We stayed for four days and I can honestly stay that we received excellent service wherever we went in the hotel, the staff their are simply brilliant.
we ate in the conservatory, lounge, restaurant and had room service - the food was faultless every single time. I am Dairy and Gluten intolerant and this was catered for superbly in the restaurant, they were very careful and very attentive.
I also enjoyed the Spa facilities, and would definitely recommend the facials and body wraps.
It's an old fashioned hotel, beautiful kept with attentive staff. We will definitely be going back.

On my last visit to Eastbourne I stayed at the much hyped Grand Hotel only to be left highly disappointed so when I arrived at the Hydro I set the bar low however this hotel is Amazing not only is it fantastic value the staff/food/rooms/grounds are all lovely too, this will now be the only hotel I will stay in on my frequent visits to the area, already looking forward to my next visit (:

A group of us have just enjoyed a fabulous bank holiday weekend at the Hydro Hotel. My daughter was getting married at Gildredge Manor in Eastbourne and 60 of us stayed at the Hydro for 2 nights. Hannah and the amazing team arranged all the rooms and a fabulous celebration dinner in the Orangery for 32 guests the night before the wedding. The food and service were excellent. Similar excellent service at breakfast and the bars. So much fun using the swimming pool, croquet lawn and putting green. Thank you Hydro and all your hard working team for a fabulous (and good value) stay.

We really enjoyed our stay at The Hydro Hotel .The staff were very helpful from start to finish . The staff in the dining room were also helpful .We would recommend the hotel . The chambermaids did an excellent job in the bedroom as well. The hotel wes spotlessly clean throughout . The food was excellent

We spent a very enjoyable afternoon on Thursday 23rd August 2019 having The Hydro Afternoon Tea which was lovely. We were very well looked after by Ai who was very friendly and efficient. A big thank you to her, we were also pleased to see Chris again who always gives us a big welcome when we see him.
We look forward to our next visit to the Hydro.
Eddie and Sue Friedberg

The Hydro was otstanding in every aspect. Angie and the sales team were very helpful, ready with advice and useful tips. The venue - the Garden Room- was superb for 75 guests with dance floor and DJ. The verandah outside wold have been lovely but it was blowing a gale!! In good weather with the gardens, croquet lawn and pool it would be a great extra for an evening. The discount for guests who wanted to stay at the hotel was excellent. All guests enjoyed the dinner. The place to celebrate in Eastbourne!

We were turned out of our beds yesterday morning at 6am to stand in the courtyard in our pajamas due to a fire alarm. This came complete with a fire engine. This was not pleasant and dangerous for one older lady who navigated the fire escape ladder staircase with a stick and assistance. Upon subsequently asking members of staff what happened their standard reply was "We've only just come on duty" . We have no problem with the event, whatever the reason, whether it was a guest smoking or staff error or whatever, it doesn't matter. We do have a problem however, with no explanation being offered to the many guests. It would have been a very simple matter to post something on the paper easel noticeboard near reception for all the guests to see. We are paying for a service and that service was interrupted and we are owed some sort of explanation, The management need to seriously review their communication policies and address this issue which spoiled an otherwise faultless experience. It has the faint whiff of arrogance about it.

We had a wonderful time at this lovely hotel. The views and grounds were amazing. The kids loved the outside swimming pool. Everywhere super clean. The general manager was excellent sorting us out another nights stay at the last minute when reception had said they were full. Breakfast/ conservatory staff were really helpful and friendly. The food was lovely too.
Porters super friendly and helpful- nothing to fault. Looking forward to returning soon.

This was our first visit to the Hydro Hotel in Eastbourne and we was not disappointed, it is a beautiful hotel, we booked a superior sea view room and the view was amazing, the room had a sofa at the end of the bed, so you could just sit and chill admiring the view. They done a very good cooked breakfast and there were plenty of staff to serve you, everyone was very polite and helpful especially one of the receptionists on Saturday night ( I can't remember her name) who googled the address of a particular Indian restaurant we wanted to go to. The swimming pool was a wee bit chilly for us to venture into. We will definitely be returning to the Hydro hotel and I highly recommend booking the superior sea view room you will not be disappointed.

We were given afternoon tea as a present from a friend and I have to say that this was a very pleasant experience from the time we walked in the door. Friendly efficient staff, cold prosecco, fantastic scones, sandwiches and cakes. Plenty of tea and a superb view from the conservatory over the bay clean smart and good old fashioned service with a smile. Well done.

We used to visit this hotel upon an annual basis with our three generation family; pleased to see much has remained the same with a few tweaks. I like the warm greeting, the staff has an unchanged core and the setting atop the cliff impressive. But, I have only provided an average review. The kitchen during two dinner services and one breakfast, almost ground to a holt; understaffed we were eventually informed. The Maitre D really needed to communicate any issues upon our arrival, manage our expectations and keep us informed; the absence of any comms left us sitting for an hour between courses. Also, a real pet hate of mine, the staff re-set breakfast during the dinner service around us, making me feel rushed to leave. However, the staff in the covered terrace extension, although young were very good, attentive and quick. The rooms were clean, bright and well appointed, the housekeeping staff both friendly and accommodating for my 84-year old mother in law. I would return, the food once received was well executed: just hope my expectations in the restaurant are better managed.

We decided to stay over the Airbourne weekend. The hotel is set in an enviable position, and the grounds are very attractive. I would have like to have felt just a little more welcome, not unfriendly but just stepping up the welcome makes such a difference. We then booked the Crystal restaurant for dinner. The staff were very friendly which rather saved things... we had to wait 50 minutes for food which is just too long. The staff admitted this and apologised, a nice touch would have been to offer a complimentary drink, we were offered an additional bread roll- not quite the same. The food when it arrived was good, though the steaks had been sitting so were not cooked as ordered, medium was actually well done.
The bedrooms were comfortable, there was a lot of noise from adjoining rooms. I was called by reception late at night saying there was a complaint about my tv keeping the neighbouring room awake. I was shocked as I was actually asleep, and awoken by this unwelcome call. I thought this was a bit naff.
The swimming pool was a nice addition.
Overall for the price we paid I think it had merit, but with the issues I mentioned above rectified- would be really nice!

Returned to this hotel where we stayed 25 years ago. It was the charming place we remembered. Our now 30 year old daughter learned to dive in the Hydro swimming pool. The view is spectacular, the pace relaxed and the hotel very well maintained. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful time! Took several great walks along the seaside promenade. A beautiful place to stay. Highly recommend!

We came here in March for lunch , this time we stayed overnight. We had a very nice time our sea view room was lovely . We had afternoon tea then had a meal in the evening. Breakfast was included. Food was very good. The staff are very helpful and we were treated very well. We felt very relaxed when we left. The gardens are beautiful from our room we had a good view of the sea.

The building is very retro and quite dated, but exudes a very British way of life that has gone in other places. I absolutely commend the staff, who are all on the button, efficient and personable. We had delightful lunch on the terrace of Hydro Club Sandwiches, excellent real (!) fresh fruit salad and soft drinks. Not expensive and everything good quality. The manager was very actively prsent, helping kids set up for croquet and doing serving duties. This place is exemplary and unique in my view and worth seeking out

I have been to the Hydro a few times but this time we stayed in the 'Classic' type room. The bed had a hideous huge vinyl headboard which dominated the room, and there were other matching brown vinyl chairs to match. The bay window in this small room was nice enough and actually the view of the town was good... except in the morning we realised we were over the loading bay for the hotel. Would have nice to have been warned. The room was noisy from other visitors and I had to use earplugs.The bathroom was a bit pathetic with its sliding door and a shower which dribbled out some warm water if you coaxed it enough. I found it hard to wash my hair. I am slightly disabled and when I had a bath, I found it scary to get out as it was terribly narrow.
The bed was comfortable but could have done without the decorative coverlet which was not clean.The room was kept tidy by the staff, but the carpet needed a good vacuum and the bathroom floor was strangely patchy which was off putting.
Breakfast was superb, smoked haddock and poached eggs, wonderful compotes and fruits, fantastic sausages, homemade bread, great service and beautiful chandeliers. The gardens were exquisite with roses and unusual and clever plantings in bronze and apricot.
What I was disappointed with; was afternoon tea. It was £35 for two people. sandwiches were overladen with thick yellow butter and insufficient in quantity. Three small sandwiches on white bread per person!. I had a big piece of gristle in my ham sandwich so soon left that, there was no lemon for the smoked salmon one and the other sandwich was boring old cucumber.
The scone was good and fluffy but wrongly fruited for a cream tea( should be a plain scone!) and a bowl of preserves would have been nice instead of the usual mini pot of strawberry jam. No one asked what jam we would like so I assume that was it.
The cakes were very boring and sickly with too much cream and no imagination. A dryish choux eclair with sticky cocoa icing( not chocolate), a layered cream sponge and a a lemon curd tart. There was no fruit tarte, no pretty glazed fruits and no creme patissiere , no candied fruit or cherry genoa; nothing but lashings of whipped cream in the selection which on top of a clotted cream scone was perfectly awful. I left all cakes with one bite of each missing. My partner did not like the tea either and he is not even very discerning!
Another day we simply had some ice cream, this was served very plainly.
In view of the super effort at breakfast the food the rest of the day could have been a lot better.
I know the Crystal Restaurant is superb having eaten there a few times, so I do not understand the problem with the afternoon tea. I am sorry to say I could have cried as was so looking forward and was embarrassed at the failure of the treat.

Stayed here last week with my disabled daughter.
I booked a side sea view room, but they thought it was better for us to have a ground floor room. We had room number two, which was perfect for both restaurants.
The hotel is what we’ve been used to, everything we asked for, was brought to the room within 5 minutes.
Food was very nice, we ate in the conservatory, & had breakfast in the main restaurant.
We didn’t use the pool, we would have done if we had been there longer. I walked down to it, & it was very nice.
I definitely stay there again.

I have stayed at this lovely hotel many times over almost 30 years so have seen it being upgraded in various ways. I book the same room each year for my summer holiday and it is spotlessly clean and very well appointed with a fridge, good bathroom, iron and ironing board, and this year a fan in the room. This was most welcome as we had just endured the hottest UK day on record.
However there are some things I'd like to point out - not that they really spoiled my stay, but something management ought to take on board.
The hotel advertises itself as a special place for weddings and the outdoor terrace with gazebo looks gorgeous in fine weather. However, people using the facilities have used glittery confetti and enjoyed drinks in the garden - and naturally there have been some spills. This detritus has not been cleared away afterwards. What a shame for the next happy couple to have a mess more reminiscent of a pub garden than a 4 star hotel to walk over. I remember not that many years ago, hotel staff would be outsde in the early evening tidying up the garden so that it looked pristine for the next day. What a pity that doesn't seem to happen now.
As for us regular paying guests - we like to look at/sit in a clean and attractive place too.
Whilst mentioning the garden I note the new box for 'sports' equipment - much better than the small plastic crate used previously. However the items in it are worn and some are broken. What a pity that guests wishing to use this facility can't have a decent game. A suggestion would be to have better equipment available from somewhere like Reception where guests would pay a deposit, refundable on the safe return of the items.
Rant nearly over - just one more point. It really would make my stay even more enjoyable if there were more things for vegetarians and vegans at breakfast - hash browns and vegetarian sausages. I have mentioned this before but even with the promise of management discussing it with the chef nothing has happened.
I shall of course be returning as I love Eastbourne and this hotel in particular. The staff are so attentive and polite and the service very good.

Stayed at this hotel for a friend's Wedding Anniversary celebration. An authentic old building from the late 1800's and still has features of it's grand old age.
The service we had was pretty good and the hot and cold buffet at the function was of a decent standard.
The ocean view from our room was really welcome.
The hotel has the smallest lift I've ever come across and could really do with modernisation and would be really something if that were possible.

The playwright Terence Rattigan reputedly described Eastbourne as more a state of mind than a geographic location. A bit unkind. I first visited Eastbourne sixty years ago and have been numerous times since; the town clearly went through a bad patch and appeared very rundown but now seems to be on the way up (looks like a new retail development by the station and there seem major works on the Congress Theatre).

The Hydro is in the smarter part of town (to the west, in the direction of Beachy Head), in a prominent position with great views over the English Channel. My husband and I have stayed there previously and looked forward to a return visit. The hotel rang a couple of times beforehand to check that our visit was still on and whether there were any special requirements (a good point).

Pluses: the room (201) was very comfortable and very clean (and had a fridge too). The food is excellent (beautifully presented) as is the service - all the staff we interacted with were very courteous and friendly. The hotel has two car parks: one (small) for disabled use and a larger one. On-street unrestricted parking is widely available, so we had no difficulty with a car even in August.

Minuses - the radiator/towel rail in the bathroom was permanently on (ie. the heating could not be controlled) we were advised by the hotel that to turn it off would mean no hot water. Although the main radiator in the room was (thankfully) off, the heat in the bathroom made it feel like a sauna whenever we went in, even to use the loo, and also made the bedroom uncomfortably hot at a time when the weather outside was fairly cool; I imagine it would have been unbearable during the recent heatwave. My husband requires gluten free food: although there were options on the menu these were few and, we felt, repetitive when dining in the hotel regularly. I might make the general observation that dishes described as gluten free should contain no gluten - ice cream (g-f) should not be accompanied by a Pompadour biscuit (which contains wheat).

We would stay at the Hydro again (preferably in colder weather - until the issues relating to the radiators are resolved).

Decided on the larger sea view room and was very pleased - loved the sofa and sweeping views over the ocean. Bed comfortable and smart linen and towels. It is a grand old property so water pressure not good and the breakfast room / food a bit dated/poor. Very peaceful and only a pleasant 15 minutes right into the main town center. Would return.

Twenty one of us stayed to celebrate my birthday. Rooms clean and comfortable and ready at stated time. We enjoyed a cream tea in the conservatory, which was delicious before playing games of croquet and putting in the beautiful garden, which has marvellous views to enjoy.
Pre dinner drinks served in the Library where we were very well looked after before a wonderful meal in the Orangery.
The service and attention to detail was second to none. Perfect!
We also required gluten free food for one of our group and this presented no problems either.
Breakfast was also excellent and again the staff were wonderful.
The events team had planned the event with me and it went absolutely to plan.
A most enjoyable stay, due to the excellent staff and delicious food.

Stayed at the hydro hotel in eastbourne with my bf for a birthday prezzy. The hotel is huge but it is also dated. Its a bit like walking into a care home and smells a bit like that to. It has an outside pool. Which was very cold (told it was heated) but lovely as it was a hot day but you dont swim alone! (Bugs)
Our room was nice, clean, hot. But the windows opened and there was a fan. Beds where lovely and brekkie was fab. Lovely food. Staff where very efficient and it was cooked to order (fresh) tea was great to.

The beds were comfy. The shower did not work so i had to have a bath. The breakfast was good but the restaurant smelt of urine and the general smell and ambience in the hotel was that of a nursing home! When i mentioned this to reception the response was that they would send housekeeping to check!

A very nice hotel with a beautiful garden. Nice interor with library and relaxing areas. Friendly staff and good service. The view overlooking the beach and Beachy Head is breathtaking. Private parties occupying the terrance/patio during weekends can be a bit disappointing when you are paying guest.