay would not be plagued by constant keycard replacement problems. This felt like a notable positive. It was a shame to only have 1 key per room however as it meant the risk of one resident getting locked out was very real.

The beds seemed highly comfortable although not made to my personal preference of just one pillow. The WIFI was quick and easy to connect to from reception as no login details were required whether that be password or email. It was a shame that due to a leaking issue no WIFI was available from my room for the entirety of my stay.

The bed backrests were not padded although they were accompanied by 9 medium sized drawers for clothes storage which was great.

This storage theme continued to be positive when approaching the wardrobe with 11 wooden hangers which were split almost equally to either side of the wardrobe. For 2 guests this was the best set up I had experienced in a while so was therefore very positive.

The TV worked well with good picture quality and reliable signal not suffering from any intermittency. The size provided a top quality viewing experience considering the small room size.

Everything is relative ...

For charging, 4 plugs were easily noticeable from the bedroom which was a little low yet sufficient between 2 guests. It was nice to see that all of these were easily accessible and quick to locate.

With a half height mirror in the bathroom and a full height in the room, the mirrors seemed sufficient for the room size. The wide mirror viewable from the desk, was very clean and provided effective reflection for inspecting personal appearance.

Customer service

The lady on reception was very polite and quick to check me into my room. She provided clear instructions on how to get there and provided the wifi password without issue. It was a shame no wifi was available in the room throughout the entire stay. Staff on reception were happy to help with calling taxis to the work venue which was also very positive.

Whilst staff were apologetic for lack of in-room WIFI, I was advised this issue was only temporary yet this affected the whole duration of my stay making work arrangements difficult and darkening the mood a little.

Price

At it's price point of a 2 star budget hotel £52 is certainly very affordable for an overnight stay. For the basics supplied this did represent reasonable value. A few finer touches however would have made the stay great value at this price including better showers and WIFI.

As previously mentioned, in comparison to other hotels the bar prices were not that high. When relatively close distance to London is considered they were much cheaper than the hogs back hotel of Surrey. £4 for a bottle of cider is therefore not terrible although with only a 2-star rating and lack of cider selection the alcohol to me wasn't the most competitive on price-point.

Summary

A welcoming and professional service which only lacked in room WIFI and a powerful positive showering experience. Great staff and atmosphere if a little tight on space.

We came on a four night stay with a group of friends from our local pub. We were pleasantly surprised by the standard of the Afton. The room was quite roomy and clean. It was serviced every day. The food was good with different choices each day. The breakfasts were good and if you wanted something extra you only had to ask and got it. The waitresses were very pleasant and obliging. There was in house entertainment every night. We would highly recommend this hotel if you are looking for a something reasonably priced.

Great location, opposite the pier, but a bit set back from the front, so not too noisy. Few minutes walk to shopping centre. Friendly welcome. Room a little shabby but very clean. Huge bed. Tiny shower, not very powerful. Nice side on sea view. Let down by breakfast. Only one hour, 8am to 9am, so room very full. One waitress on duty who was rushed off her feet, she did do her best to serve everyone. Cooked breakfast very poor. No vegetarian alternative. Veggie sausages are easily obtainable these days! Scrambled egg, grey and uneatable and 'tinned' tomatoes. Street parking with a voucher for £1 a day from the hotel.

We had a great time here. It is not a grand hotel but it's in a good location, and is well furnished and well maintained. The food is excellent and the staff are really helpful and friendly. Great experience thankyou Afton.

Very nice hotel location opposite pier and also near eastbourne bus tour and local buses
Room we stayed in was OK but went to have a shower and door came apart.
Spoke to manager and easy moved to another room
Hotel is being updated in areas, good parking permit rates from hotel ,can take a bit of time to find parking spaces
But for the time we were there we just parked the car as easy to get around town etc

We stayed hear on a Friday/Sat nights room was very good, large with lots of drawers for clothes etc, good lighting [we read a lot] breakfast was also very good usual cereals,cooked breakfast, staff very helpful and smiling faces, also a good deal for sept/oct prices, great all round stay we will come again. WIFI was free in lounge.

The hotel offered good value for money, and we had a room with a sea view. The check in process was easy and friendly and the room was basic but comfortable. If I had one small niggle, it was that on arrival, I was asked to sign a 'contract' that committed me to have £100 extra taken from my credit card if they felt the room needed any additional cleaning, smell of smoking or any damage. Whilst we always leave our room clean and we don't smoke, it did mean that we spent the first half an hour checking the room for any noticeable previous 'damage' or dirt! I suppose I do understand their reasons for doing this, but it did leave a small doubt on whether I would revisit this particular hotel again. Wifi is only available in the busy lounge area and not in the rooms :(

Had a weekend down in Eastbourne as i went to watch West Bromwich Albion at Brighton & Hove Albion on 9/9/17. Came across the hotel which i found a great price for 2 nights stay and parked right outside the hotel for my duration which cost me £2 with a permit. Luke was very helpful with any questions we needed answering and was always happy to help. Would definitely stay again :)

An overnight stay to go to the theatre. The hotel is on the seafront near to everything, except parking but then the Victorians didn't have cars! Room are basic but ensuite, comfy, quiet and suited our purposes at a reasonable price.

This is a typical budget hotel aimed predominantly at "the grey pound".The exterior has a somewhat tired look but the interior has some comfortable lounge spaces overlooking the promenade and sea. There is a substantial set breakfast and an adequate evening meal although heartier appetites will require a snack in late evening. All members of staff were immaculate, polite and most helpful. A personal niggle was the lack of wi-fi in the bedrooms. Provision in lounges only is not sufficient in this day and age.

Thank you for beautiful room with sea view :) we enjoyed the stay a lot :)
room was simple but clean, perfect for the price you pay i would really recommend it taking into consideration that it is based in central of the city

Staff very helpful at the last minute to help to celebrate my wife's 50 birthday as the other venue let us down nothing was to much trouble went out of the way to make everything go smoothly great hotel to have a venue and the room rate to stay there is good thank you to the manager and all the staff for a fantastic night and a fantastic disco highly recommend

Booked a triple room which was clean and comfortable. The overall feeling however, was dated and drab. Breakfast was only between 8-9 and was poorly organised, food undercooked and very slow service. The staff were very friendly however.

Rooms were clean and comfortable and the food was reasonable although you have to eat your breakfast within a one hour slot 8-9 am. Have to say the worst part was the extreme lack of parking. Whilst you bought a voucher from the hotel for more than a reasonable £1 just no where to park. Street parking on a first come first served basis. Once parking found you are afraid to move your car during the day to go anywhere for fear of not finding a space when you get back. Unlikely to return

Went to this hotel as one of a coach party. Although I expected a single room was allocated a double room which overlooked the pier. It was very clean and the breakfast and evening meals were good. The staff are friendly and the Manager was extremely pleasant and came onto the coach to welcome us.
New carpets had been fitted in the lounge and a pleasant place to relax overlooking the pier. The hotel is undergoing refurbishment. Hotel is located in a good position with bus stops across the road. Would certainly stop here again.

Came back yesterday, after a 4 night stay, great food, lovely staff, (apart from one waitress who was very bossy) Luke the manager was very hands on, which I thought was great, he helped out in the restaurant, when our waitress was taken ill.
Good entertainment. Clean rooms, only complaint I have about the room is, the shower was a bit on the small size.
My friend and I will be going back, and have already recommended the hotel to two of our friends.
Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Barbara & Vicky

This booking was made very late so the hotels we'd normally use in Eastbourne were full. We'd usually look for 3 or 4 star establishments - but the Afton offered a very reasonable two star rate so we took it for one of us staying in a single room. I'm often critical of very small single rooms but the Afton had allocated a twin anyway for which much thanks. Bearing in mind that this is a two star hotel, the room size was better than many higher graded places and had a partial view to the pier and sea. Linen was fresh and a tea and coffee tray was welcome albeit overall the room decor was a little tired. The shower was effective although the bathroom was also in need of some TLC. Breakfast was basic but sufficient with hot food served to order. Both the breakfast room (which seems also to be an entertainment space and perhaps restaurant) and the ground floor lounge bar are very large areas and therefore rather soulless. It's notable, however, that improvements seem to be underway because new carpets were laid in the lounge. If the rest of the hotel also receives a bit more care and attention it could become a reasonable little stopping place.

My wife and I have stayed here before and have also popped in when not staying and have always enjoyed ourselves. Staff very friendly, rooms clean and comfortable, and a good breakfast in the morning. Bar prices are better than most of the local pubs. The only problem was not no fault of the hotel but that of the bar opposite underneath the Pier Hotel, there was noise, shouting, fighting, broken bottles until gone 3am. The place should have had a doorman or closed at 11pm. What a shame that we won't be staying here again due to something else. Maybe if we had a back room with no outlook would have been better. What a bloody shame.

We did a food event about 6 miles from here and this came up on line £108 for 3 adults sweet
Got there and they upgraded us to 2 twin rooms instead of 1 single 1 double the rooms are clean and basic
There is a nice bar and the staff are helpful parking is a bit awkward as it's right on seafront clean rooms slightly dated but good value

My wife and I booked our stay at the hotel as part of an Edwards Coaches package deal, and as an Easter 2017 treat for us both. We were given a front corner room on the first floor, overlooking the pier. The room was very clean, not that large, but adequate for our weekend needs (who wants to spend all day in a hotel room when on holiday).
I had many a pleasant conversation with the new owner; he was a lovely gentleman, and could not do enough to ensure that all our needs were met during our stay, both in the bar and the dining room. He had traveled down from London that same weekend, to arrange some refurbishment work with regard to his newly purchased hotel.
There was entertainment every night, this was of a very good standard, but unfortunately the artists did not receive the response they deserved due to the majority of the older guests retiring to their rooms straight after evening dinner .. those that did remain did not exactly contribute or respond to the evenings entertainment (sadly). The food was really good standard, with plenty of variety, and served with a smile from the various waiters/waitresses. My wife and I would definitely stay at this hotel again, it was very pleasant at the time of our visit .... although I had been assured by the new owner that massive improvements are planned. Personally, we thought the standard was very good as it was .... it's going to be even better when we return.

First time at this hotel and it wont be the last, cosmetically it needs a little uplift which I believe is ongoing with owners. What I loved about it ? Comfortable bed, attentive staff. There was some entertainment at night. Perhaps not my cup of tea but everyone was so friendly that I was singing along too.
Breakfast was great. Have not a bad word to say about it.