Port Hotel

Rooms

The 19 hip bedrooms are all decked in sandy and earthy tones; warm cork floors are neatly offset by black trim in taps, window frames, radiators and chair legs. Additional colour-coding in subtle green, neutral or blush pink is seen in the poured concrete sinks, kettles, throws and mini-fridges.

Six rooms are sea-facing, the rest not – your budget will determine which to choose. Top of the pile is the first floor Studio Apartment (where we stayed), with built-in shelves and desk, a big bathroom with egg bath and twin sinks, and impressive bay windows opening to a private balcony. We loved the cool turntable and LPs. The Sea View Rooms with Baths have glorious freestanding tubs. Sea-facing rooms all have super-kingsize beds and – a nice touch – binoculars.

In the lower ground floor are the Family- and Dog-friendly Rooms, also with super-kingsize beds and large walk-in showers, plus small patios for outside access. One family room has adult-length bunk beds.

To the rear are the compact, entry-level Cabin Rooms and Town Rooms, which have kingsize beds and walk-in showers. The further you ascend, the better the view to the South Downs across Eastbourne's rooftops.

All rooms come with comfy Hypnos mattresses, uplifting Faith in Nature products, attractive designer pottery, a coffee-maker with Craft House bio-degradable capsules, and a kettle with fabulous Hoogly teas (and a choice of soy, oat, almond or cow’s milk).

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast is a continental buffet consisting of fresh pastries, cereals, granola, yoghurt and other usual suspects. Divine smoothies and coffee (choose oat, soy, almond or cow's milk) round it off.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday, serving up contemporary British cuisine and showcasing regional produce. And on Sundays, their hearty roasts of Sussex wagyu beef, corn-fed chicken and veggie pie served with all the trimmings are popular with guests and locals alike.

Recommended eateries include Bistrot Pierre on the seafront; all-day Company for Sussex produce; The Gren Almond for vegetarians and vegans; wine-restaurant Cru or tasting-room Levels for oenophiles. Before you head out, though, stop by the luminous Lunar Bar for a pre-dinner aperitif. The bar is full of award-winning artisan drinks and local brews; there's an impressive cocktail list too.

Features include:

• Bar
• Coffee maker
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Step outside to admire the Pier and stroll along the beach, a shingle strip which stretches for six miles to Beachy Head
  
• Amble through Eastbourne's under-rated Old Town for Victorian architecture, cafés and pubs (The Lamb Inn is its oldest), antiques and bric a brac emporiums
  
• The Devonshire Quarter, where the more traditional wedding-cake seafront hotels predominate, has three of the town's theatres
  
• Walk on the wonderful, rolling South Downs - over chalk cliffs, to Friston's beautiful beech forest (excellent views of Cuckmere), or on to Cuckmere Valley; if you want a picnic made up, just ask
  
• Visit the attractive towns of Alfriston and Lewes, or dip into award-winning wineries at Rathfinny and Tillingham
  
• You can't miss the striking Towner Art Gallery, Museum of the Year 2020, which has 4,000 works by historic and contemporary artists, with a focus on modern British art (Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Vanessa Bell, Henry Moore, Grayson Perry, Olafur Eliasson)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Wine tasting

Kids

Children are welcome at Port Hotel, although there are few dedicated facilities for them. Kids of all ages will love the proximity to the beach. There are baby cots, high chairs and two family rooms (but no extra beds in the other rooms).

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

There are two Family Rooms for a family of four (plus a baby): one (on the lower ground floor) with a pair of full-length bunkbeds, the other with a double sofabed. Both have a small external patio. The Studio Apartment on the first floor has a double sofabed and can also sleep a family of four plus a baby.

Distances:

• Airport: 1 hour
• Hospital: 8 minutes
• Shops: 2 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Port Hotel is right on Eastbourne's seafront, just to the east of the iconic pier.

By Air:
The nearest airport is London Gatwick, which is about an hour and 15 minutes away by car. Or you can get direct trains from Gatwick to Eastbourne which take an hour.

By Train:
From London Victoria take Southern Railways directly to Eastbourne. The line extends eastwards to Hastings or westwards to Brighton, and connects to Ashford. Get a taxi from the station or it's about a 15 minute walk.

By Car:
A car is useful if you're intending to explore the area, but you'll probably not use it much in the town itself. If renting a car, see our tips. The hotel doesn't have its own car park, but they'll lend you on-street parking permits.

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.