Living very close to Eastbourne, Ive been to the Hydro for various weddings and work courses over the years. We also purchased the voucher for bed, breakfast and evening meal, as i thought it would be nice to actually stay there.
The staff were very nice and friendly. The food was lovely. The building itself is very imposing, perched on top of the hill. Everyone knows The Hydro.
With hindsight, maybe we should of upgraded to a sea view room, as i think the room itself was the only weak point. Described as "a town view room" , i think that fire escape and ductwork view would have been more apt! The room and corridors where quite hot/stuffy and with the window open, the ductwork was a bit noisy. We didn't sleep too well, and the double bed seemed quite small. (Neither of us are over 5ft 7") Maybe as the room was quite snug, it just seemed small.
I enjoyed my stay at this hotel.

What an absolutely delightful hotel. It was like stepping back in time with the wood panelling in the reception and ground floor areas. We were upgraded to a suite, due to a cancellation, that had recently been refurbished. It was a lovely room overlooking the croquet lawn with magnificent views of the sea. We sat in the garden which is beautifully tended having a glass of wine in the sunshine - very pleasant and peaceful. All the staff we encountered were incredibly obliging and helpful. The food in the restaurant was lovely and there was a great choice for breakfast. I would certainly recommend this hotel and would be more than happy to stay there again.

I purchased a voucher for my husbands birthday and it included dinner too, for a small charge i was able to get aroom with a sea veiw. The hotel is situated on the way out of Eastbourne and had magnificent views out to see and beachy head. Rooms were spotless and the decore was in keeping with a delightful tipically English hotel offering style and comfort, good service and excellent food. The grounds were beautifully kept with a crocket lawn , putting green and a swimming pool. There was a conservatory that served good selection of food and had outside ares for guests to enjoy the lovely weather and spectacular views.
Great place to enjoy a break

nice sea view room
good 3 star rated
good price
warm outdoor pool
would go again as very nice one night stay
very good and quiet location
nice old fashioned
clean room and bedding
good price for wine
nice gardens
recommend

Had a weekend at this hotel for a social function. Great room which had been redecorated and had a Shower rather than a Bath. A great surprise. All the staff are very helpful and friendly, food first class and bar price's within reason for a hotel. Well up to the 3 star rating with some items 4 star quality. Obvious that money is being spent on this hotel without detracting from it's old world charm. Going to book up a long weekend soon as want to go back. Well done to the staff who are all a credit to this hotel.

A gentle, warm hotel, even though it is typical large Victorian seaside dwelling.

Welcoming staff, lovely room with a seaview. Excellent dinner and wine all very genteel. Breakfast was very good.

The hotel decor was fresh and not tired as one often finds in these places. I would highly recommend this place if you are thinkong of going to the South coast

On the rising ground towards Beachy Head and the open Downs in the west end of town - but only a step from the esplanade and 6 or 7 minutes walk back to the pier. View along the cliffs from the east wing of the hotel. Perhaps looks a little tired outside, but well fitted and maintained inside, in a very comfy traditional way. We stayed for a weekend reunion, using the function room - the food was good for the dinners and excellent for breakfasts. The staff include a strong Portuguese contingent who are delightful and endlessly willing to be of service.

A lovely old fashioned hotel. Our rooms were suites with sea views and sitting room adjoining the bedroom. Spotlessly clean and modern. Views of the sea and beach head. Short walk into town. We had rooms 210 and 110. The dinner was beautifully presented and staff very professional Traditional. We swam in the spotlessly clean outdoor heated pool in May Nd loved it. The gardens are very well kept and we played croquet and pitch and putt on the lawn outside the conservatory. There was a slightly odd slightly urine type smell in the main lounge but very mildly. It was sunny so we were outdoors most of the time. Very quiet and peaceful area of town, no road noises etc. could slightly hear the TV in the room next door. Will definitely come back for another stay here. There were few young people which was a shame, but very friendly and chatty guests who clearly are well known to staff and visit regularly. Lots of small well behaved dogs visiting with their owners. Am not a dog lover, but didn't find it a problem. We booked with travelzoo. £99 per room which included dinner, B&B and glass of bubbly. Lovely !

Stayed at the hotel for 1 night to visit family. The staff were extremely helpful from the minute we arrived until the minute we left. The room was spotlessly clean, and the breakfast was great. Honestly a great hotel and i love its character. Would definately stay again.

Had Lunch there many times and Snack in the Wintergarden the Location and Setting is great, the food is good and reasnable priced, the Lobby has Style and Charm we look forward to go there every time we go to Eastbourne.

We are regular visitors to the Hydro, usually for lunch in the conservatory. We enjoy the food, but it is the location that really makes it; however, It is let down by lacklustre service from the staff. Not that there aren't plenty of staff milling around, it is just that they fail to recognise the importance of good customer service. Come on, up your game and meet and greet customers properly, avoid keeping people waiting a long time to order and make the effort to clear tables when people have finished eating, rather than have them stare at the lunch debris for 20 mins or more.

Just got back from a weekend at the Hydro Hotel. What a slice of English class and Victorian splendour it was too! Fabulous old rambling building, we had a room overlooking the sea and with added sunshine made it even more special. There were staff in abundance ready to look after your every need, nothing was too much trouble. There was a fantastic sunny conservatory for afternoon tea overlooking the lawns. The tea was sumptuous. The food in the Crystal Restaurant was first class. All in all we had a wonderful weekend and highly recommend it.
Debbie and Pete, Bexley.

We have just got back from a night staying at the Hydro hotel with an elderly friend who stayed in a single room.....We stayed in a refurbished double with seaview.
I had read numerous reviews before we went and all said more or less the same thing. That the hotel décor was a bit dated and needs some TLC....Well this is the case, but it adds to the charm, as when you walk through the door it is quite old fashioned, but with loads of personality. The service and greeting at reception was very friendly and professional and there were many staff to help with your requirements if you actually needed them.
Generally the clientele are of the more mature I would say and very few families seem to stay here and to be honest, there isn't a great deal for young children to do. So if you want a quiet hotel, then this is a good place to stay.
Talking about being quiet....The hotel is on a hilltop right away from the hustle of the seafront. Not to far from it to not be able to get there easily, but far enough away to ensure a peaceful nights sleep. We slept with the window wide open and didn't hear a thing.
We stayed in a newly refurbished room with a spectacular view of the cliffs leading up to Beachy Head. The décor and furnishings were very modern and the bed was one of the comfiest I have ever slept in, and that's where there was a complete contrast, because as you step out into the hallway and walk down the stairs, the paper is coming off the walls and paintwork is flaking off then too, which is a shame as this could be a higher stared hotel with a bit more care and attention. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the old fashioned décor downstairs in the lounge areas, but as you go upstairs, the hotel doesn't seem to know what it wants to be with the dated wallpaper etc, then the modern bedrooms. I appreciate they are trying to update things at the Hydro, but maybe one floor at a time would be better, instead of random rooms.

I would have liked to have seen someone from the management team on our departure as we had a couple of criticisms before we left. I was given the opportunity to speak to them, but feel that perhaps they should have approached me first and not the other way round, given the nature of my criticism.
Basically my criticisms were that my elderly friend, on entering her bathroom, lifted the lid on her toilet and was greeted with a very nasty surprise!!!!
My other criticism was that although there were plenty of staff at breakfast, our French waiter seemed reluctant to clear our table between courses and we had to ask him to clear the table after we had stacked the plates ourselves and left them on the side of the table. Im sure this isn't always the case, but this was our experience. So it was a bit of a letdown as the fried breakfast was also very tasteless to be honest. Apart from a plentiful supply of tea and extra hot water to make another pot if required. A nice touch and a good strong pot of tea it was too.
Sadly I would have to rate our stay at the Hydro as only average and this hotel could so easily get an extra star to make it a 4star.....But would it lose some of that elegant charm on arrival.....Maybe it would.
The bar prices at the Hydro are very good I have to say and a couple of night caps before bed didnt break the bank like many other hotels...So that is always a good point I think!!
So its not all bad news......But could do with some improvement here and there.

As with other reviewers, we stayed at the Hydro on a one-night DBB deal. Far better than we were expecting; a thoroughly enjoyable stay from beginning to end. We were upgraded to a sea-view room which was great. The room was spacious, clean and had a decent-sized bed. The hotel is in a pleasant location, on the Beachy Head side of Eastbourne, and situated in well-kept grounds. We enjoyed dinner (and the complimentary glass of fizz), the breakfast was good too; freshly cooked. Staff were lovely. Yes, the age of the guests here is generally in the 'seniors' bracket, but this is Eastbourne after all, not Ibiza! Highly recommended.

We stayed on a one-night dinner, bed and breakfast special offer. We booked online and didn't quite know what to expect, but were very pleasantly surprised when we arrived. The hotel is a traditional hotel in a lovely way. We were upgraded to a sea view room (superb view, with seagulls outside the window) which had recently been decorated, very tastefully. The restaurant was impressive (no jeans, or mobile phones) and the food was delicious. Service was prompt and very polite. We shall certainly be returning, and will happily pay the full price for such a relaxing place.

We were fortunate to stay here on a one-night deal with dinner. Bed and breakfast. At first we did not know what to expect; this appeared to be an old seaside hotel stuck in a time warp and we expected the kind of faded, seen-better-days place so often encountered on the south Coast. How wrong we were: this was old fashioned in the sense that cleanliness, politeness and service are old fashioned. Everything about the hotel was done well.

We arrived on a sparklingly sunny day in time for lunch in the conservatory: the wind was just an edge too cold to sit outside but we sat by the window, overlooking the immaculate croquet lawn with its smart Union flag snapping at its flagstaff. We shared a ploughman's lunch of epic proportions - nothing sophisticated about the uncompromising chunks of cheese and a brace of pickled onions - and then shared a couple of fresh scones with cream and jam. The waiting staff were charming and attentive.

Since it was a weekday and the hotel was not full, we asked for a sea-view room and were delighted to be offered a free upgrade. The room was bright, spacious and airy, with full-height windows along the length of one wall. The en-suite shower/toilet was clean and well-appointed and there was the usual kettle, teas and coffee. The wardrobe contained a safe. The room was clean, the bed comfortable. While the digital TV signal was somewhat sporadic, the free wifi was clean and efficient.

Dinner was served in the large restaurant where, again, everything was done properly and to the highest standard: excellent, but sometimes slow, service by charming wait staff, dressed in house uniforms, starched tablecloths, carefully squared off and neatly concertina'd serviettes. The food was decent enough and, although not fine cuisine, of the kind of quality that you would expect in a hotel which is conciously maintaining certain standards.

Breakfast was freshly cooked - always a major plus, so no half-cold congealing food sitting in trays. Again service was a trifle slow but more than compensated for by polite attentiveness and the quality of tyer whole stay.

Perhaps it is this sense of being a whole experience that made this an outstanding stay. You are more than a guest; you are embraced by the Hydro and its friendly staff in a way that few hotels manage to accomplish. If it is stepping back in time, it is bringing old-fashioned values and high standards to a modern hotel, ideally located for a visit to Eastbourne.

To enter The Hydro is just like stepping into the pages of an Agatha Christie novel and there are plenty of potential Miss Marple's among the clientele too and none the worse it is for that.

I have not stayed overnight but visited for an early breakfast and light lunch yesterday separated by a six or seven mile walk with a friend, along a very blustery and damp sea front.

An excellent base from which to start on such a venture or indeed on a walk across Beachy Head (and back again!) or across the downs. The breakfast was superb - especially the bacon which was full of the most succulent flavour and served with flair by Chris and his team.

Lunch was in the conservatory restaurant, overlooking the croquet lawn and tropical gardens across to the sea - reminded me of "Evil under the Sun". If the rooms are as comfortable as the hotel is quaint, it's probably a very good place to stay in Eastbourne if you want to be in a quiet location out of the town centre.

Looking forward to going back.

Upon arrival we weren't quite sure what to expect but were pleasantly surprised with this traditional looking hotel. The receptionist was welcoming and helpful and when we asked to our room to be changed to a twin this was quickly and efficiently changed without hesitation. The deal,we booked included a two course dinner and again the food was amazing and plentiful. We were lucky enough to be given an upgrade to a sea view room which offered a wonderful panoramic view of the ocean.

My only critism, if I had to say something would be that there did not appear to be any way to regulate the heating but this was rectified by opening a window so all good.

My wife and I have just returned from three days at the Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne. We booked it through Travelzoo at £99 a night for two with breakfast, dinner and a glass of fizz with the dinner. The booking went through very smoothly.The hotel is 120 years old and a nice combination of the old with the modern. We were given a large, renovated, room with a huge bathroom with wc, handbasin, bath with shower over and a shower cubicle. There was always plenty of hot water and good pressure. The bed was comfortable and everything was very clean. The WiFI in the room was free and fast enough.
Our evening meals were very well presented and nicely cooked as was the breakfasts.
All the staff were polite and friendly.
This is not a hotel for children although several, very well behaved, children were there. It does not have playrooms so they would get a bit bored.
Several people told us that they were returning because they had enjoyed previous stays at the hotel.

We booked private dinning for my parents Diamond wedding Anniversary on Sunday 5th April 2015.

We all had a great day , food, service etc. was excellent ,very well looked after by all staff from initial booking with the sales office team to the waiting staff on the day.

Thank you all so much for making this day extra special for my parents and all the family

We were very impressed with this traditional hotel, which we visited to attend the wake after a family funeral. The room used for the event was perfect and the sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes were excellent.
We then stayed the night having had purchased a Travelzoo deal for £99, which included a two course meal, two glasses of sparkling wine and breakfast. Not a bad deal, I thought. We arrived before the check in time, but was checked in very efficiently only to find that we had been upgraded to a suite, with an amazing view. So it turned out to be an amazing deal, as the dinner and breakfast were very good.
The hotel its self has a very tradional feel to it, as is the decor in lounges and restaurant. The reception, bar and conservatory have a more modern feel to them and the suite we stayed in was very modern (and comfortable).
We were very pleased with our stay and would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a quiet relaxed stay. If however you are younger and looking for a fun and exciting 'modern' environment you maybe disappointed.

Lunch in the orangeary conservatory for 16/20 persons. Lovely area but food mediocre. I had coronation chicken starter and cold meat salad and the person to my left roast pork...enough for a toddler ! So well over priced. My hubby had same as me then liver and vegetables and he was not over impressed. The staff were very good and attentive. We have been many times to functions but based on the lunch yesterday not rushing back !

Stayed here with a group of bridge players. Room and beds very comfortable with sea view. Lovely grounds and conservatory. Food was great plus service, as they managed to serve 60 bridge players 3 courses in 1 and half hours without seeming to rush us. All the staff were excellent and very friendly. Very convenient for hearty walks up,Beachy Head, but a bit of a hike to the centre.Highly recommend it.

We have just spent a very enjoyable weekend break 7-9 March at the Hydro.
The Hotel is very traditional, internally extremely attractive. If of interest one can ask at the Reception and they have a print out of the Hotel's history dating back to it's establishment as a "bathing establishment"
We found ourselves surrounded by avid bridge players. I must say we're in our 70's and we both felt young !!
On arrival we were advised that we had been upgraded, unexpected in that my partner had booked at the last minute as a birthday surprise for myself.
We had a beautiful second floor room facing directly to the sea, the bathroom was equally as good with a selection of toiletories . The "historical" single lift required patience at peak times, we used the stairs as an alternative. We only used the restaurant for breakfast, the service was prompt, extremely courteous and attentive, and more than ample.
There is plenty of parking space in the rear car park which is floodlit at night. The internet was free of charge and easy to connect.
If somebody doesn't need to stay in the center of Eastbourne we would unreservedly recommend the Hydro - its around 20 to 25 minutes walk from the theatres.
A very good place to stay.

I know it's to be expected but there are a load of 'senior' people holidaying in Eastbourne, even in February!
The hotel itself is a very old establishment in the traditional hotel sense. Very grand entrance and wooden panels everywhere.
The room was completely satisfactory albeit on the third floor and serviced by a very slow lift (or was it just slow because of the guests shuffling into it?) I should confess that I'm not a million miles from retirement home age myself but I did feel like the young un when walking through the lounge early evening. Restaurant was OK but as usual, in this type of hotel, a little limited however the sizzling steak was delicious.
Ideal location for me with a car but a little far out from the high life of Eastbourne .
Free internet that worked very well.
All in, a good place to stay.