Eastbourne: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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GBP 80 - 100 The Guesthouse East
 Children under 12 enjoy breakfast free at these contemporary self-contained suites, unique to Eastbourne, offering private kitchens and a convenient c… MoreGBP 75 - 100 Loriston Guest House
 You are assured of a warm welcome at Loriston House, a lovely Victorian terraced property situated just off the seafront.
Completely renovated since … MoreGBP 120 - 215 The Grand Hotel
 The management and staff welcome you to the award winning Grand Hotel, also known as 'The White Palace'. Standing imperiously at the west end of King … MoreGBP 81 - 155 Hotel Pavilion
 Cape Cod meets The Hamptons in Eastbourne at this New England-style guest house on the seafront, ideal for relaxing on the beach or exploring Eastbour… MoreGBP 50 - 130 The Devonshire Park Hotel
 The Devonshire Park Hotel is an Elegant Victorian Property located in one of the finest positions in Eastbourne. Opposite Devonshire Park and The Cong… MoreGBP 49 - 95 Oban Hotel
 Situated on the seafront and enjoying breathtaking sea views, this delightful, privately-run property is set in Eastbourne’s west end, boasting easy… MoreGBP 33 - 80 Marine Parade Hotel
 Directly opposite the pebble beach, this elegant Victorian property is ideally situated some 150 metres east of the Pier on Eastbourne's glorious seaf… MoreGBP 55 - 140 Hydro Hotel
 A country house hotel by the sea. A long established hotel set in an elevated position offering impressive views of the sea and Sussex Downs.
From t… MoreGBP 60 - 70 Bay Lodge Hotel - B&B
 This friendly, traditional, family-run guest house is situated on Eastbourne's seafront, opposite the Pavilion Tea Gardens and Redoubt Fortress Milita… MoreGBP 45 - 115 The Sherwood
 An attractive late Victorian town house with sea views, just steps from Eastbourne's beautiful seafront and the town centre.
At just 5 minutes' walk … MoreGBP 37 - 85 Ivydene Hotel
 Situated just off the seafront, Ivydene Hotel is under personal supervision of the Ball family, with emphasis placed on serving freshly prepared tradi… MoreGBP 39 - 79 The Ellesmere
 Under new family ownership for 2008, this accommodation has a perfect location, overlooking the beautiful Wilmington Square Gardens and immediately op… MoreGBP 55 - 1,000 Best Western Lansdowne Hotel
 Combining the elegance of the Victorian age with every modern facility, the hotel occupies a premier position on the seafront overlooking the Western … MoreGBP 49 - 149 The Berkeley
 The Berkeley is a completely refurbished 5-star guest accommodation newly opened in 2006.
Each room boasts stunning decor, a luxury shower room and a… MoreGBP 30 - 66 Sea Beach House Hotel
 Situated on the seafront, just yards from the beach and within easy reach of the town, theatres and pier; this is the only grade 2 listed seafront acc… MoreGBP 36 - 84 The Sheldon Hotel
 The Sheldon Hotel is perfectly situated, just a short walk from the seafront and town centre, and near to Eastbourne's main entertainment complex and … MoreGBP 30 - 140 East Beach Hotel
 As seen on Channel 5's The Hotel Inspector, this hotel is located in a prime position on Eastbourne's glorious seafront, overlooking the beach and the… MoreGBP 50 - 110 New Wilmington Hotel
 From the time you arrive, you will find exceptional warmth and helpful service at this AA 3-star hotel, located 2 minutes from the seafront.
The hote… MoreGBP 35 - 94 The Gladwyn
 The Gladwyn has ten comfortable en suite rooms which have all been refurbished and redecorated using unique themes and imaginative colours. You will a… MoreGBP 40 - 100 Eastbourne Reymar
 This newly refurbished hotel offers a high standard of furnishings and decor, and a warm, friendly, family atmosphere to rest, relax and unwind in.
… MoreGBP 50 - 175 Langham Hotel Eastbourne
 Enjoy sea views, varied cuisine, live music and helpful and friendly staff at this comfortable hotel on Eastbourne’s seafront.
Langhams Restaurant… MoreGBP 104 - 111 Cavendish Hotel
 The Cavendish is a majestic hotel commanding the premier sea front position on Eastbourne's Grand Parade. Accommodation is uniquely luxurious, and man… MoreGBP 30 - 86 The Palm Court Hotel
 The Palm Court is ideally situated just of the seafront and is a short walk to the Carpet Gardens, Pier, Bandstand, Theatres and Shopping Centre. Walk… MoreGBP 35 - 100 The Pier Hotel
 The Pier Hotel in Eastbourne, East Sussex. No car park at the hotel.
The Pier has 31 stunning en-suite bedrooms with tea and coffee making facilitie… MoreGBP 50 - 140 Best Western York House Hotel
 Our elegant Victorian hotel has the most stunning seafront position, just 400 yards from the pier. We are also located 20 yards from the gently-slopin… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastbourne: Guide
Eastbourne is a town in East Sussex, on England|England's South England|south coast.
Understand
Eastbourne is a popular and traditional sea-side resort on the south coast of England, about 110 Kms from London. It lies at the eastern end of the South Downs range of chalk cliffs and hills: it's most famous topographical feature is Beachy Head, the highest chalk cliff in Southern England. To the east it is bordered by the low-lying flood plains of the Pevensey Levels and beyond. . It has one of the highest recorded days of sunshine per year in Britain.
Part of the town's charm is it's largely undeveloped seafront, devoid of the amusements and loud activity associated with Brighton, it's bigger and brasher western cousin. Eastbourne's front remains composed mainly of Victorian hotels, as much of Eastbourne has traditionally belonged to the Duke of Devonshire, who retains the rights to these buildings and refuses to allow them to be converted into shops.
Eastbourne has a reputation as a retirement town, and is also very popular with elderly day trippers on coach outings. The local council,however, perhaps aware of this dated image, have in recent years tried to persuade potential visitors to "take another view", with some success.
The lovely 1935 bandstand remains, and traditional seafront concerts still take place every day in the holiday season for those content to listen and laze in a deckchair. The relative peace is only shattered in mid August by the biggest event of the year for the town, "Airbourne". This justifably and proudly claims to be the South Coast's biggest free air display, andch takes place over the sea attracting visitors of all ages during its four days. Many come just to see the world famous RAF Red Arrows who are regular visitors, but there are many other attractions at ground level too.
Get in
By car
The main roads into Eastbourne are the A27, which runs west to Brighton (England)|Brighton, and the A259, which heads east to Hastings (England)|Hastings. The A22 (joining the A27) goes north towards London.
By train
Southern Railway is the principal train company serving Eastbourne. It is linked by train to the west with Brighton, and to the east with Bexhill, Hastings and Ashford International (for Eurostar services to France and Belgium). There is direct line to London with trains running twice-hourly, journey time around 1 hour 25 minutes.
Fare and timetable information is available from , or National Rail Enquiries- tel. 08457 484950 (local rate call, UK only number)
Get around
By bus
Services within Eastbourne borough are mainly operated by Eastbourne Buses Ltd, which is the successor company to the world's first municipal bus operator. Eastbourne Buses also operate some services to outlying areas such as Pevensey Bay, Polegate and Hailsham which are included in the local fare zone system.
Other bus operators in the town include Cavendish Travel, which provides a limited local service adorned in the historic green and cream livery of the fondly-remembered Southdown bus company which used to provide the inter-town bus services in Eastbourne. Longer distance services are now operated under the Stagecoach banner and serve the East Sussex area plus other towns such as Tunbridge Wells.
Brighton is served by a joint operation between Stagecoach and Brighton and Hove Buses. Brighton and Hove offer an excellent value all-day ticket for just GBP2.80, which includes the return journey between the two towns and unlimited travel in Brighton and Hove.
Eastbourne's art deco bus station closed some years ago, but almost all services now stop in a buses-only area of the main shopping precinct at Terminus Road, near the railway station. The bus company has now closed it's former "bus shops" in the town centre, but information and timetables are posted at all stops in the central area.
By taxi
"Black cabs" are rarely seen on Eastbourne's streets, but taxis licensed by the local authority are readily available at all times from ranks either side of the railway station.
See
The world-famous seafront Carpet Gardens
Enjoy the views from Beachy Head - at 162m, the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain. See the century-old red and white lighthouse at the foot of the cliffs, and an earlier forerunner the Belle Tout lighthouse, built to warn shipping of the treacherous rocks in the vicinity.
The Enterprise Centre next to the station is another often forgotten treasure. Although it has a feel of faded glory and better days hopefully more visitors will take it back to the vibrant place it once was because it is a gem. Under one roof is everything you might need - fresh fruit and veg, a butchers and a fishmongers. Plus an amazing bookshop which has thousands of new and secondhand books plus a great ordering service for any book. There is a shop full of Wedding Dresses with service second to none (there are other wedding services there too) and a fair trade shop which is excellent. There are also opticians, complementary therapy, a hair dressers and a beautician. A pet shop. A wonderful cafe called Jocelyn's where you can get gorgeous cakes, delicious soup and service with a smile!
For those with more eclectic tastes, "Little Chelsea" is a good area to visit. While it's hard to ignore the several funeral directors in South Street and Grove Road, reflecting the higher than average proportion of aged residents of the town, there are many shops for those who want to live life to the full, whatever their age. Particularly recommended is Camilla's second-hand bookshop with books on just about every subject imaginable, a Belgian chocolate emporium and a Bang and Olufsen hi-fi and TV specialist dealer.
The 2km long road known as "Seaside" (somewhat confusingly, just inland from the seafront) is like a mini-town in itself, with branches of most of the main banks, post offices, convenience stores, antique and curio shopping, furnishers, kitchen and carpet suppliers. This is the main A259 road, and leads northwards to the Admiral retail park, which houses a large Tesco superstore plus several other familiar edge of town names for DIY and electrical needs. These are also well served at the Crumbles shopping centre which adjoins the man-made Sovereign Harbour development.
If you're looking for something refreshing but not intoxicating, there are plenty of stops for a cuppa and the usual coffee chains. The Pavilion Tea Rooms, east of the pier, are recommended for afternoon tea when a piano player often adds to the polite, typically English ambience of the place.
Most of the town's 4 and 5 star hotels are, unsurprisingly, located on the seafront and generally to the more rural-looking and higher Western end of the seafront. These include The Hydro, once featured in a TV Agatha Christie adaptation, and
For those on more modest budgets, there are plenty of family-run, welcoming small hotels or "bed and breakfast" establishments, plus self-catering flatlets and campsites on the edge of town. The town's Youth Hostel is located in a very picturesque spot on top of the Downs going out of town westwards, near one of the golf links.
Information on accommodation, eating and drinking and events is available from the excellent Tourist Information Centre on Cornfield Road in the centre of town, open 7 days a week in peak season normally til at least 5.00 p.m.
Other places of interest in the Eastbourne area
Drusilla's Zoo, Alfriston, tel: 01323 874100, e-mail: info@drusillas.co.uk. Open daily all year except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Open 10:00-17:00 in summer, 10:00-16:00 in winter. The best small zoo in England, located in the countryside just outside Eastbourne near the village of Alfriston. Admission: Adults £9.99, Children £9.49. http://www.drusillas.co.uk/
The Long Man of Wilmington, near Eastbourne. Car park is open all year, 24 hours a day. A prehistoric chalk representation of a man carved into the side of a hill. Admission to the site and car park is free. Walking on the figure or the surrounding vegetation is not permitted. http://www.sussexpast.co.uk/property/site.php?site_id=13
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikitravel article "Eastbourne". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.
The Victorian pier, adorned with shops and traditional amusements, fast food cafes, a bar and night club and a "Camera Obscura" offering a different perspective on the town.
The "Redoubt Fortress", now housing a military museum but built to defend the area during the Napoleonic wars.Do
Walk the South Downs Way long distance footpath, which starts on the Western edge of the town and runs through the South Downs National Park as far as Winchester to the west.
Take the 712 bus from the town centre to Seven Sisters Country Park at Exceat, about 8km west of Eastbourne. The park has cycle hire through the Friston Forest, a cosy cafe-restaurant and a visitor centre. The estuary of the River Cuckmere winds through here in a distinctive meander to the sea and can be walked either side of the A259 road.
From the country park, take a 4 hours walk on top of the cliffs back to Eastbourne. Don't forget to take a picnic, though Birling Gap is a pleasant beauty spot on this part of the coast, which looks particularly nice in Spring and has an excellent pub, restaurant and hotel.Buy
While it does not perhaps offer the same range as other more fashionable shopping areas like Brighton or Tunbridge Wells, Eastbourne has a good mix of the familiar "high street" names and unusual retailers. The Arndale Centre is the main shopping mall, located in Terminus Road which itself has a wide selection of shops. Everything from books to bakeware, candles to coffee can be bought in the mall which has a light and airy feel thanks to it's atrium layout allowing in plenty of natural light. This is a popular area at all times, but particularly with children at school holidays when activities and an enchanting tableau are usually laid on in the central area between Boots and BhS. Eat
As would be expected of a seaside resort, Eastbourne offers food to suit all tastes, budgets and time demands. There are plenty of fast food outlets including McDonalds and Wimpy in Terminus Road or Burger King on the pier. However, for those wanting something a little more traditional, the best fish and chip restaurants include Seaquel, at the junction of Terminus Road and Seaside Road, or the Dolphin fish bar on Seaside.
Fresh seafood and shellfish can be obtained from Perrywinkles just east of the pier or if you are in self-catering accommodation, why not buy and cook local catches as fresh as can be from the wet fish shops alongside the fisherman's boat stores on the seafront walking east towards Princes Park.
Many different cuisines are also on offer in Terminus Road, the main street for restaurants. If you like a sea view along with good food and drink, try the Cafe Belge at the seaward end of Terminus Road, which offers around 80 Belgian beers along with a menu reflecting the culinary traditions of Belgium.
Development on the seafront itself is limited, but the hotel restaurants are always worth a try, as are the cafes and kiosks on the lower promenade, including some recently opened in former seafront shelters. Eastbourne seems to be trying to follow the lead of Brighton in making more of its beachfront for food and entertainment and several cafes and restaurants now open into the late evening on the shoreline.Drink
Eastbourne has plenty of pubs ranging from the traditional to the trendy. Particularly recommended for those who love- or want to try- the best local "real ale" are The Marine on Seaside, which also offers an excellent restaurant and bar menu- all day on Sundays. The Marine is always a friendly and comfortable place, but is at its best around Christmas time, when an extraordinary array of festive lights turns it into a fairyland to enchant young and old alike.
Also recommended are The Terminus, a recently-refurbished Harveys of Lewes pub in the town centre, and The Lamb, the oldest pub in Eastbourne in the Old Town area.
Most nightclubs are situated in Langney, Pevensey and Terminus Roads though the pier with the Atlantis nightspot is something of a honeypot for language students and other smart young things. Sleep
- which is a classical five star hotel, yet run in a friendly atmosphere.Get out