Stayed for one Sept night in a side sea view room on DB and B terms.
The hotel is well situated on the sea front with easy parking.
Reception staff are helpful and public areas impressive, in a faded English manner.

Our room was of good size but hot, despite all the windows being wide open on our arrival. Outside temperature was in the low 20's but room SW facing into the sun.
The room remained hot overnight, disturbing our sleep and not helped by a too warm duvet. Apparently fans are available and the hotel is clearly aware of the problem. Must be unbearable in high summer and air conditioning is clearly required in all of the sea facing rooms. Bathroom was adequate but the shower is over the bath.

The evening meal was disappointing. The set menu (£42) is limited and the
additional charges for eating off the a la carte menu are exhorbitant. A bottle of still water cost us £4.65 !

Overal the staff are excellent but the hotel does not provide the food and comfort that should come with a 5 Star rating and price tag. We will not return.

Yes she's old ,probably a little tired , but accept it.
We booked a double room with partial sea view and were upgraded to a junior suite , it was a huge room with a very nice bathroom .
The staff were very friendly and efficient , the clientel a liitle 'up themselves' ,but it was a pleasure to stay there.
The food in the 'Garden' restaurant was excellent but why oh why do they allow the staff to strip the used tables and prepare them for the next day whilst people are still eating at other tables.
On the whole brilliant!

What can I say? This is probably the best hotel I have ever stayed at. My husband and I spent three lovely nights at this Hotel last week. Upon arrival we were greeted by the concierge who parked our car for us in the Hotel car park. All the staff from the concierge, reception staff and housekeeping staff were professional, courteous and made us feel very special indeed.

The hotel itself is situated in a prominent position in Eastbourne along the seafront and is an ideal base to tour Eastbourne and nearby Beachy Head. The added bonus was that the weather was glorious too.

The hotel room was immaculate, the breakfasts lovely and the hotel itself is a gem.

We hope to go to the Grand again next year and this Hotel is simply the best.

We had a superb stay at this wonderful place. It is a bit of a time warp and they really need aircon in all rooms bur a modern equivalent would have none of this charm. Excellent staff, great facilities a blast from the past and a real treat.

Stayed here sat 6/7th sept for our wedding anniversary nothing was too much trouble ,staff polite very helpful .
We were upgraded to a master suite overlooking the front of the hotel which was lovely .In our room we had fruit and card from staff / managers congratulating us on our anniversary( nice touch ) .
Our dinner in the mirabelle restaurant was excellent with a man playing the piano and breakfast next day had a good choice of food hot/ cold .
A fabulous stay by the sea .

Firstly I must just say that the best thing about this hotel is definitely the staff who work hard and welcome you gloriously, but 5* it isn't! Take a good look at the rooms online as the photos are fair- pink velvet armchairs and chinz curtains and bedcovers. This hotel needs a lot of money spent on it to truly make it to 5*. We couldn't work out which part of the hotel had earned the star rating, certainly not the rooms. Children eat a buffet off of the main dining room which makes you feel like an outcast and their food choice was pretty poor with dried up burgers and pizza. Adult food ok but not outstanding. Service was poor at breakfast but, in fairness it was very busy with everyone arriving at the same time. As a couple avoid but if you have children who like swimming this could be for you.we won't be going back.

Go back in time, with decor and where service is top of their agenda and you feel like 'one of the family' as soon as you walk in, then The Grand at Eastbourne is your place!!
We went for the air show and even if the hotel was rather busy, the impeccable service, food quality and attention to detail did not fail to impress! Just as it should be where ever you go! Other hotels should take note!
Lunch being just a sandwich oh no you get a small cup of 'Chefs daily soup' in addition to your sandwich and crisps.
Now we hadn't booked afternoon tea until that day but this was no bother to them and we had this at 3pm. All fresh and heavenly. My only fault would be not enough savoury sandwiches for two people, but the pastries and scones Devine!!!!!
Are we going back??????? Definitely!!!!!!!

This is a difficult one as The Grand has so much going for it. The history of the building and it's music and radio past are exceptional. However there were moments where I felt
I was in a mausoleum. Everything is subdued and badly lit, although there is information about the history in sections of the hotel, it doesn't draw you in as it should. Nothing says this more than the huge breakfast dining room. A mish mash of styles and furniture, a selection of cereals placed in the centre of the room, making it a very sad focal point, whilst the hot food is hidden at the far end of the room. I say hot, I use that term loosely as the bacon was Luke warm and the scrambled egg was so cold as to be inedible. Staff wander around as if they wish they could be somewhere else. One young waiter proving the exception to the rule. I fear he is fighting a loosing battle as the word smile obviously hasn't been heard of. The whole room is depressing, yet again it's badly lit. Even the large picture lights are focused on the frames not the paintings. On a glorious morning with sunshine brightening the inside walkway alongside the restaurant we were subjected to sombre dining as overbearing net curtains blocked any light out. I realise this hotel works for an older crowd and overseas visitors but it could be so much more. You only have to read a few of the other reviews about the quality of meals and afternoon tea service to realise that more and more people feel the same.

I can only recommend staying at this well preserved and beautifully run Victorian relic which maintains so much of the flair of a bygone era. As a family with two kids and a teenager we have stayed at the Grand in Eastbourne several times. It is a fantastic place from which to enjoy the spectacular Eastbourne Airshow "Airbourne". We booked one of their Master-suites which are huge and were set-up with three beds for the kids in the large drawing room and mum and dad in the equally gigantic bedroom.
The staff are brilliant and took the best care of all of us. The leisure facilities are great and offer a fantastic break in the afternoon for the entire family. The outdoor pool was wonderfully warm and could be enjoyed despite the English weather.
We will definitely come back as soon as we can!

I've travelled to Eastbourne and stayed at The Grand on business many times. This time, it was a pleasure trip with my wife. What a great place to treat yourself to some old world elegance; the beautiful old building, the fantastic breakfast and unsurpassed service from the staff. Fantastic!

We live quite local to the Grand and often walk along the sea front past the hotel.
On several occasions my wife had said how wonderful it must be to stay somewhere like the Grand
but due to the expense thought it would never happen.
I booked a room and evening meal as a surprise for her 50th birthday and made several calls to the hotel prior to our stay and the staff were always very helpful and polite.
On the day of our stay we arrived at the hotel with my wife showing signs of concern as I unexpectedly tuned into the drive way.
Panic followed as I pulled up at the very grand looking entrance and a member of staff approached the car with a smile and asked if we had a reservation. My wife's panic turned to tears as I replied "yes" to his question and that was the start of the most wonderful visit we have ever had anywhere.
The hotel exceeded all our expectations.The staff on reception were polite and friendly and we were give a room upgrade which was a lovely surprise.
The porter took our bag and pointed out relevant areas and shared some historic facts as he showed us to our room. He was very warm and welcoming.
The room we were given was at the front of the hotel and had a lovely view of the sea. (In my opinion worth the extra cost).
The room was spacious, very clean and felt luxurious.
We went down to dinner and again were welcomed by friendly staff and were shown to our table. The dinning room was fabulous. Very "grand".
The food was the best I have tasted to date and there was a good choice.
When we went back to our room the lights were on and the bed had been turned down. The room looked very cosy!
We both had a great nights sleep in a very comfortable bed. It was so nice waking up to the sea view.
The standard of great food and service continued with breakfast in the dining room.
I had wanted my wife to have a treatment in the spa but there were none available when I asked. The member of staff took my number and said they would ring if they got a cancellation which they did some time later. My wife felt spoilt during the treatment and said the staff once again were great.
This was to be a one off visit due to cost but we had such a special time here we will definitely visit again.
This hotel is definitely worthy of its five stars and should be very proud of all its members of staff.
It was a visit we shall never forget.

Four of us went for lunch on Saturday. We enjoyed the set menu of three courses for £23. Beautiful hotel, fabulous service and of course the food was fabulous. I recommend this hotel for many reasons. I have used the spa for my birthday in the past, now I have had lunch there. One day I may have dinner there! If you think its out of your price range its not. Treat yourself to a little luxury!

This wonderful hotel (known locally as The Wedding Cake because of it's intricate white exterior) stands the test of time. If you want perfectly posh, then this is NOT the place for you! This Grand Old Lady has seen better times decor-wise, for sure, but this just adds to the charm. The whole point of the Grand is the service and comfort, both of which are outstanding. The food is well cooked, fresh and inviting, rather than the latest trend. The furniture is comfortable, inviting you to linger over another drink or coffee.....not those chairs and sofas which look amazing, but are so uncomfortable you can't wait to leave!
The staff...well, what can I say? They are well trained, and find that perfect point of being friendly without being over familiar. They are vigilant, and try to anticipate a guest's needs.
If you get to stay here, bedrooms and suites are spotlessly clean, with comfortable beds and good bathrooms. The extra touches such as water, bathrobes, slippers and good toiletries are an added bonus. Nothing is too much trouble, whether your request is to Housekeeping, Concierge, Room Service or Guest Relations (Did I mention Madeleine, the Guest Relations Manager? SUPERB!!) There is also a very nice pool, gym and beautician to add to a relaxing stay.
I, for one, hope that The Grand Hotel stays just as she is, and ignores the people who want more Razamataz...there are other places for them. Just go there, relax, be waited on and made to feel special....nowhere in this area does it as well as The Grand Hotel.

Very pleasant afternoon tea however somewhat sparse. The menu for afternoon tea was egg mayonnaise and tomato sandwiches, coronation chicken , cream cheese and cucumber, and salmon.which myself i don't eat cream cheese or egg and my friend does not eat coronation chicken. we asked for alternatives such as ham or something. when the sandwiches came out I had one triangle of coronation chicken and two of salmon and one of egg. My friend had two egg one cheese and a salmon. the eton mess was really nice and the scones were nice however the cream and jam was in short supply for the scones. The tea was served in nice silver pots the waitress was very attentive. The atmosphere inside the hotel was good however some of the décor could do with being updated. The afternoon tea was pleasurable however not the best that I have had and I think we both had higher expectations. We was not asked if we required any more tea or food which is unusual compare to other places we have been.

A palace that takes you back in time to an era of bygone days, when service was of the upmost importance and still is today!! when you walk into the lobby and the staff smile and with a warm voice and say welcome back to the Grand, we hope you enjoy your stay with us again? Before you go to your room, can we just confirm the reservation we have made for you during your stay and they reel off the bookings made and confirm the times. The porter will show you to your room and once again enjoy your stay at the Grand!! where ever you dine, drink or even lounge by the pool you will enjoy your experience at the Grand Hotel Eastbourne!! Oh! upgrade to a sea view room their the best!!!

Stayed here for two nights on August bank holiday weekend. Let me say first that without exception the staff were very good and the public areas of the hotel well presented. However , this is not a five star hotel as far as rooms are concerned. Room 205 was dark ( very little natural light) and even with all lights on it was very difficult to read. There was a lot of noise, no bathrobes, no fridge, no minibar and the smallest television I have seen since 1986. At best, this room was 3 star.
To be fair, the staff dealt with my feedback about the room very well. However, this hotel was a disappointment.

I could not fault anything about this hotel, the service was amazing all the staff were friendly, it was very clean, comfortable beds, lovely dinner and breakfast. My husband and I both had spa treatments which were also perfect, great room service. Look forward to staying there again. A true 5 star experience.

old hotel, outside fassade needs more than painting. food in the restaurant small portions, almost tasteless not 5 star and for sure overpriced. rooms acceptable, mattresses old and bathroom more than tiny with old fittings. within almost 100 tv channels not only one of a foreign, at least european, tv station. sorry but we're foreigners. if you want value for your money and you are less than 70, then stay away from this hotel.

Historic home of the BBC's Palm Court Orchestra - I'm old enough to remember it - this 5 star hotel has space, comfort, elegance and service with style to match.

The ground floor reception, lounges and restaurants are huge but sufficiently divided so as not to be cavernous. A good balance between palatial and comfort. Greeted at the door by concierges who treat one as a welcome guest the booking in was swift and friendly - as was checking out.

The staff throughout all had the ethos that you are here to enjoy and our role (not job) is to see that you achieve that.

It is a big hotel but breakfast was not a crush. There are two restaurants for dinner. We tried both. The main one more traditionally English was excellent, served with style although my wife felt the food could have been warmer. The Mirabelle, more contemporary was a wonderful experience. I had to decline the amuse bouche. A few minutes later an alternative arrived - nice touch.

The lounges were comfortable well supplied with newspapers. We sat and 'planned our next visit'. Not sure when but its a certainty.

A few more biscuits in the room would put it on a par with other hotels we've stayed in.

A tip - if you arrive by car book a space when you book.

We went with some friends for dinner and I have to day it was rather disappointing - overpriced and very ordinary food and snooty waiting staff. We had been expecting something rather sumptuous but there was not much I liked on the menu so I had to opt for the vegetarian option and for the prices charged I felt I could have cooked better myself. The rooms look like they have not been decorated since the 1960s and are full of rich old people passing the time, which is not quaint, it`s rather depressing as it looks like a posh old people`s home.

A last minute decision and booking. Excellent position on the seafront, concierge to park the car, free parking, warm welcome, nothing was too much trouble, timeless elegance, yummy afternoon tea, spacious deluxe room. Great views of the Airbourne display and the finale fireworks. Both indoor and outdoor pools with free wi fi to boot. The Eastbourne open top hop on/hop off tour bus is a must, great value for money, informative and the bus stops directly outside the hotel.

We didn't stay at the hotel, but our family group had Sunday lunch in the Garden Restaurant.

As the air show was on, parking near to the hotel was very hard to find and we didn't start to eat until well after our table booking time. This was no problem at all for the staff, who were splendid throughout; attentive without being obtrusive and quite unflappable.

Lunch itself was very good in the traditional manner and the bill not at all unreasonable.This was the hotel where my grandfather and grandmother met and it was a real treat on a family occasion to be able to visit the place that was such an important part of our personal histories.

From the moment we arrived we could tell The Grand had a certain class.
Valet parking, friendly concierge service and very professional, welcoming and polite reception service. We had opted for an executive room but got upgraded to a suite.
The room was huge, very well appointed and clean.
The hotel is within a 10 minute walk of the pier and the town centre and there are some very impressive resturants close by.
The breakfasts are real quality with a brilliant selection which can be cooked to order if required. If you can, opt for a table in the conservatory.
The hotel certain lives up to its name.

We went to Eastbourne for the Airshow weekend and were very happy to find some last minute availability at this elegant seafront hotel during this busy time. However, what made it for us was the fact that they welcomed our dog! We took her bed and everything she needed but she was offered a 'grand' doggy meal of either fresh chopped chicken or steak. She opted for the chicken and was in dog heaven (room service). The hotel is very well maintained and the room and bathroom up to expected high standards. The staff were exceptionally helpful. The car park had probably never been so busy and the cars were juggled with expertise. There was live jazz and outdoor dining as well as a pretty outdoor pool.

It's a beautiful building, impressive lobby and great location. But the whole experience just didn't live up to the price. The room was dated, one cabinet in our room was so wonky we could put a drink on top of it, the mattress was bigger than the bed base and sagged at the edges, the television was very small, but the bathroom was lovely, clean and well maintained.
Breakfast was very average, no finesse, just piles of average food, lunch and dinner were both good, the staff friendly and attentive, but the food and style again felt dated, the bar staff were excellent, helpful and knowledgable.
I couldn't justify paying that much to stay there again, we wanted to love it, but I think it caters for those who like things the old fashioned way and has fallen out of step with modern grand hotels of the world.