We have been staying at this hotel for a number of years and will continue to do so. The quality food and service is first class along with its ideal location. Nothing is too much trouble for any of the well trained staff.

The staff make your stay magical. The building is so elegant. It is Downton Abbey come to life.
it is perfect to relax and have a great time.
walk across the road and stroll along the prom. watch a Punch and Judy show. Buy candy floss and walk down the pier.
then back to The Grand for Afternoon Tea.
Visit the Italian Garden for Open Air Theatre and back to a comfy bed.
there is so much to do.

I have visited The Grand twice before this, both times there has been no problem with our room. However, this time we arrived to our room to an incomplete bathroom and the bedroom was extremely hot and stuffy. When we noted to staff that there was issues with the bathroom, they were extremely helpful and changed our room for us very quickly. The room they gave us was a lot better than before, however I wouldn't class it as the "Deluxe" room we booked. Comparing it to the size and space of our other family's room, they weren't comparable at all. The only problem with our stay was the room issue, other than that we had a wonderful comfortable stay. I feel as a 5 star hotel it needs to be a lot more seamless throughout.

Hotel is elegant, slightly old world set in the Eastbourne seafront just next to Beachy Head. it offers excellent and friendly service, comfort, cleanliness and spacious rooms and public areas and is reasonable in terms of cost

Perfectly nice hotel and if it were a little less expensive, I would give it a higher rating. It has a certain grandeur about it, but therein lies its main problem - it's in danger of falling behind some of its more modern counterparts on many levels. It's a little tired around the edges in general, but perfectly clean and we enjoyed the pools - the outdoor one was nice and suprisingly warm. Breakfast was OK, but nothing special and not on a par with many newer 4 star hotel restaurants. We ate in the restaurant one night and it was very average - I wouldn't rush back for that price point. It's a little old fashioned and stuffy (it's a while since I've seen a sign with "gentleman are required to wear shirts and ideally jackets"). I'm sure that works for their current target market, but it is out-dated and they will need to look at that in coming years.
We enjoyed our stay, but I wouldn't rush back.

Lots of pluses the staff were very friendly from the concierge team on arrival to the waiting and bar staff,especially Ben in the Mirabelle and Meghan? in the bar. The food in the restaurants was very good especially in the Mirabelle. The cocktails list was extensive and we enjoyed trying out a few. The public rooms were very comfortable and extensive. There was a band playing on the Friday and Saturday nights and one of the highlights was watching a local couple dancing on both nights they were very good.
The room was big and a lovely soft bed, big fluffy towels and molton brown toiletries.
The only downsides were the lack of blackout curtains in the room not nice to be awake at 5am. The 10% service charge everytime you signed a bar chit was a bit cheeky as well
We would however definatly return.

Had a fantastic weekend with my family’s it was my 40th birthday and glad that I spent part of my birthday day at the Grand. The staff and location, the rooms are top quality. Great swimming area and sun loungers.

A beautiful Victorian/Edwardian building like a wedding cake, with large rooms, wide corridors and a large, friendly and extremely helpful staff. Not the cheapest but well worth a visit, even for a few days. Get a seaview room! Highly recommended.

From the moment we arrived and were greeted by the concierge team to the time they were putting our suitcases back into our car a truly great experience.

Thanks, must go to all staff from the top Mrs Clifford-Smith to the room maids the bar staff the waiting staff the chefs and of course the reception staff. However, all this is achieved by the guidance of the General Manager Jonathan Webley and his management team

I cannot fail to mention the excellent anniversary meal prepared by Yogi Sundaram

Thanks to all and looking forward to our next visit

We had a really wonderful stay at The Grand, it was a pamper break that I bought through Buy A Gift.com for myself and my husband. Included was a fantastic back massage and indian head massage also. The staff were very curteous and couldnt do enough for you. Would highly recommend.

We experienced a most enjoyable break at the premier hotel in Eastbourne. The staff were efficient and friendly and the guest was made to feel most welcome. The standard of food was excellent as was the service throughout. The rooms were maintained to the highest of standards by the unsung heroines, the chambermaids, who ensured that the slightest of personal details were meticulously respected.

Will now return on a regular basis, thrilled with the upgrade on our room and everything about the hotel.Location perfect for beach and wonderful walks. Staff very attentive, and the food amazing, thank you for a delightful and memorable stay.

Recently stayed in The Grand Hotel. First impressions were amazing! Driving up the drive being greeted by the concierge who drove our car to a nearby parking bay. The reception lobby was every bit grand. It was a very hot day on our arrival our room wasn't ready so decided to go and sit around the outside pool it was lovely. When our room was ready it wasn't what we excepted the room was dated and overlooking the back street. Outside our room there was a dresser it looked as if it hadn't seen a duster for along time. The pictures and sills were also dirty. The carpets were loose and quite dangerous. Considering the hotel attracts alot of elderly visitors you would think this would be a priority to fix.
The next morning we ventured down to the indoor pool/spa Again in great need of a lick of paint. The steam room had stains allover the seats which looked as though someone had been sick... it felt dirty. I was also given a towel which was torn. I was expecting something special staying in an iconic 5 star hotel unfortunately that wasn't the case. People visiting from abroad must thing we have very low standards.

I can't fault the staff they were all very polite and courteous

Let's hope they can pull this iconic building/hotel back and bring the standards up.

A good booking experience with very helpful lady - decided to take advantage of good weather for 2 nights - we booked a spacious sea facing room which was very comfortable and made for a relaxing and enjoyable break.

My stay was wonderful. This hotel is great for children. My niece received a lovely bag with a bucket and spade, a cap and water holder along with milk and cookies at bedtime which was a lovely touch. My room was lovely and very large. Would stay here again.

An excellent hotel with delightful staff and delicious food. Attention to detail is paramount. There are many places easily accessible by bus plus an excellent sightseeing tour bus which takes you around the town and out to Beachy Head.

The Hotel equipment is luxurious but old, sometimes even out-worn and should be renovated here and there. The pool and spa area is nothing special really. Also the wifi should be improved and the room got heated up cause of the lack of air conditioning. Despite that the staff was really friendly an the breakfast very good. The ambience is impressive with its large entry halls and the garden restaurant.

This review is solely dedicated to the afternoon tea at The Grand Hotel. I wasn’t staying here, so I can’t comment on other aspects of this hotel.

If you’re looking to treat yourself for an afternoon tea in Eastbourne, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. I’ve been to a few in the past and this one was, by far, the most disappointing afternoon tea experience I’ve had. This is a shame given that the price led me to expect better service, but I think you’d be better off spending your money elsewhere.

Let’s start with the positives. I was able to secure a last minute booking, the server I was greeted by was incredibly sweet and polite, and the kitchen accommodated my requests for changing one of the sandwiches with ease. I recently had my birthday, which I left in the booking comments, and one of the waiters surprised me with bringing out a slice of carrot cake with a candle towards the end of the afternoon tea. Very thoughtful! The scones were also still warm when I had them, which was a nice touch.

Now let’s move onto the less great aspects of the afternoon tea. I was not walked through the selection when the three tiered stand arrived, which was a bit unusual but by no means a problem in and of itself. As it turned out, a samosa was placed on the cake tier of the afternoon tea, which was a rather unwelcome surprise after having several sweet treats and really spoiled the experience! Overall, with the surprise birthday cake slice included, I only had three cakes in the afternoon tea, which is definitely on the stingier end of any afternoon tea I’ve had in the past. The menu stated that there is Pimms jelly included in the tea, but this never materialised on the table and no explanation was given as to why not. No refills were offered, and the waiting staff generally didn’t check in much or ask about how things were going, which is why I never got a chance to inform them about issues such as the surprise samosa. Lastly, I was sat near the bar, where the staff typically retreated to chat and catch up with each other. As a general suggestion going forward, I think it would be beneficial if they moved slightly further out of earshot when they’re catching up. I was able to overhear personal anecdotes, gossip / complaints about customers and debates about how to correctly make the cocktail a patron just ordered. I know we are all human, but given that The Grand advertises itself as a five star experience, this definitely took away from the professional approach they’re aiming to portray.

None of these issues are insurmountable, and I hope that the staff can take note and look at these as constructive pieces of criticism. For now, however, I would recommend that you spend your £26-37 (depending on the type of tea you order) elsewhere.

From the moment we entered the hotel reception area, assisited by the concierge, we were welcomed and made to feel at home.
All the staff were friendly and helpful, food excellent and a wondeful suite with balcony overloking the sea.

The Grand Experience is one of the most luxurious in every way that I know. On the whole it is good value for money except the drinks are over priced, almost £12 for a measure of gin and now there is a 10% service charge added to everything that you order. Surely at £12 for a single measure you have already paid for the service!
Despite this carp, I thoroughly recommend it.

Flawless service from start to finish. Outstanding food in the Garden restaurant with traditional service but conducted in a friendly manner. Comfortable beds and great housekeeping. A truly relaxing experience.

Generally a very good place to stay. Good welcome from the doorman and a parking space had been allocated to us. Room service was excellent. One or two niggles though about the pillows which were too bulky and the duvet which was too hot (microfibre). After the first night we had the duvet changed to a cooler one but it was still too hot. Again this was microfibre. In a 5 star hotel I expect to have goose down pillows and duvet or at least duck down. The excuse seems to be that everyone has allergies these days so they use these other non breathing materials.
Generally the food was disappointing. Breakfast was hit and miss on several occasions and the cooked breakfast had the egg and black pudding overcooked and the bacon undercooked. The vegetarian sausage was better than the pork sausage(which was undercooked). Tomatoes and mushrooms were watery. It was no trouble for the chef to remedy the situation once he/she knew of the problems however with more care and attention it should have been cooked properly first time. Cappuccino coffeee was very nice. The evening meals were not very good. The choices offered on the table d'hote menu were fairly uninspiring and are only changed after 3 days. The modern trend to not serve much on the plate is irritating. When we had chips we had to ask for them to be cooked properly as they were initially pale and anaemic. Service was generally friendly and efficient although we always seemed to be in the restaurant for dinner for two hours.

Family weekend at the only 5 star hotel on the south coast. Food and service were excellent. Any criticisms were dealt with expeditiously and satisfactorily. We will certainly return to this hotel in the future.

And there are good and bad things about this blast of nostalgia. First, the good things: the views from the sea-facing rooms are amazing, especially if you have a balcony; the rooms are large, light and comfortable, with most things that you could need including good WiFi and quality toiletries; breakfast is excellent. Eastbourne is a delightful resort and after a weekend at the Grand you will definitely feel that your batteries have been recharged. The staff are in abundance, and extremely helpful and friendly - we had very good service both in the restaurants and elsewhere. Room service was rapid and did the hotel credit - the housekeeping staff likewise, and the turndown service was impressive, with generous replenishment of bottled water, teabags and toiletries. We were particularly impressed with the 'doggie package', which included food and big bags of treats. The bad things: the Garden restaurant in the evening appears very staid and stuffy, and I'm afraid the sign stating that gentlemen should wear a jacket dissuaded us from eating there. The menu was also unimaginative, certainly compared to the Mirabelle in the same hotel (where, interestingly, despite having the same dress code this appeared to be largely ignored and the ambience was much more relaxed despite the fact that it's more expensive). The bathrooms need upgrading, and soon - those tiles are HIDEOUS and the plumbing could also do with an upgrade. In a 5-star hotel you'd expect a sink not to be blocked and a toilet to flush properly. The mattresses are too soft for my personal preference, certainly compared to most hotels these days. It was also slightly annoying, in a hotel which advertises itself as being dog-friendly, to discover that we were not allowed to sit with our dog and have a drink outside on the terrace - I agree that they should not be allowed in public rooms and restaurants, but most hotels do allow them outside if they are well behaved. However, none of the negatives would put me off returning, if only for those views and the fact that traditional 5-star hotels like the Grand are sadly in danger of extinction.....

We are a family of four With two grown up kids and stayed at the Grand hotel for the weekend. The hotel is elegant and in a great location by the sea. The staff were very polite and attentive at all times. Food was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.