This is our second stay this year after arriving for two nights on a cold miserable January day it was a pleasure to see the welcoming site of our favourite hotel and the faces of staff we knew from past visits.
Since then we have come down again for a two night visit in our favourite suite but this time in much better weather, sitting eating breakfast in our room set in front of the large windows eating a great breakfast in the morning sunshine is great for the mind, and now they have really good Internet as well adds to the pleasure of this lovely hotel, standards are getting better thank you The Grand at Eastbourne, keep up the good work and keep smiling

Stayed here from Tuesday to Friday, in a beautiful room with sea view. Good food, very friendly, attentive and helpful staff. Felt like royalty. Enjoyed the afternoon tea.
This highly recommend this hotel.

The Grand Hotel looks stylish and elegant with plenty of space and high ceilings. You feel very welcome from your first step in the door. Excellent service, clean rooms and VERY delicious food!! We choose calamari for our starter then lobster in parmesan sauce and fillet steak for the main course. It was perfectly cooked and well presented - compliments to the Chef. The atmosphere in the Garden Restaurant was so relaxing with lovely live piano music. For breakfast there was a great choice of everything and again the staff were very attentive. We definitely would recommend this hotel to our friends.

When we were children we'd walk past the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne and sometimes dream the impossible dream of staying there. 50 years on, and we've just enjoyed a wonderful 4-day stay in a superb room overlooking the sea, and we are so pleased we finally did it. From the moment we pulled up at the main entrance we were looked after by wonderful, uniformed staff who rushed out in the heavy rain with large umbrellas to shepherd us inside, and then took care of our luggage and parked the car. Maybe our little hire car looked a bit out of it's league parked amongst the Rolls, Bentleys and Mercs in the car park, but nobody seemed to care.

Inside the hotel foyer, the scene will have changed little over the past century. Everything is on a Grand scale, but nicely balanced by friendly and efficient staff. We found the overall ambience to be elegant, old-worldly and discrete, but never crusty or pretentious. Guests are expected to respect dress standards in the restaurants and other public areas, but these standards are not onerous and seemed to us to support the graceful charm of the hotel. Board shorts or T-shirts just wouldn't work.

We chose a mid-priced room at about AUD$300 a night including breakfast. For this price you get a large and bright room with floor to ceiling windows and a nice sitting area overlooking the sea. It was very clean, sumptuous and comfortable, and was serviced twice each day. The bathroom was nicely done with good fittings in period style.

The two restaurants are both silver-service and very elegant. We found the food to be excellent and served by friendly and helpful staff. The wine list is exceptionally comprehensive and indexed by country of origin.

Overall we had a wonderful stay at the Grand and are really glad that we did it. Visiting Eastbourne after 50 years away was a real nostalgia trip for us and was made all the more special by this timeless hotel.

I took my mother here and we had a suite so that we could have separate bedrooms; the views of the sea are great, although the windows were very dirty. The service is amazing; we had a dog, who was made welcome and provided with a bed.

The bathroom has no walk in shower so not ideal for older people; rather antiquated bathroom fittings and furniture, but very traditional. the food was great.

My Husband and I stayed here for our 1st Anniversary and were not let down. It is a beautiful hotel in a gorgeous setting. The staff were really professional, helpful and friendly. We were upgraded to a suite and couldn't have asked for a nicer room. It was very elegant, spacious and clean. It had a lovely sea view which looked down across the coastline towards Eastbourne pier. It was lovely to walk around and see the period features throughout the hotel. We made full use of the hotel spa facilities. My Husband and I enjoyed a lovely evening in the bar sipping cocktails, and then room service to finish the night off. We found the bed to be very comfortable. Breakfast the next morning was in the Garden restaurant which was lovely as was the breakfast itself. The only thing we would say is the hotel is a little on the warm side which can get a bit much. The Grand Hotel is definitely a hotel we will be returning to.

Had a fabulous time with my husband. Staff were lovely, attentive, but not intrusive. Food in both restaurants was very good. Loved the balcony and sea view. Loved our room. Thank you for such an enjoyable stay!

We took advantage of the two nights for the price of one offer and greatly enjoyed our stay.

The building is beautiful with some wonderfully grand public areas although the journey to our rooms was somewhat complex. The staff were friendly, helpful and efficient (although our rooms weren't made up until mid-afternoon or so, which wasn't ideal) and the food in the Garden Restaurant was delicious and it's great to find a proper vegetarian menu on offer in a place like this (though the practice of offering a standard selection of veg with all meals meant I was offered sauté potatoes with arancini which seemed a little carb heavy!), especially the starters and desserts.

My only real gripe was with the WiFi. Checking room rates online shows the rooms as having 'Free WiFi' but in reality this is a somewhat slow connection and prone to cutting out. A speedier service is promised for £5 for 24 hours. I didn't test this out as, although the network showed up in my list I couldn't actually connect to it and in any case, taking up this option for the two nights of our visit would have cost more than my monthly broadband bill at home. Luckily I had a 3G dongle with me (by way of comparison, this costs £5 for the whole month) so was able to use that instead but really WiFi is something that I would expect to be free in a hotel of this standard (and it's something that I generally look for as a basic requirement when choosing hotels); asking guests to pay for extra for it just looks a little mean.

Bathrobes are supplied but not slippers which seems an odd omission given that the hotel has a spa (where slippers seemed to be available though I wasn't offered any and didn't spot them except in use by others).

Finally, the basin in one of our bathrooms took a really, really long time to drain (like over half an hour). This was mentioned to a member of housekeeping staff who said she was aware of it and someone was due to take a look. If this was a known issue (and I recognise that it may be something housekeeping had only noticed when cleaning the room), it seems odd that we were allocated this room (the hotel was not full).

We paid nearly 50% extra for a larger room with a 'full sea view' for one of our rooms; though this was a very nice room the window was at an angle to the front of the hotel so to call it a full sea view was perhaps a bit of a stretch; the view was more towards the pier and the town than properly out to sea. Also the bathroom in this room was rather small; the other room had better shower facilities.

All in all, I probably would stay here again but this was an expensive couple of days away and I'm sad to have come away with any reservations about the hotel, however minor.

My husband and I stayed here for a night just after Easter. We were impressed with the friendliness of the staff on arrival and the phonecall to our room within half an hour of arival asking if everything we were happy with everything.
The room was spacious, clean and inviting; our ensuite bathroom had a whirlpool bath which made it feel even more luxurious.
As we were away for just one night we didn't use the pool and spa facilities but a member of spa staff took the time to show us around and explained that some treatment time was still available if we wanted something during our staff.
We ate in The Garden Restaurant that evening and were delighted with the menu choices, the relaxed atmosphere and the outstanding quality of the food, this was equaled by the room serivce we ordered on arrival to the hotel. After dinner there was a band in the hotel lounge and we enjoyed watching other residents take to the flooe but not brave enough to join in ourselves.
A great, peaceful nights' sleep was followed by an excellent breakfast.
It was great to feel like nothing was too much trouble to ask for during our stay and we would love to go back and take advantage of the spa.

My wife and I stayed here for a long weekend - friday to Monday, just before Easter weekend. On our arrival we were impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the doorman in parking our car. We were then upgraded to a junior suite which was a lovely start to our mini break. The suite overlooked the promenade and was very clean and the bed very comfortable. Breakfasts were very tasty with a choice of buffet or you could specifically order items. We had the kippers one morning, that were delicious. The meal in the garden restaurant was quite good on our first night. The lounges were warm and cosy but drinks at the bar, however, were rather expensive. On our second night we had dinner in the Mirabelle that was wonderful. Lunch in the Garden restaurant on the sunday was disappointing and not nearly as good as our first meal there. We enjoyed a pleasant half hour in the pool and hot tub early one evening. Apart from our second visit to the Garden restaurant, my only criticism was to do with the free wifi. Whilst I applaud the hotel for providing it free, streaming was not possible and access to downloads for e- newspapers etc was extremely slow. A 'superfast' wifi was available for £5 per 24 hours and I tried it once. It was marginally faster but streaming was still erratic. The staff were all really helpful in most cases and overall we were very satisfied with our stay at the Grand and will probably return there for a special occasion.

We decidied to visit Eastbourne as my cousin was visiting from Liverpool and wanted a walk along the promenade. The weather was atrocious so we decided to take refuge in the Grand's lounge for a pot of Tea and toasted tea cake this was at 1pm. They did not mind that we weren't ordering lunch or something more substantial. We had excellent service and they were not rushing us out after we had our tea so we were able to relax and chat in the lounge until the weather improved and we resumed our walk.
We will be going back to sample the full afternoon tea as a treat, which we've been assured can be gluten free if booked in advance. The staff were very accomodating and polite and I'm tempted to book up for a weekend stay as there is a very relaxing atmosphere at the hotel despite it's 5 star status it's not too stuffy. There is a dress code for the formal dining areas of gentelmen wearing a Jacket or Tie which I found refreshing in these days of standards slipping at so many restaurants and hotels. The hotel is set in a very pleasant location on the seafront with a feeling of luxury with Chandaliers and oil paintings and a very impressive entrance hall.

We stayed at The Grand on a Friday night as a gift and it certainly was a unique experience. A throwback to a bygone era where manners and customer service are everything and nothing is too much trouble, from our luggage being taken from us before stepping foot in the lobby to offering a turn down service in the evening. Whilst the decor is certainly not modern it fits with the overall ambience and the rooms are much bigger than modern hotels of equivalent standard. We were delighted to be upgraded on arrival to a sea view room, which was a lovely touch as are the Molten Brown toiletries. A little bit of luxury in every sense!

I was treated to an evening meal here and it really was a treat. We had drinks in the bar/lounge area where we perished the menu and were not hurried to our table. There was clearly a large business function on at the time but it did not impact on the service we received which was attentive and unobtrusive throughout. Each course was well presented and delicious and the dining room was elegantly opulent. It really was a delightful experience.

I have stayed at the grand a number of times now and I cannot say any more better things about it other than it is the best hotel in Britain. The fact it is the only 5 star hotel on the coast makes it a very special place to stay. The food is fantastic, the staff are friendly, the rooms are lovely and the facilities are clean and welcoming. Sitting around the outside pool on a hot summers day is great with a nice sandwich for lunch. Please do not let anything slip, you have a wonderful product so maintain it. A* recommended

We stayed for a week in a suite and had a very nice time. The opinions of the hotel are quite far ranging and this may reflect that it isn't everyone's cup of tea. The hotel is old world and, contrary to some reports, in good condition. The average age of guests is around 60, but don't let this put you off. Yes, the spa could be better (though it is still good) and the afternoon tea service could be better organised - it is good, but if you want to see how it should be done go to the Peninsula in Hong Kong. Still good service though and very polite staff.

Overall we had a good time and would be happy to return.

I visited on Easter Sunday afternoon when I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and listened to Shelley van Loen & The Palm Court Strings. The decor is elegant and the service attentive. I did not order the afternoon tea but had instead the Grand Club Sandwhich and French Fries. It was superbly presented with a little cup of Minestrone Soup and Crisps and it was delicious. The music was outstanding and I had a memorable afternoon. I will definately return.

The Grand still delivers old world values with its large, high-ceilinged rooms and lounges and wonderfully polite and helpful staff. The two restaurants deliver good quality food from menus that provide plenty of choice and the buffet breakfast is plentiful. It's current clientele obviously appreciate what this hotel offers but younger visitors will probably be disappointed with some aspects of this 5 star hotel and expect better spa/pool facilities, bigger and better equipped bathrooms and double glazed bedroom windows.

My mother, sister, aunt and myself went for coffee and delicious bacon muffins on Monday morning. A crackling fire welcomed us into the grand hall and we collapsed on comfy sofas and chairs. Service was excellent and friendly from the valet parking to our waiters. This is a lovely place to pop in for coffee after a bracing walk on the seafront. It also does a fabulous afternoon tea if you fancy a treat for a special occasion.

We visited the Grand recently to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday. We found the staff all very welcoming and friendly and before our meal we sat in the lounge for a drink - the hotel has several areas to relax in comfort for this. We had a window table in the Garden Restaurant which I said I would prefer when making the booking. We have eaten in the restaurant several times before and it is always beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, our table had lovely orchid arrangements, which definitely add to the overall ambiance of the room. The service was good and any problems we had were quickly dealt with by the staff - my chair had some leftover marmalade on it from breakfast and the waitress even offered to give me a replacement chair. We all enjoyed our meal (especially the puddings which were excellent) and overall I feel the lunch time menu is good value for money and I would definitely visit the hotel again for similar family occasions.

We spent a long weekend here in February when England had joined the Arctic Circle. It was freezing outside yet the moment we had handed over our car keys to the helpful concierge and stepped inside, we were able to forget about the wretched Winter we were 'enjoying'. The staff are warm and welcoming, the rooms beautifully clean and with the extra touches that make your stay a little more special and once I had sat down in one of the elegant lounge areas to enjoy a totally indulgent hot chocolate (which arrived with small marshmallows and extra chocolate flakes on the side) I knew that going to Eastbourne in the worst of weather for a family reunion was a very fine idea indeed!
Our group had four rooms and we noticed that the hotel is refurbishing the bedrooms. Ours still had carpet in the bathroom, but the other three were now tiled, which was my only complaint from my last visit.
Breakfast and dinner were both first class and I can also highly recommend afternoon tea!
If you are thinking of going to Eastbourne, I can think of no better hotel to stay in. I am looking forward to my next trip.

A wonderful 4 night stay with family. The moment you arrive you feel welcomed to the hotel, all of the staff are absolutely lovely. The rooms are warm and comfortable, with all the little added luxuries making the stay very pleasant. The food is outstanding at both dinner and breakfast, the choice is wonderful and it is all cooked to perfection. The leisure facilities and spa are very relaxing.

I took my mother along to the Grand for a two night stay to celebrate Mother's day. Alas, the weather was dire and planned walks along the beach had to be postponed. How fortunate then to be staying in such a beautiful hotel where the aggressive cold and snow outside had little or no impact on our break.
From the moment we arrived and stepped out of our cab we had the feeling that we were going to be well looked after and we weren’t disappointed.

Our room was lovely; cosy and clean with the touches of luxury you would expect from such an impressive establishment. We had two nights uninterrupted slumber partly aided by very comfortable beds and partly by visits to the gym and spa which soothed our aching limbs.
Dinner in the restaurant was delicious and the next morning we weren’t disappointed at breakfast either, where we were treated to a banquet.

All the staff were utterly charming and made our stay a pleasant and restful experience.
We were sorry to leave after two days but we hope to fit in another visit very soon.

We had a fantastic weekend celebrating my parents 50 th wedding anniversary. We were four families totally 14 and everyone was made to feel very welcome. The dinners on both Friday and Saturday night were amazing. The evening entertainment in lounge was very good. The only downside is the beauty treatment centre. Do not waste your money! I had the most terrible pedicure. My 8 year old niece could have done better.

This is our second time down to Eastbourne and The Grand Hotel. Yes, the hotel is a little tired looking, however it's like painting the Harbour Bridge, once you finish you have start again. What really makes our stay is the staff, their attitude and attentiveness to detail is outstanding, nothing is ever a bother.
Our rooms have been well appointed and very comfortable, along with our beds. This is an important area for us as we are travelling around for 4-5 weeks, therefore we must have a good nights sleep. Also, we have fallen into the age bracket where our bones are not as flexible as they use to be.
We love returning to The Grand, seeing yesteryear of past, the high ceilings, grand entrance and beautiful large public rooms. The staircase whispers with history, even the floor boards that creak have a story.
The name is very apt, it is very grand!

Returned during somewhat miserable weather but once inside the Grand the mood changes,
the room allocated very bright, comfortable, and very warm. They have even listened to many customers and have started to tile all floor areas in the bathrooms. A relaxing and very enjoyable
evening meal, wonderful menu and fantastic food delivered with excellent and attentive service.
Thanks to all at the Grand for another enjoyable stay. Best hotel on south coast.