Poised on England’s sunniest coast, a historic hotel offers quiet grace and sea air, uninterrupted. At the far end of Eastbourne’s King Edward’s Parade stands a building at ease with itself. Not just a landmark, it has been part of the town’s rhythm since 1875. Overlooked by the chalk face of Beachy Head, The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne stands as one of the UK’s rare five-star seafront addresses, a landmark of pale grandeur that locals have long nicknamed “The White Palace.”
Over the decades, its corridors and salons have welcomed an extraordinary roll call of guests, from Sir Ernest Shackleton and Charlie Chaplin to Debussy, Elgar and, more recently, Dame Helen Mirren, each leaving their own quiet imprint on its history. Today, the hotel offers 152 bedrooms and suites, all elegantly furnished, with many opening onto sweeping sea views, private balconies or secluded patios.
Here, history isn’t cloistered behind glass; it lives in proportions, in high ceilings, and in sightlines that stretch from lobby marble to horizon line. Rooms at The Grand, Eastbourne are generous. Many open onto direct views of the deep blue and shifting English Channel and if light is a commodity, Eastbourne holds more of it than most British towns. Classic and superior bedrooms nod to the architecture that made this place famous, while suites with balconies feel frankly joyous at dawn, when the sea blushes first.
Even without a stay, the public spaces seduce: the Great Hall where live music was once broadcast to the nation, the wide lounges where afternoon tea is almost a ritual, and the terrace where salt air asserts its presence. The hush of deep carpets, the weight of wooden doors, these are not retro gestures, but the original language of a hotel built to last.
At the Mirabelle Restaurant, modern European menus are delivered with assurance and flair. Mirabelle has gained an exceptional reputation and has won many awards including being named in the top 50 best restaurants in the UK in the Independent. Housed in an elegant dining room tucked just off the main hotel, its entrance feels discreet, almost residential. Dishes play with seasonal textures and subtle contrasts, complemented by a well-curated wine list and service that strikes the right note between formality and ease.
Meanwhile, the Garden Room offers a more relaxed rhythm, where traditional British dishes come with thoughtful updates and generous portions, often built around locally sourced produce. It is the kind of space where conversation lingers and the atmosphere, despite high ceilings and historic detailing, feels intimate and unhurried. Elsewhere, the lounges remain a draw in their own right, not just for afternoon tea, but for light bites, cocktails, and quiet conversation beneath the Great Hall’s soaring dome.
The wellness facilities are substantial for a property of this scale: indoor and outdoor pools, steam rooms, treatment suites, and a spa that makes a day of stillness feel deserved. At dusk, the outdoor pool captures the last of the light, a scene you’ll likely want to extend. Everything here seems to fall naturally into place: the rhythm of service, the way the day unfolds from breakfast to spa to terrace, the feeling that you’re exactly where you should be.
What’s most intentional about The Grand is how it bridges then and now: the rhythm of the tides beneath its windows, the sense that, after 150 years, it still inhabits its seaside setting with ease and exacting standards. 1It is not trying to be something it isn’t. And in that lies its charm. Join The Grand Hotel’s year-long celebration for the hotel’s 150th anniversary. As extraordinary as ever, in a world built for scrolling, this is a place designed to stay.
@grandhoteleastbourne | grandeastbourne.com
King Edward’s Parade, Eastbourne BN21 4EQ
