From arrival to departure, our every need was met. The staff were helpful and obliging at all times and couldn't be faulted.
Our one tip would be to book early for dinner in the Restaurant as they seem to get fully booked.

We stayed here as part of a birthday treat, and wanted a bit of luxury so booked a junior suite with a sea view.
The welcome, parking and registration were friendly and efficient. Our room had a large and comfortable four-poster bed, with a two seater sofa and bathroom. All was scrupulously clean and well furnished. The indoor pool was a good size and at 8.40am on the Sunday morning had just two of us using it!
Was surprised at the breakfast which was like any other hotel buffet breakfast, very good and they did do kippers on request, but the toast and coffee service was a bit slow and disorganised. The coffee situation was odd, it was brought in a pot yet other people had cafetieres, and apparently if you wanted proper coffee you had to ask, but of course, if you didn’t know you had to ask you didn’t get it! When you pay the sort of nightly rate for a junior suite, you really should expect to get the best coffee without asking for it. A minor point but it was at odds with the rest of the service and ethos. The cocktail bar was great and the service and drinks superb. The building is superb and deserves its refurbishment.

The major disappointment was the Mirabelle restaurant, distinctly average but conspicuously overpriced. There was also an unpleasant smell around our table but luckily a large vase of lillies soon overcame this. Service was extremely slow between the starter and the main course, and we were brought the complimentary gazpacho twice. We surmised that they really wanted us to have the tasting menu and weren’t really geared up for the set menu, which seems odd. I know restaurants in the UK mark up wine to a tremendous degree, but really a bottle of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo available in Majestic for £4.49 and on the wine list for £31 is really taking the you know what. We might have been spoiled by the impeccable service and unparalled quality of food at Le Manoir but when you pay over £100 for food you should expect something special, not something average; my advice is to eat somewhere else in Eastbourne.
I’d still give the hotel 5 stars, but if I were to review the Mirabelle, I’d give it 2 out of 5.

My husband and I brought our 6 month old son and dog to this hotel for a short overnight stay. Booked the room directly with the reservations as their price was similar to any other website which they claim to beat. Lady on the phone was very polite and answered all my questions in detailed regarding our baby and dog. She explained their Baby package include a bottle steriliser, bottle warmer, baby bath, rubber ducky and cot.
Upon arrival, very smart door man came to our car, took our bags and took us straight to reception. Check in was pain free and we were taken upstairs to our room straight away. We had a third floor room with a side sea view which wasn't too bad as we didn't spend much time sitting by the windows anyway! Room was very clean and spacious but old fashioned. I believed we had one of their older rooms that were not recently rebrubish. Cot was already nicely set up in the corner of the room by our bed. Although we had a double room, the bed were made up of 2 singles that hardly had any padding to disguise the bump. So if you like snuggling in bed with your partner like me, it is not so comfortable! Bed was too soft in my opinion and pillows were odd sizes (one too low, two was too high). We dined in Mirabelle in the evening, meal was lovely and so was service. It was not spectacular but it was worth visiting if in the area.

Although the room was all good, my husband and I did not had a good night sleep. As the windows were low-ish. We could only open slightly just to let some air in in fear of my dog jumping out in the middle of the night ! Hence, it was a very warm and stuffy room. Also you could hear doors slamming on the corridor. Morning came, we were woken up at 6am by VERY noisy sea gulls that literally sat on our window sill. We tried shooing it away but it was not going anywhere. Vans were pulling up and I could hear the slamming of the van doors (deliveries of some kind i guess), people shouting to each other. As a result, our baby woke up early and messed up his routine the rest of the day. Breakfast was lovely with both continental and full english spread. Check out was also easy and by then I was also happy to leave.

In short, it is a nice hotel. Staff were lovely. Food was ok. Good for family and pets. However if you are expecting the ultra luxurious five star here, you would be a little dissapointed.

The staff were all very helpful at all times. We had a lovely room, very well appointed. The food was excellent - a lovely spread at Breakfast, dinner in the Garden Restaurant and the Mirabelle were very good.
We love Eastbourne, it is very pretty and so clean and well cared for. The gardens are most attractive.

We have just returned from another wonderful stay at the Grand. The staff were excellent especially the staff in the Garden restaurant in particular the restaurant manager and his assistant., however, we feel we must draw attention to the poor service in the hotel's other restaurant. The hotel markets the Mirabelle as something out of the ordinary and superior to the main Garden restaurant but on the evening we dined there we very extremely disappointed. We had to wait for an hour for our main course and it was obvious that staff were aware there was a problem because they went from being totally attentive to avoiding approaching our table. When we did manage to speak to one of them to enquire after our meal the waitress snapped at us and told us that the manager would be out to speak to us. The meal eventually came out of the kitchen but the manger never came to see what the problem was. We found this to be totally the opposite to our other experiences - a simple apology would have been sufficient and it really did spoil our evening because we had been looking forward to the occasion. We must point out here that later in the evening the manager of the Garden Restaurant came over to ask us about our experience in Miarbelle and attepted to put things right. One cannot compare the difference in attitude in his domain we had a wonderful meal in the Garden and cannot praise the staff there and in the rest of the hotel enough. I really think the management of the hotel should address this issue, the Grand has a good reputation but staying there is not cheap and people stay there because they enjoy the old fashioned courtesy and helpfulness that they provide. If the hotel loses this they they may find that their loyal customers feel that they can do better in more modern less expensive hotels. We had intended to book a private room for a special family occasion ther in the future but as it would have meant guests having to travel a long distance with an overnight stay we have reconsidered because we cannot risk similar poor service spoiling the occasion.

Me and my partner visted this hotel for a romantic break for one night on the 6/6/09 . Have got to say I really enjoyed it but it was very expensive. This was the fitrst time I had been to a hotel quite this old but so well kept. It is not modern in the slightest with an old box TV in your room etc. But any knid of medernisning of this hotel in my opinion would ruin it. The grad hall running down the centre of the hotel is amazing and you get the feel you are living in a grand old stately home. All the staff were very professional. The meal was very expensive in my opinion and cost the two of us with a bottle of wine a conbined £120. However it was amazing food. The atmosphere is very posh but likeable, there was a guy playing a grand piano in the resteraunt, and it did feel very rmantic. I really liked it here as it was something different. The spa facilities are really top notch and some of the beast I have ever been to. The location is fantastic and you literally walk out of the front of the hotel onto the beach. The out door pool looked great and I would have though it would have been amazing were the weather to have been suitable. However it is expensive when you get there and its the first time i have ever spent £120 on a meal so have little to compare it with.

Made a last minute booking for a bank holiday weekend.

On arrival the hotel building and setting very imposing. Greeted by very smart doorman who took our luggage and valet parked our car. Reception area and entrance hall very grand. Check in very efficient.

We were then somewhat surprised that we were left to take out own luggage and find our room by ourselves. Our good initial impressins started to dissipate as we wandered along somewhat tiring corridors and reduced further as we enterd our room. Yes it was adequate but surely not 5 star stuff.

Best part of the room was the mattress which was of a very high quality. But suprisingly no air conditioning or temperature control. Furniture was very traditional rather than functional.

The area that surprised us most was the bathroom and all its clashing colours. The floor was fully carpeted without even a splash rug around the toilet - though it appeared clean you were left wondering how hygenic it ws! Also there was practically no flat surface to store our toilet bags - again traditional rather than functional.

Went to use the indoor swimming pool only to find it was a crowded bedlam of children with their parents all splashing around. Used outdoor pool which was much quieter and fortunately heated.

Planned to spoil outselves by having dinner in the restaurant and had brought some very smart casual clothes but was barred entrance as I had neither a tie or a jacket. Same rules supposedly apply to the bar area in the evening though we did have a drink there and could see that osome thers were in the same boat as ourselves!!

Had a nice stay but the room we had initially was very small and pokey, we were upgraded after we complained about a draft coming through the window. The pool and gym are terrible but the Breakfast buffet is fantastic. Would I stay there again? probably if I was going to Eastbourne for lack of alternatives. Disappointed overall

My boyfriend and I stayed here for the bank holiday weekend and had a wonderful time! It is a very attractive looking hotel, and made us feel happy to be staying at it! Just slightly set back from the quiet end of the road, it makes it feel much more 'grand' than some of the hotels further along, right on the pavement!

The room was spacious, clean, comfy, with all the great extras (robe, slippers, Molten Brown toiletries) the balcony was lovely with a view of the sea. The pillows were a bit 'puffy' for me, but my boyfriend liked them, so probably just my taste!

The breakfasts were wonderful, although being busy due to being bank holiday weekend, as things ran out they were quickly replaced. A vast choice of food for both continental (me) and cooked (my boyfriend) we were both very happy dispite requiring different things! Evening meals are also lovely! Exactly what you would expect from a 5* hotel! They were happy to allow extra bread rolls and courses came within a reasonable time of each other (not rushed, but not ages), some people might find the evening meals a bit rich/posh, but I am a very fussy eater and I could find things to keep me very happy!

All staff were friendly, helpful, polite and would go out of their way to help you no matter what your query. They made you feel welcome and important, and although it felt strange having a valet drive my Clio to park it, it still made me feel just as important as a driver of a Bentley!

As a non-drinker I was thrillied by the non-alcoholic cocktail (mocktail) menu, many choices, but would highly recommend the 'Hawaiian Kiss' mocktail (AMAZING!!). My boyfriend does drink, and was also thrilled by the choices of alcohol at the vastly stocked bar.

Facilities. As it was a hot weekend we didn't really use the leisure facilties, but we did like the outdoor heated pool, both the pool and surrounding area were clean, nice and welcoming. We were shown around the indoor facilities and it all looked lovely!

We can't wait to stay agin! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing, romantic, special weekend!

we searched high and low to find a hotel on the south cost for one night only. Most of the hotels in Brighton would only take two night bookings (or they would ask you to pay for two nights even if you only stayed one!) and of course with Brighton there is the distinct lack of parking, so we settled on the Grand hotel in Eastbourne.

At a rate of £190 per night for an executive room, including breakfast we anticipated a luxurious hotel.

Upon arrival, we were informed that we had been upgraded....Could this be any better?

When we arrived at our ground floor room (!) the room smelt distinctly of stewed cabbage and the decor, well I can only describe it as reminiscent of being furnished from the rejected batch of second hand furniture from an old peoples home.
The room was large, but decor very very dated.
We requested a room change, and the very polite receptionist immediatley obliged
"we have a lovely refurbished room on the third floor" - Why they didnt give us this room in the first place is beyond me!
So up I went to the third floor to find, by refurbushed, the receptionist meant re-painted. The decor and furnishing was exactly the same as the ground floor room, but it didnt smell and we were very tired so we conceded and moved our luggage in the smallest lift i ahve ever been in (barely accommodated two people with weekend luggage) from the ground floor to the third floor.

Ordered room service dinner (burger) which was distinctly average and bland [but reassuringly expensive] and went to bed . We decided to watch a little TV before bed and discovered the smallest TV set in a cabinet on the floor. The height of the bed meant that I could not actually see the TV because the duvet was obscurring my vision - Raise the TV or invest in modern day larger sets!

Having given up on trying to watch TV, we slept, only to be woken by the glacial temperatures during the night. we woke, and grappled around looking for the thermostat to turn up the temperature......but there wasn't one! So there we were, dressed in our pyjamas and complimentary bath robes, huddled and shivering for the rest of the night!

We had breakfast, which was a lovely slection of traditional continental and a la carte and the setting of the main restaurant was lovely - very grand indeed!
All in all a very expensive and disappointing hotel very much living in the past. Staff were lovely and polite but they were let down by the whole 'no-so-Grand' customer proposition.

We found the hotel very comfortable.But it lacks facilities for the disabled and the elderly. I understand there is only one room designated specifically for the disabled. The hotel does not appear to offer bathrooms with walk in showers. This is not acceptable in a luxury hotel and this problem needs to be addressed. Many of the hotel guests were elderly and must find this issue a problem. Oterwise a lovely hotel with very attentive staff.

Dissapointing as a five star hotel. Chairs and some tables in garden restauant badly need repair (very unstable). Menues for restaurant seem limited in number. Service OK but not what you would expect from what claims to be a great hotel. Does not quite make it. Needs someone who cares to bring it back up to the standard it aspires to.

My husband booked the Grand as a valentine romantic break. He had originally booked a double room but upgraded to a suite with ease. On arrival the car park was full but front of house staff told us they would drive to it rear car park. We found the staff polite, friendly and helpful. The furniture fitted the feel to the age of the hotel and the bed was really comfortable. The restaurant was fully booked but had room service and the food was delivered within a reasonable time and we were quite impressed with the quantity and quality.
I really enjoyed using the leisure facilities, i went swimming, sauna and jacuzzi and found it relaxing as only a handful of guests around.
The location was on the sea front with approximate 20 minute walk to the pier.

The hotel is very impressive from the moment you arrive. It is laid back from the main road unlike other hotels on the sea front. We did not get the personal service that the previous contributor had, because there was a 'Mozart Covention' taking place and reception was very busy.
We were personally escorted to our Master Suite bedroom by a very friendly concierge. We had treated ourselves to this room as it was my Wife's birthday. The room was big and had a lovely sea view. However it had a four poster bed that was not very big and also very uncomfortable. This unfortunately gave us an difficult nights sleep. So the following morning I asked reception if it was possible to move. This request was handled very well and the Concierge came up to move us to the Penthouse Suite at no extra charge. This had a bigger more comfortable bed with stunning sea views.
We got settled in and then we found the the hairdryer did not work and as I took a shower, the shower head fell on my foott!! Again the problems was quickly resolved.
I find that the way the problem is dealt with is more important than the problem itself.

The one thing you will notice about this hotel is the friendliness and professionalism of all the staff. Nothing is too much trouble for them.
The food is both the Garden room and the Mirabelle room is of a very high standard, though not the the best I have ever tasted. The breakfast buffet is also very good
The Spa facilities are good and treatments reasonably priced, but the pool is not huge and difficult if you want a really good swim. There is also an outdoor pool for the warmer months.
The hotel is a very classy hotel indeed. It relies on corporate events a lot. Once the Convention was over the hotel became very quiet indeed. Maybe the recession is affecting this hotel as the room rates are quiet high. This is the only reason I have given this hotel 4 instead of 5 out of 5 as I did not consider it full value for money.
Otherwise this is a fantastic hotel with some of the best staff you could ever wish to come across.

We arrived on Friday at lunchtime, a great welcome from doorman who unloaded car and parked it for me. Immediately shown to our room whuch was very nice. We had booked a basic room which was huge, nice bathroom and very classic. TV was an old style narrow screen and channel 5 was unavailable. As the room was so nice we did spend some time in it and a full TV servise would be nice. The furnishing in the public roooms were all in a dire need of refurbishment. It seems that the decor had been redone, and some carpets were replaced , the coffee tables looked like they were as old as the hotel (1875) However the service was fantastic, food excellent, spa good- I had a very relaxing massage. Overall an excellent weekend and no complaints made.

The name says it all.
We arrived on Saturday afternoon, had a large, clean room with a very clean bathroom. We took advantage of the swimming pool and Jacuzzi (included). The breakfast was a good standard. The staff were very helpfull and overall the price was right.
The decor is a touch dated, but there is nothing wrong with that! If you want cheap, modern and impersonal there's a Travellodge down the road.
We'd recommend the Grand to our firends and we'd go back.

My lovely husband surprised me with a night at The Grand, Eastbourne for our Wedding Anniversary, I thought we were going somewhere else!!
He thought we could use some home grown pampering having recently tried another spa hotel, we just loved being spoilt.
The Grand didn’t disappoint at all, it’s a beautiful sight as you drive up into the courtyard, you are greeted by several uniformed gents, 1 for valet parking, a porter who whips your luggage out of your car for you, and shows you into reception for check-in. At check in we were told we were upgraded to an executive sea view on the first floor. And handed a Wedding Anniversary card, (nice touch!)
The porter carried our bags to our room chatting merrily. Just walking through the hotel gives you that first class feeling of splendour. Our room was fantastic, very large and very bright, clean, beautiful furnishings, huge canopied bed, a terrace with gorgeous views to the sea, it all feels very Grand! There were two really fluffy dressing gowns, bathroom slippers, tea and coffee making facilities, complimentary water, fine tea‘s and coffee.
The porter asked us if we would like some furniture for the terrace, it has been raining lots recently and today was really lovely, so we said yes, the terrace furniture arrived within 15 minutes so we had a cup of Earl Grey tea out there overlooking the sea - perfect.
We ventured down to the spa, checked in at reception, really friendly staff once again, we didn’t bring our robes so they gave us another 2, and more slippers and fluffy towels. There is nobody here, it’s great having it all to ourselves. We swam in the pool, sat in the Jacuzzi, and used the sauna and steam rooms! It is another world, well maintained and welcoming. It is smaller than some, but lovely nevertheless. The locker room is smallish but well equipped with a couple of hairdryers, dressing tables with mirrors, lockers, showers, and changing areas.
We were booked in to The Garden restaurant for dinner, so we went to our room to change. Still wowing at our view! Jacket or tie must be worn by Gents, but very fitting for the elegance of this fabulous restaurant. Barbara, Sean and the team in there looked after us like royalty, you really are made to feel very special. I love this place. Our table was at the top of the restaurant facing down towards the piano, across the entire dining room, and with all the gorgeous table settings and candelabras it is a beautiful sight. Pure elegance.
We had the Table d’hote menu with fabulous choices. Complimentary canapés to begin our meal. Goats cheese salad with walnut sauce was divine for starters, lime sorbet next, my husband had a rack of lamb carved at the table by Sean, I had a wonderful Chicken supreme, a large varied selection of vegetables, and selection of bread rolls. The service is only topped by the perfectly cooked dishes, lots of delicious food. Lots of choices. I then had a plate of local cheeses, my husband had several scoops of ice creams.
Part of our package was a complimentary desert flambéed at your table. I had to decline - no room - but my husband had this ‘performed’ by Sean. Pineapple in Malibu, brandy and cream, perfect, so much of it as well. I had to taste it, mmmmmm!!!! Sean asked us if we would like the same table reserved for Breakfast. We then had coffee and petit fours in the gorgeous surroundings of the elegant bar. Delicious.
We had to walk out across the road to the beach to walk all the food off, we haven’t eaten food as good as that for a very long time. We live just up the road in Brighton so for us it will definitely be a regular evening out in The Garden Restaurant when an occasion calls for a very special meal. It’s not expensive to eat there at all, given the ambience and the high quality of service and food.
At breakfast there is a cold buffet for juices, fruit, cereals etc, help yourself. Your order is taken for hot breakfast, Bacon, eggs any which way, black pudding, kippers, mushrooms, kidneys, anything you could ever want…Different types of breads toasted, little pots of jams. The breakfast was cooked to perfection, the fried eggs were runny as ordered and perfect! Everything the best quality yet again, and superb service.

The Grand delivers everything. A real treat. A genuine 5 star English hotel at it‘s very, very best, we can’t fault it. Why would you try? We were made to feel important from arrival to departure. A personal thank you to all the lovely staff. We will see you again soon, Let’s see, next excuse is May! Can’t wait! I am definitely getting accustomed to this lifestyle.

The Burgess’s

This is a splendid old hotel and one of the few 5* hotels on the south coast. It has very high standards of service and lovely facilities. The staff are excellently trained and the food and bar are second to none. The rooms, however, are NOT what one generally expects from a 5* hotel, they are spacious, but there is mismatched and elderly furniture, rather dubious decor, a tiny television with only a few channels and not much in the way of high tech communications apparatus! However, I would say that this is the hotel's only fault as it has so much charm and appeal and is really very relaxing; nothing is too much trouble for the many staff. Just don't come here if you are looking for 21st century equipment!

The Grand is a wonderful hotel. From the moment your car is parked for you in the expanded car park, to the check in, gifts for children, rooms, restaurant with piano, it is all excellent. A beautiful building with real charm. A hot, outside pool, perfect location, but above all, excellent service. This is the key point – excellent service. Every helps, is polite, helpful, says hello, smiles, and you really do feel the staff work at the hotel to serve, not just to have a job. The food is excellent and the breakfasts the best we have encountered. Look around the building and absorb the architecture, history and feel lucky to be part of it. 10/10

We stayed at the Grand for a long weekend in August, and were really impressed by the quality of the hotel. Unlike most large hotels nowadays, there is a feeling that the staff really want to live up to the hotels 5 star grading - they were always friendly, helpful and courteous.

The hotel feels a bit like the setting for a Miss Marple book, with uniformed staff and afternoon tea served with silver teapots!! The staff have got the balance right though - attentive, but not intrusive.

We ate in the Garden Restaurant, excellent food and service. The health club is good, and the outdoor pool was the warmest we've found in the UK.

We had a sea view room, which was deinitely worth the extra. There is some maintenance going on at the back - repainting I think - so the views from some of the non-sea view rooms weren't great.

Stayed in a sea view suite for a long weekend with my Husband and 2 year old. Room spacious & comfortable with lovely view but very dated bathroom with 80's suite & carpet - needs an urgent refurb!
All public areas are elegant & there is a nice ambiance more that of a country house hotel than a 5 star aimed at the corporate market. Altogether much more personal & they have excellent kids facilities including a welcome pack, club & babysitting. Perfect for a very happy Christmas for all the family!
We ate in the Garden Restaurant as we didn't feel it was fair to inflict our 2 year old on the fine diners in the Mirabelle & were very satisfied. Service, setting and food are all excellent we particularly enjoyed a delicious Fois Gras & Sauternes Jelly starter! If you are looking for a little old fashioned English hospitality by the sea then you will not be disappointed!

Have just returned from a pamper break at The Grand which was great. We were upgraded to a seaview room which was large, clean and had one of the biggest beds I have seen!

The spa treatments were excellent and the pool area, jacuzzi etc were good.

We ate at Mirabelle and the food was excellent (some of the best vegetarian food I have had). As has been said before all the staff were friendly and helpful and you were made to feel special.

This was not a cheap break but worth every penny. The hotel is well maintained and has wonderful old fashioned charm. We hope to return soon.

On arrival this place looks very impressive. you know it's going to be different.
Arrived very late at night. check in fully manned. big room with a fantastic view of the sea. a bit dated, but quality. carpet in the bathroom..... Moulton Brown toileteries show the class.
food excellent..you really have to have the breakfast - just for the experience. waiters in the old fashioned jackets, very grand room. Certaily worth a vist.. but don't have too high expectations - I think it's one of those places which will have some odd pokey rooms.
Oh, and it's full of history...over the last 100 years all the uks movers and shakers have stayed there.

The room (and indeed the hotel) is old-fashioned with excellent service from all the staff encountered. However, the room was small for the money paid and we did not feel it was good value (see my review of the Best Western Lansdowne next door). The food was expensive and room service missed basic items such as cutlery and coffee cups. Tea & coffee making facilities are available for free, but you have to ask - probably because the room we had was so small there was nowhere to put the tray! Could benefit from air conditioning as well, as at this time of year the whole hotel was very warm. One of those stays where the more we compared it to next door, the more disappointed we were.

In this day and age of 'contemorary', 'boutique' and 'hip', it is actually quite nice to get back to the basics of what a five star hotel should be about , i.e. personal service, grandeur, genteel standards (jacket and tie for dinner), staff dressed formally in morning coat or dinner jacket and chamber maids in black with white pinnies.

I booked the Grand for a family celebration (my mother's 80th) and 20 family members attended from 11yrs to 89yrs and it was perfect. Service was superb, food excellent and the most of the bedrooms were superb (my brother's standard room was a bit pokey, but all the others, and especially the family rooms we used were large and spacious). Our room was over looked the sea, on the third floor and it had great views (beware of rooms that face into the inner well of the hotel as these are quite dark).

The hotel is in good order and well maintained, despite its age and they have been remoddelling the front of the property. The slightly old fashioned decor does add charm, with quite a bit of draylon and chintz, which does date the hotel a bit. But it is in keeping with the property.

This is an old fashioned hotel with old-fashioned values, which personally I like. I like being greeted by the staff and I like all the staff knowing who I am and why I am there. Everyone was friendly, couteous and polite - which is probably the first time I have experienced this in a British hotel in many, many years.

A really great hotel ideal for a weekend away for all generations