A snapshot guides to the best hotels in East & West Sussex, England, that offer character. Each listing covers the building, its setting, chef & cuisine plus local attractions and transport options.
This page is part of The Sussex Guide which cover Sussex attractions, events & festivals, food & drink, history and more
More UK Hotel Guides:
Best Anglesey Hotels
Best Hampshire Hotels
Best Kent Hotels
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The Star
High Street,
East Sussex
BN26 5TA
01323 870 495
General manager: Edward Johnson
History: Tavern since C15
Setting: High Street
Rooms: 30
Best room: Heritage Junior Suite
Style: Heritage
Chef: Tim Kensett (ex-River Cafe)
Owners: Polizzi Collection (since 2019)
Rail: Seaford
Taxi: Cuckmere
thepolizzicollection.com/the-star
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Crafted (est. 2025)
Powdermill Lane,
Battle
East Sussex,
TN33 0SP map
Lifestyle hotel.
History: Gunpowder production
Manager: Jordan Thomson
Rooms: 55 rooms + 3 private cottages. Bookings,
Craft Barn, Art Studio, wellness facilities, members’ club, plus a spa.
Setting: woodlands with a 7 acre lake.
Owner: Chris King
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A Room With A View (est. 2012)
41 Marine Parade,
Kemp Town
East Sussex
BN2 1PE map
01273 682 885
Building: Georgian (Grade II)
Setting: seafront
Rooms: 9
Best room: 8 face the sea
Style: Contemporary
Food: Breakfast
Owner: Stephen Bull
The Story
Rail: Brighton
Taxi: Southern
aroomwithaviewbrighton.com
If full we recommend:
Artist Residence (est. 2008)
Drakes (est. 2004) Four-stars
No 124 (est.2025) Three-star
Owners: Guest brothers (No 42 Margate)
Square Townhouse (est. 2015) Five-star |
The Gallivant (est. 2009)
New Lydd Road
Camber
East Sussex
TN31 7RB map
01797 225 057
Lifestyle hotel.
Rooms: 20. Style: Californian beach.
Restaurant: Harrys (est. 2025). Executive chef: Mathew Harris (ex-Bibendum)
Spa. Yoga (studio or beach).
Garden: Designed by Marcus Foster.
Owner: Harry Craigoe.
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The Grand
King Edward's Parade
East Sussex
BN21 4EQ
Tel: 01323 412345
Rating: 5-Star
History: Opened in 1875
Setting: Sea view
Rooms: 152 (Best rooms: Upper floor)
Restaurants: Mirabelle
The Garden Room
grandeastbourne.com
If full we recommend:
Langham Hotel (est. 1913)
Port (est. 2021) |
Ashdown Park (est. 1993)
Wych Cross, Forest Row,
East Sussex, RH18 5JR map
4 star hotel in Ashdown Forest.
History: Built in 1867.
Rooms: 106 bedrooms across 9 different categories. It includes 12 family rooms and 16 ground-floor rooms.
General Manager: Jonathan Brown (since 2025)
Restaurant: Anderida. Executive Chef: Andrew Wilson (since 2025).
Grounds: 186 acres of manicured landscaped gardens, woodland, parkland and lake.
Deer.
Owners: Elite Hotels.
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Horsted Place (1983)
Little Horsted
East Sussex
TN22 5TS map
01825 750 581
Manager: Adam Faries
Building: c.1850
Grounds: 8 acres
Rooms: 17 (14 are suites)
Best room:
Style: plush
Chef: Joshua Samuel Cook
Owners: Kuwaiti investment Office
Rail: Uckfield
Taxi: R&R
horstedplace.co.uk |
The George
98 High Street
East Sussex
TN31 7JT map
01797 222 114
Manager:
Building: C16
Setting: coast
Rooms: 41 (inc. 5 Jnr suites)
Best room:
Style: Chic
Chef: Rod Grossman
Owners: Alex & Katie Clarke
The Story
Rail: Rye
thegeorgeinrye.com
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High Street, Ticehurst,
East Sussex, TN5 7AS map
Pub with rooms.
History: Built as a coaching inn in 1560.
Rudyard Kipling was a regular when he lived at Batemans.
Rooms & lodges: sixteen.
Style: eclectic. Guest co-ordinators: Rae & Kate.
Chef: Oliver Joyce. Service: attentive. Bookings.
Garden: Designed by Jo Thompson.
Unique wedding venue.
Visit: Bewl Water, Wine Trail, Bedgebury.
Owner: Richard & Roz Upton (since 2009).
Bus: 1066. Rail: Wadhurst. Taxi: Time Busters.
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Buxted Park Hotel
Station Road
East Sussex
TN22 4AY map
01825 733 333
Manager: Daniel Courtney (ex-The Bell)
Building: Georgian
Park: 200 acres
Rooms: 44
Best room:
Style: elegant
Chef: Mark Carter
Owners: Hand Picked Hotels
Rail: Uckfield
Taxi: R&R
handpickedhotels.co.uk/
buxtedpark
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Bexhill: Driftwood (2017)
Fletching: Griffin Inn (Youngs)
Hastings: Old Rectory (2010)
Hove: Ginger Pig |
Amberley Castle
West Sussex
BN18 9LT map
01798 831 992
Building: 1377 fortifications
Setting: 12 acres of grounds
Rooms: 19
Best room: Tower House Mews rooms
Style:
Restaurant: Queen’s Room
Owners: Brownsword Hotels (since 2011)
The Story
Rail: Amberley amberleycastle.co.uk
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Bailiffscourt (1947)
Climping Street,
Atherington
West Sussex
BN17 5RW map
01903 723 511
Manager: Chris Alger
Building: Built 1927-1935 in the medieval style for a member of the Guinness family. Designed by Amyas Phillips (1891-1962).
Grounds: 30 acres
Rooms: 39
Best room:
Style: Heritage
Chef: Russell Williams
Spa (2001)
Owners: Historic Sussex Hotels (since 1993).
Story of Bailiffscourt book
Rail: Bognor
Taxi: Yellow Star
hshotels.co.uk/bailiffscourt |
The Pig in South Downs near
Arundel
West Sussex
BN18 0NL map
03452 259 494
Manager: Mairead Gleeson
Building: Georgian lodge (Grade II)
Grounds: 20 acres
Rooms: 28
Best room:
Style: Chic
Chef: Kamil Oseka
Owners: Home Grown
Rail: Amberley
Taxi: South Downs
thepighotel.com/in-the-
south-downs
Hotel review |
The Angel Hotel
North Street
Midhurst
West Sussex
GU29 9DN
Tel: 01730 812421
Rating: 3-Star
History:C17 building
Setting: South Downs
Rooms: 15 :
Restaurants: Angels Bar & Grill
Owners: David Whitney and Simon Shone
Media: Telegraph review
theangelmidhurst.co.uk/ |
The Halfway Bridge Inn
Lodsworth
nr Petworth
West Sussex
GU28 9BP map
01798 861 281
Manager: Nick Dobson
Building: Coaching Inn
Setting: South Downs
Rooms: 8
Best room:
Style: contemporary
Chef: Tony Beale
Owners: Sam and Janet Bakose
Sister Inn: Crab & Lobster
Rail: Pulborough
Taxi: South Downs
Country Life review
halfwaybridge.co.uk |
Crab & Lobster
Mill Lane
West Sussex
PO20 7NB map
01243 641 233
Building: C17
Setting: by Pagsham Harbour
Rooms: 4
Style: pastel
Chef: Clyde Hollett
Owners: Sam and Janet Bakose (since 2009)
Sister Inn: Halfway Bridge Inn
Rail: Bognor
Taxi: Yellow Star
crab-lobster.co.uk |
Graveyete Manor (1958)
Vowels Lane
West Sussex
RH19 4LJ map
01342 810 567
Manager: Paul Skinner
Building: Built in 1598. In 1958 Peter Herbert converted it into a country house hotel.
Grounds: 35 acres
Rooms: 17
Best room:
Style: elegant
Chef: Adam Smith
Owners: Jeremy & Elizabeth Hosking (since 2010).
Rail: East Grinstead
Taxi: Western Cars
Evening Standard review
gravetyemanor.co.uk |
Bognor Regis: Beachcroft Hotel (2018)
Cuckfield: Ockenden Manor
Lower Bleeding: South Lodge
Pulborough: Chequers
Slinfold: Random Hall |
