Luxury hotels in East Sussex

Hey! When I travel I love to stay at luxurious hotels - especially the kind of places that offer over the top extras and really spoil their guests with great service, nice spas, awesome restaurants and beautiful views. What more can you want? To save some time, I've put together this list of my favourite 5-star hotels and resorts in East Sussex. I hope you will like it!

• 1 The Grand Hotel Eastbourne, United Kingdom

  

  Hotel. This magnificent 5-star hotel faces the beach from King Edward's Parade. It offers luxurious accommodation, 2 award-winning restaurants, and both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. The Grand Hotel Eastbourne has welcomed many famous guests, including Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin. Some rooms have spectacular sea views, and 24-hour room service is available. Traditional English cuisine is served in the Garden Restaurant. Mirabelle Restaurant has been awarded 2 AA Rosettes, and afternoon tea is available in the hotel’s Great Hall. The Health Club and Spa features a heated indoor pool and guests can enjoy treatments in the beauty salon. The Grand Hotel is 15 minutes’ walk from Eastbourne Railway Station. The shops and theatres of the town centre can be reached in around 10 minutes on foot. Show full description Guest review score 8.4, rooms from around 148 GBP.

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• 2 The Chatsworth Hotel Eastbourne, United Kingdom

  

  Hotel. Stay in the heart of Eastbourne. The Chatsworth Hotel is an exquisitely restored Victorian seafront retreat, overlooking the historic pier and bandstand. All our bedrooms are spacious and have either Twin beds, a Super King or an Emperor bed (in our Junior Suites only) as well as beautiful marble bathrooms/shower rooms, smart TVs and stunning views of the Sussex coast. The Junior Suites have both a walk-in shower and a double jacuzzi. Breakfast is available at the property for all guests, served in either the breakfast lounge, guest bedrooms or the terrace; between 08:00-10:30. Whilst there is a £20 supplement charger per night, Pets are certainly welcome at The Chatsworth Hotel! Spa treatments and the hotel gym are available to use for residents, between 08:00-18:00. Parking is available at the NCP, mutli-storey car park located just behind the hotel, at £6 for 24 hours. Eastbourne is a fantastic place to escape for a few days with beautiful walks, four theatres and a great selection of restaurants, all within walking distance from the hotel. All rooms contain Smart TV's, with free access to apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime & Disney+. Show full description Guest review score 8.9, rooms from around 108 GBP.

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• 3 The Bull Ditchling, United Kingdom

  

  Hotel. Located in Ditchling and with AMEX Stadium reachable within 11 km, The Bull provides a garden, non-smoking rooms, free WiFi throughout the property and a bar. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a children's playground. Brighton Dome is 13 km from the hotel and Brighton Pier is 13 km away. All units at the hotel include a flat-screen TV with cable channels, DVD player, and a private bathroom with a shower, free toiletries and a hairdryer. At The Bull every room is fitted with bed linen and towels. The accommodation offers a continental or Full English/Irish breakfast. At The Bull you will find a restaurant serving British cuisine. Vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options can also be requested. Preston Park is 12 km from the hotel, while Victoria Gardens is 13 km away. The nearest airport is London Gatwick Airport, 37 km from The Bull. Show full description Guest review score 8.3, rooms from around 109 GBP.

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• 4 Alexander House Hotel & Utopia Spa Turners Hill, United Kingdom

  

  Hotel. The boutique, 5-star Alexander House and Utopia Spa is just 6 miles from Gatwick and close to M25 junction 6 and M23 junction 10. It offers luxurious rooms, award-winning spa facilities, free Wi-Fi, free parking and a choice of restaurants and bars. Set in a country house surrounded by 120 acres of parkland, rooms at Alexander House feature large beds and marble bathrooms, many with Victorian baths, double showers or oversized baths for 2. Rooms also include designer toiletries, bathrobes and slippers. Guests can relax in The Utopia Spa subject to a surcharge, which features plunge pools, a yoga studio and a wide range of beauty treatments. There is also a gym, fitness suite and tennis courts. The AG's 3-Rosette restaurant offers fine dining Thursday through to Sunday whilst the Reflections Restaurant which is open all week overlooks the courtyard and has its own champagne bar. There are terraces for al fresco dining and various luxurious lounges. Show full description Guest review score 8.0, rooms from around 240 GBP.

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• 5 Hastings House Hastings, United Kingdom

  Guest house. With 5 stars and a Gold Award, this seaside boutique B&B is metres from the sea and has fantastic views. It combines Victorian character and elegant, modern design. Set on a garden square in St Leonards on Sea, Hastings House is a place to relax and feel pampered. All of the stylish rooms are individually designed and each has free WiFi and a large flat-screen TV with Freeview digital channels. Bathrooms have an American-style power shower, bathrobes and luxurious toiletries. Hastings House is within walking distance of St Leonards Warrior Square Railway Station, which has regular trains to London, Brighton and Gatwick Airport. Fine restaurants, pubs and cafes are close by, as is the White Rock Theatre. Show full description Guest review score 9.5, rooms from around 99 GBP.

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• 6 Haydens B&B Rye, United Kingdom

  

  Bed and Breakfast. Haydens B&B offers accommodation in Rye. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant and conservatory with a decked balcony for al fresco breakfasts. Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms have a seating area for your convenience. Certain rooms include views of the river or garden. All rooms are fitted with a private bathroom. Extras include bathrobes, free toiletries and a hairdryer. Haydens B&B features free WiFi throughout the property. Canterbury is 44 km from Haydens B&B, while Eastbourne is 37 km away. The nearest airport is London Gatwick Airport, 67 km from Haydens B&B. Show full description Guest review score 9.5, rooms from around 105 GBP.

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• 7 The Old Rectory Hastings, United Kingdom

  

  Bed and Breakfast. A short walk from the Old Town and seafront, The Old Rectory in Hastings offers elegant guest rooms in 18th-century surroundings. Uniquely styled accommodation with treatment rooms is complemented by free WiFi, a bar and pretty garden and terrace. Each room has an en suite bath or shower with hairdryer and luxury toiletries supplied. All have a flat-screen TV with DVD player, iPod dock and tea and coffee facilities. Freshly cooked breakfasts feature homemade bread and sausages and home-cured bacon. Locally caught fish and free range eggs from a local farm are also used at The Old Rectory. Hastings is around 1 hour’s drive east of Brighton and around 40 minutes from Eastbourne. The pretty coastal town of Rye is around 11 miles away, and the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells is 30 miles to the north. Show full description Guest review score 9.4, rooms from around 115 GBP.

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• 8 Jeakes House Rye, United Kingdom

  

  Bed and Breakfast. Situated within a 19-minute walk of Camber Castle, Jeakes House in Rye features a number of amenities including a shared lounge and a bar. This 5-star adult only bed and breakfast offers free WiFi. Every room has a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. All guest rooms in the bed and breakfast are equipped with a kettle. The rooms have a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hair dryer. All rooms have a wardrobe. A Continental, full English or vegetarian breakfast can be enjoyed at the property. The nearest airport is London Gatwick Airport, 67 km from the property. Show full description Guest review score 9.3, rooms from around 99 GBP.

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• 9 Clayton Wickham Farmhouse Hurstpierpoint, United Kingdom

  

  Bed and Breakfast. Set in Hurstpierpoint, Clayton Wickham Farmhouse offers free WiFi, and guests can enjoy a garden, a shared lounge and a terrace. There is a private bathroom with bidet in some units, along with free toiletries, a hairdryer and slippers. The daily breakfast offers buffet, à la carte or Full English/Irish options. Guests at the bed and breakfast can enjoy tennis on site, or cycling in the surroundings. Preston Park is 14 km from Clayton Wickham Farmhouse, while Victoria Gardens is 16 km away. The nearest airport is London Gatwick Airport, 30 km from the accommodation. Show full description Guest review score 9.2, rooms from around 95 GBP.

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• 10 A Room With A View Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom

  

  Guest house. A Room With A View is situated in Kemp Town, on Brighton’s seafront. The Grade II listed Georgian building offers parking and free Wi-Fi. Brighton city centre is just a 12-minute walk from the property. Most of the en suite bedrooms offers a large window with a view of the sea and pier, along with a flat-screen smart TV with internet access, desk, and tea and coffee making facilities. One room has garden views. In the mornings, a full English or smoked salmon breakfast can be enjoyed in a dual-aspect lounge and breakfast area with views of the seafront, along with a buffet of fruits, yoghurts and pastries. A Room With A View is located in Kemp Town, which offers a variety of shops, bars, restaurants, and cafes. It is within 6 minutes’ walk of Palace Pier, and the beachfront location offers attractions including Volk’s Electric Railway and the Yellowave Beach Sports. Show full description Guest review score 8.9, rooms from around 64 GBP.

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• 11 Whitehouse Rye Rye, United Kingdom

  

  Bed and Breakfast. Whitehouse Rye is a grade-II listed building located in the town of Rye. Guests can enjoy the property's on-site restaurant and award-winning bakery. The property offers free WiFi access in all areas. The property features 6 individually styled rooms upstairs. Each room contains en-suite facilities, a flat-screen TV and tea/coffee making facilities. The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch using fresh ingredients. The bed and breakfast is a 3-minute walk from Rye Railway Station and 2 miles from Rye Golf Club. The nearest beach is a 10-minute drive away and Hastings can be reached within 30 minutes by car. Show full description Guest review score 8.7, rooms from around 95 GBP.

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• 12 The Claremont Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom

  

  Guest house. Elegant, comfortable and stylish rooms combined with intuitive and discreet levels of customer care combine to give you the ultimate in an enhanced stay experience. Visit England has awarded us the city's first 5 star grading for guest accommodation and we are also licensed for civil partnerships and weddings. Housed in a Victorian Villa with a hidden walled garden all our en-suite rooms amaze and delight our guests through a combination of traditional features and individual design. Visit England has given the Claremont a Best Breakfast award Show full description Guest review score 8.5, rooms from around 90 GBP.

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• 13 The Berkeley Guesthouse Eastbourne, United Kingdom

  

  Guest house. Situated in the heart of Eastbourne, The Berkeley is a 3-storey Victorian guest house, just a 2-minute stroll from the beach and the Eastbourne Conference Centre. Rooms at The Berkeley Guesthouse are elegantly designed and all feature an en suite bathroom with free toiletries and a hairdryer. They are also equipped with a TV with satellite channels and tea and coffee making facilities. Ironing facilities can be requested from reception. Guests will find a range of restaurants and cafes within walking distance to choose from. Eastbourne Rail Station is a 10-minute walk from the guest house and there are a number of theatres no more than 200 metres away. Eastbourne town centre and Eastbourne Pier are both less than half a mile from The Berkeley. Show full description Guest review score 8.1, rooms from around 55 GBP.

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I try my best to keep this guide up to date and I last refreshed it in December 2022. Did I miss a luxury hotel that should be on this list? Send me an email and let me know!