Really enjoyed staying here. It is a beautiful hotel and the service was excellent from start to finish. It is a very classic, old style, 'grand' hotel with dancing on friday and saturday nights and there was even a live jazz band on the saturday afternoon with all the oldies dancing in between sumptuous afternoon tea. Made me wish I could dance like that.

We had several treatments as part of a spa break and they were fantastic and staff were very professional.

The breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meal in the Garden restaurant were all incredible.

Really amazing break and was lovely to be able to stroll along the promenade in the mild summer evenings after our evening meal.

we booked this hotel at the last minute and we were very happy with our entire experience. on arrival the doorman parked our car and our bags were carried inside. The service from the moment we arrived was impeccible and the staff were always on hand, friendly and eager to please.
the room was spotless, i guess the decor could be regarded as slighly old fashioned but I liked to think of it as 'classic'. The room facilities were top class and the room was spacious and comfortable.
Breakfast was first class for choice and quality and the dining room is very classy and run efficiently.
overall this hotel is a 'grand hotel' in the true sense of the word, and i would reccommend it for a short or even a long stay.

I would have given the Grand a rating of 4 were it not for the absence of a baby listening service which had been advertised on the Small Luxury Hotels website where we made our booking. To their credit once we pointed this out they did provide us with a baby sitter for one of our three nights at no charge, allowing us to have dinner in the hotel's Mirabelle restaurant. But as our aim had been to do this every night, this somewhat took the shine off our stay.

The hotel can arrange babysitters but obviously need notice for this and it clearly this is a much more expensive option than a baby listening service.

The food in the Mirabelle is excellent, albeit in a formal setting (men must wear jacket or tie). It is quite expensive, as you have to have three courses for £40 per person and any variations from the basic menu incur extra charges.

Breakfast is good and there are high chairs available. Children can use both the indoor and outdoor pools.

There isn't WiFi available except in the conference meeting rooms which is a pity, and the mobile reception was very patchy (on O2 and Vodafone) - meaning we couldn't use our mobiles to act as a makeshift baby monitor system.

From the minute you arrive at The Grand you receive 5* service. I booked a Spa break, and, given the price, it might appear a little extravagent, however it was worth every single penny! The service was excellent throughtout my stay. My sea view room (333) was very comfortable. My room was spotless, even the taps shone! I loved the Molton Brown bathroom goodies :-)

I ate in the Mirabelle restaurant in the evening and the food and service was fantastic. Breakfast was taken in The Garden restaurant. Again, the service was excellent and there is a great choice of food.

The decor of the hotel is very traditional and I didn't notice any shabbyness. If you want a very modern contemporary hotel than The Grand isn't for you. If you want comfortable tranqull surroundings, with excellent service that makes you feel liked your being 'being looked after', than book The Grand.

The health spa (gym, pool, steam room etc) is well maintained and clean. Towels and robes are provided.

My only little gripe is that the bedroom and communal doors don't appear to have those slow release mechanisms fitted so they bang quite loudly when closed. I found this quite disruptive, especially when I wanted an early night after all my exercise!

We are used to staying in good hotels but have never had such good service as The Grand. Everyone greets you with a smile and a word. They respond to all requests impeccably. Most hotels have caveats with a lot of their facilities such as keeping strictly to the room service menu, booking babysitting days in advance, reserving car parking, applying tray charges none of which was a problem for The Grand.

As with anything though an individual's experience is set by the level of expectation one has. One can not deny the things that are said by other reviews concerning the spa and certain other maintenance aspects. That said the hotel is very old and a refurb would be a colossal expense. Certainly if you are looking for a spa experience this is not the place for you, that said many spas do leave a lot to be desired. The only spa worth going to in our experience is Whatley Manor, just go there every time you have a bad spa experience as recompense (over 12s only mind). The spa suited us seeing we had a three year old in tow so we just wanted a quick splash.

We stayed in a suite which was massive and lovely and yes it was a shame that the bathroom had a carpet and that is was poorly fitted but this did not detract from the stay for us. The bed was massive and massively comfortable. As we have a three year old we had room service most of the time (for him they throw in milk and cookie at bedtime and a meal). We also had the restaurant food in the room which was brought course by course (in most places if you're lucky enough for them to do this it is brought grudglingly and in all in one go). They could not do enough for us. The food incidently from The Garden restaurant was superb, not modern but then their typical clientele are pensioners. Their breakfast can not be bettered either buffet or ordered freshly cooked.

Whilst we book five star hotels in the hope of perfection perfection in reality is rarely achieved. We all seek however "five star treatment" which is exactly what you get here from the staff. Too often at top hotels the staff are not warm and accomodating enough but not The Grand.

So all in all a five star experience. If you are looking for completely unfrayed carpets, upholstery unworn fittings no creaking floorboards etc etc then don't book a hotel that first opened in 1875 especially outside London because there's a pretty good chance you're going to find something wrong. Try instead The Aviator, perhaps, that's new and the website looks good, at least I am looking forward to trying that out. Or perhaps Brooklands that's also very new and great but is already showing wear. Or for as near perfection as possible there are the likes of Chewton and Whatley - at a price.

Perfection is great to aspire to but be prepared for disappointment.

Room and full English breakfast was excellent.
I couldnt have been happier with my choice of hotel.

A shame really - the hotel is part of Elite who have some lovely hotels. My husband booked it as a weekend away from the children. Eastbourne is OK - but once you have done the promenade & Beachy Head then that is it really. Perfectly pleasant for walking, but shops are nothing really special. The hotel is just bit tired and in need of a spruce up. Elite are deliberately grand and have lots of pretty flowery soft furnishings but this is now a bit dated. Good restaurant and breakfast was excellent.

If you want a 3 star hotel at a 5 star hotel then by all means stay at this run down hotel who's furniture is so worn that it looks like it came from the 1300s. The doormen are as nice as they come and incredibly accommodating and the managers are nice but it is not a five star or a resort. I suggest you look else where.

We weren't staying at this hotel but was treated to a meal in the Garden restaurant.
l had requested when booked for a side table as elderly Mum can't hear if she "zooms" in on other noises. We arrived at 7pm agreed time of booking told not ready please wait, followed a couple in 5 mins later to be brought to a table in middle of room, place is 3/4 empty and l asked waiter could we move to side, yes we had sat down but he said he'd check then brought us to a side table. From that point on he was surly, l felt l was being awkward despite half full. Our food was nice but lukewarm and quite frankly not worth the money.
We found most of the staff Eastern European, just standing around gossiping, lacking any personality.
The Grand calls itself a 5* hotel this does NOT apply to the restaurant

The Grand has always been one of my favourite places to stay - and we have stayed many times over the years. But, sad to say, this time I was really disappointed. It started badly when the concierge seemed surprised that we were actually residents and reluctantly directed us to a parking space!

The actual building is a true delight - it looks like a beautiful wedding cake from the outside and the marble hall is truly beautiful (particularly in the winter when there is a roaring fire). However, I have to say the public rooms are really looking a bit shabby and I'm afraid the same goes for our bedroom. As a 5* hotel I really think it's time for an update. There are nice touches i.e the bathrobes and Molton Brown toiletries.

Service at breakfast was also not up to their usual standard - we must have waited 20 minutes for tea and only after I asked about it. Generally cold food at the hotplate.

I am so sad to be saying this because I have always loved staying here and have never had any complaints before.

My husband and I got married at The Grand last year and we also celebrated our 1 year anniversary there last week. I can say with certainty that both occasions were absolutely perfect. The staff, the service and the luxury of the hotel make The Grand an outstanding place to visit and stay. Truly worth the experience. We highly recommend The Grand to anyone who wishes to experience excellence at its best.

Anogen & Nilanka

Today is my birthday and rather than go out to dinner we were recommended to go the Grand in Eastbourne for tea. The weather has been kind to us and we had a leisurely drive to Eastbourne.

Hotel looks lovely. I do not eat butter and my husband rang in advance to ask if this is a problem with the sandwiches and was told no anything you want everything made fresh.

We were seated in a lovely conservatory type lounge, sun shining one would think one was in Cannes! The waiter came and we ordered the tea for two and mentioned the no butter which was fine as evidently they do not put butter on the sandwiches!. One of them was cheese and cucumber as I do not eat cheese I requested just cucumber. Well the problem with this is unbelievable. I know I am 63 today but I could not get my head around this. He launched into a diatribe about the sandwiches being cut in in quarters on the corner and if he did one without cheese he would have to throw away the rest of the bread. Evidently these are all made in advance despite being told all freshy made.If they are made fresh one could make it without cheese, easy! What and embarrassing start to my birthday tea. He said we would have to pay for and extra sandwich of cucumber if that is what we wanted.

I may be old fashioned but I do not get it!! Not a good way to encourage people back or to recommend the Grand. However we did order the extra sandwich of just cucumber and mayonnaise. The mayonnaise came and we had finished our tea and other sandwiches and still no cucumber, phew! Not happy campers at all by now.

Husband called waiter to explain had not arrived and he chased it and eventually it came. Again husband not impressed with all this stress on my special treat.

I have to say that the tea was absolutely delicious and cannot fault it. Sandwiches, fresh bread lovely and soft and cakes to die for, which certainly helped the bad start.

We did have a lovely afternoon, but when the bill came it was "£7.95p"for round of cucumber sandwich and a few crisps which to my mind is disgraceful particularly after the embarrassing start in front of a room full of people. I know it is a 5* establishment but I feel that is is over the top. I am sure they could have used the other quarters left if a separate one was used for more sandwiches. Very mean spirited of the Grand.

Would recommend the tea, but beware if you your preference is without cheese or another filling add £7.95 on to the £22.50p for the privilege.

I took my Mum for a 3 day break to the Grand it was sheer luxury from the moment we drove into the car park, our car was parked for us, we were quickly booked in at reception,escorted to our very luxurious room where we made a lovely cuppa after a long journey, and there our wonderful break began.

The beds were fantastic, the food was brilliant. ( I am a coeliac and the Garden restaurant were more than helpful and managed to cope with my diet).I think the excellent service from all the staff was the most refreshing part of our stay, My mum and I will certanly be back for another wonderful experience.

We have just returned from a lovely night at the Grand to celebrate my husbands birthday, from the moment we arrived and our car was parked for us, to check out all was superb, we felt cosseted and looked after, we had a lovely room, an amazing dinner in Mirabelle with a special mention for the waiter who saw us get up to leave for the lounge to have our coffee after our meal , with our wine glasses and rushed to get a tray to carry them through for us find us a table and served our coffee, a lovely relaxing hour then spent listening to a great little band. fabulous breakfast served at our table (you need to ask!!) and 2 hours pouring over thew saturday papers in the comfy lounge chairs before checking out . on our last visit we had a hic cup with our dinner but this time our stay was faultless thankyou Grand it was !

A quality experience, staff are superbly well trained and diligent. From doorman to waiters and all in between, this is a quality establishment of the 'old' world. Been here several times now, each time relaxed and enjoyable. The choice of restaurants is good, with informal dining available throughout the day also. Perfect for a reliable and sublime break, views of the sea are a must, so ensure that you get a frontal room on the upper floors.

Took our auntie for her 90th birthday for the afternoon tea. Was not as nice as the ritz but then half the price. We sat in the grand lobby in nice chairs. Food was lovely, nice sandwiches, cakes and a few different teas to choose from. She loved it and said she felt like the queen, so would recommed it for a nice treat.

Beautiful building, stunning exterior, well maintained entrance lobby. Efficient and dedicated footman, conciege and reception staff - A+!!
Sadly, the promising start soon faded like the interior of the hotel.
Our room, 143, is clean and the bed sumptuous and at first glance, acceptable. Upon settling in and exploring the amenities within our room, we found the bathroom exceptionally tiny with a wobbly floor, creaky and leaking taps together with a weak shower. It was impossible to have two people in the bathroom at the same time!
We arrived @ 7.30pm to the bar and had wanted to dine but were told that the earliest availability was 9.45pm! Unbelievable! We were given the bar menus that were as battered, frayed and uninteresting as the furniture! We went out for dinner as we felt bagels for dinner is sufficient!
Having arrived early for breakfast was a good move as when we finished at 9.30am, a queue had formed outside the Garden Restaurant of diners waiting to be seated .... Not a sighted expected of a 5 star establishment. Just as well there were seats in the lobby as some guests were elderly and disabled!
The breakfast was excellent, staff attentive and efficient but, yet again the menus were worn and needed renewing.
Overall, excellent staff and cleaniness but the rest of our experience was highly disappointing.

We use The Grand quite frequently for lunch.The fare is delicious,the choice is good,and the service is very friendly.Following a recent one-night visit we have no hesitation in giving the highest rating in accommodation,comfort,the competence and attitude of the staff,and the general ambience.The breakfasts are especially noteworthy! A truly 5-star experience.

a

On a glorious sunny afternoon in June we arrived in Eastbourne for the "Queen's Jubilee Afternoon Tea " At about £22.50 per head ( we were a party of 10) our expectations were very high for a sumptuous "Royal " meal.
This was booked well in advance with Reservations . It took them 3 weeks to send an acknowlegement of the deposit and only then because I rang up and asked for one.

Sadly, the tea was cold and the sandwiches would put a Cafe to shame. Not for the size, delicate was the looked for order of the day, but for the fillings. Tiny triangles over spilling with mushy, lumpy white cream (coronation chicken?)and what tasted like shop bought sliced ham covered in a yellow lumpy pickle which spilled out over the sandwich. and onto the plate. Same plate to be used for the cake/scones . Oh for a dainty cucumber and cream, The smoked salmon sandwich was tasteless and the cheese sandwhich, only vegetarian option, was unidentifiable. I won't mention the minute scones. No one came to check on us until it was all over so could not remedy the cold tea. The prepared "hot water" being luke warm. There was no evidence of the Jubilee, not a tiny flag or red, white and blue in site. Not sure why it was called the "Queen's Diamond Jubilee AfternoonTea" - partly the title which drew us here!

Having stayed at the Grand before I knew that some of the staff were not in the least interested in their clients but this time I was pleasantly surprised. There were smiles and help from Front of House and the slow waiting at table, possibly due to staff shortages, was done in an otherwise efficient and pleasant manner. My 4 stars are for everything but the Afternoon Tea. I suggest they contact their sister Hotel, Ashdown Park, who produce an Afternoon Tea to be proud of any day of the year, to ask how they manage it.
And another thing! Dogs are welcomed but only in the room. They can have their supper served there and are given a bed and blanket but they are not allowed in any of the public rooms, terraces, poolside or gardens. In fact they are only allowed to come and go straight to their rooms. Happy Holidays, doggies, but you have a great Promenade and lots of grass across the road to enjoy. Note to Owner - remember to take a raincoat to cover your PJ's if doggie needs an outing late at night!

We take our family away every year for an extended weekend and I only wish we had found The Grand many years ago. We have stayed at many Hotels trying to pass themselves off as '5-star' but do not come anywhere near the wonderful decor, excellent service and delicious dining of the Grand. From the way we were met at the door with a cheerful smile, always, the Reception, the speed with which Housekeeping fulfilled our every wish, to the calm, unruffled way the Dining Room staff went about their duties, was paramount to perfection. What is more my family consists of ten members, the youngest of whom is four years of age up to to Gramps who is seventy- five and we were all treated with the same respect, kindness and care. It was also a pleasure to be able to find a quiet spot in the many Lounge areas where we could have afternoon tea as well as watch the family thoroughly enjoy both the outdoor and indor pools. My family are all clamouring to return, we can't wait.

Having stayed at The Grand several times and frequented the Garden Restaurant many times we have always enjoyed the olde worlde atmosphere and the feeling of escaping from the hustle and bustle of daily life
.
However it now seems that it is this very atmosphere that is creating a gloomy and tired feeling throughout the hotel.

We did not have dinner in either of the 2 restaurants as we feel that ,in this day and age, they are overpriced and poor value.

Breakfast was good but the overwhelming feeling in the dining room was of gloom. Management could have done with being more cheerful which might have then encouraged guests to talk above a whisper, as the majority of guests were elderly a rather funereal presence was felt.

The Grand Hotel needs to market their hotel to attract younger guests as well as the elderly regulars to ensure their future in the coming years. It would sad to see this "Grand" old hotel disappear as so many others have.

We last stayed on the 7th June and use the hotel on a regular basis, either for a meal in one of the restaurants, for overnight stays, or for special occasions. The quality of food is almost always of a high standard with excellent service from Ben and his team in the Mirabelle. Every room in which we have stayed has been extremely comfortable, whether it be with a side seaview or an executive suite facing the seafront. The level of service from all members of staff has been of a high standard as one would expect.
Whilst bar drinks do seem somewhat over priced the range of wines in both restaurants is wide giving one every opportunity and choice.
We look forward to many future visits.
KOJM

I took my wife here to celebrate her 50th Birthday and what an excellent choice.

I thought Berlin was Steam Punk but this place is, in the words of the great Jim Bowen, "Smashing Great Super"

Looking at some of the other reviews clearly some people don't get places like this, If you want a bland Holiday Inn type experience then take their advice but if you want to experience a whiff of what it was like to be a person of means in the late Victorian and Edwardian era then this is your place. It puts the Gentle back in gentleman.

You Hoxton sorts can keep your Hotel du Vin "boutique" type places, this Hotel has more character in it's copper piped khazi than they can ever hope to achieve.

7/10 Martini rating, Tasting menu at the restaurant was 9/10 and good value.

If you want something different take a trip to this Hotel you will not be disappointed.

Over the last 35 years every major event of my life has taken place at the Grand. We have celebrated with 5 Company Dinner Dances, many Company Training days, many Company Dinners, endless business meals with customers and suppliers in each of the restaurants and endless family celebrations of Birthdays, Anniversaries and other celebrations. We also held the funeral teas there for both my Husband and my Mother. The welcome, service and attention to detail has alsways been of the highest standard and never faltered, even when just calling in for a quick coffee break or afternoon tea.We have often stayed there as well and the rooms and comfort afforded us are superb.
This last weekend we again spent a very happy Family weekend together there celebrating a special Birthday and yet again the welcome and service was of the Highest standard.
We feel so fortunate to have such an excellent Hotel on our doorstep and look forward to many more happy times there.

We stayed for 2 nights over the Jubilee weekend. The room (408) was dated and did not, based on our experience of other 5 star hotels, meet the expected standard. Furnishings are old-fashioned; the curtains didn't meet, allowing daylight in; there is no minibar; very few TV channels; and we were amazed to find a carpeted bathroom - surely totally unhygienic! The non-adjustable shower head is too low for anyone of any height and the shower curtain tends to stick to your body whilst showering.

I think the Grand is resting on its laurels based on very impressive common areas and high standards of service. But for the resident guest, more thought needs to go into bedroom facilities.

We were particularly disappointed with dinner in the Garden Restaurant. We were told no bookings were available until 9.15pm. However, when we arrived, there were a number of empty tables, so it wasn't obvious why we had to wait for such a late booking. However, even more importantly, having taken the late booking, we were then rushed through our meal with no pauses between courses and it was clear that staff were trying to get us finished as soon as possible so that they could get away - as confirmed when I asked the waitress what time they closed to be told "when the last guest leaves". In addition, the serving trolley was left next to our table througout the second half of our meal, which didn't exactly add to the ambience. At a cost of over £100 for two, it was not a relaxed experience and not one that I would want to repeat or recommend to others.

Overall, having had high expectations for a very special weekend, we would not stay at the Grand again.