# 16 4 and 5-star hotels in East Sussex (2026)

> 16 4 and 5-star hotels in East Sussex, best reviewed first — including The Grand Brighton. Ratings, locations and details.

Source: https://staycation.co.uk/east-sussex/hotels/four-and-five-star (Staycation.co.uk). Cite the source page, not this text version.

16 listed · best reviewed first

Updated 31 August 2026 · Ratings from Google · [All hotels and B&Bs in East Sussex](https://staycation.co.uk/east-sussex/hotels)

[Dog-friendly 44](https://staycation.co.uk/east-sussex/hotels/dog-friendly) [Families 150](https://staycation.co.uk/east-sussex/hotels/family-friendly) [4-5 star 16](https://staycation.co.uk/east-sussex/hotels/four-and-five-star)

[Brighton The Grand Brighton ★ 4.4 (4,446) The landmark 1864 seafront hotel on Kings Road, reopened after a seventeen-million-pound refurbishment with a new spa and restaurant.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/the-grand-brighton) [Rye The Mermaid Inn ★ 4.6 (2,254) A fifteenth-century coaching inn on Rye's most famous cobbled street, with panelled rooms, huge inglenook fireplaces and a smugglers' history.](https://staycation.co.uk/rye/hotels/the-mermaid-inn) [Eastbourne The Grand Hotel Eastbourne ★ 4.4 (1,878) Eastbourne's landmark Victorian seafront hotel, known locally as the White Palace, with formal gardens, a spa and sea views along the western promenade.](https://staycation.co.uk/eastbourne/hotels/the-grand-hotel-eastbourne) [Brighton The Old Ship Hotel ★ 3.9 (2,380) Brighton's oldest hotel, trading on the seafront since the sixteenth century, with 150-odd rooms and Georgian assembly rooms behind the facade.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/the-old-ship-hotel) [Rye The George in Rye ★ 4.2 (1,251) A Georgian coaching inn on the High Street reworked into a contemporary boutique hotel, with a wood-fired restaurant and a ballroom for events.](https://staycation.co.uk/rye/hotels/the-george-in-rye) [Brighton Brighton Harbour Hotel & Spa ★ 4.0 (1,445) Adult-focused seafront hotel at 64 Kings Road with a subterranean spa built into old smugglers' tunnels beneath the building.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/brighton-harbour-hotel-and-spa) [Hastings Bannatyne Hotel Hastings ★ 4.2 (942) A country house hotel set in 38 acres of gardens and woodland between Hastings and Battle, built around a full health club, pool and spa.](https://staycation.co.uk/hastings/hotels/bannatyne-hotel-hastings) [Brighton Drakes Hotel ★ 4.6 (393) Twenty-room boutique hotel in two nineteenth-century mansions on Marine Parade, with freestanding baths in the bay windows and the Dilsk restaurant below.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/drakes-hotel) [Brighton Artist Residence Brighton ★ 4.6 (379) Twenty-seven rooms across two listed Regency townhouses on Regency Square, decorated by local artists, with Blake's Bistro on the ground floor.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/artist-residence-brighton) [Eastbourne The Queens Hotel Eastbourne ★ 4.0 (702) A traditional seafront hotel standing opposite Eastbourne Pier, with sea-view rooms, a spa and one of the most central locations on the promenade.](https://staycation.co.uk/eastbourne/hotels/the-queens-hotel-eastbourne) [Brighton A Room With A View ★ 4.7 (254) Grade II listed Georgian guest house on Marine Parade facing the beach, with sea-view balconies and free parking for guests booking direct.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/a-room-with-a-view) [Eastbourne The Cavendish Hotel Eastbourne ★ 3.3 (1,835) A large Victorian hotel directly on Eastbourne's central seafront, with sea-view rooms, a pool and easy walking access to the pier and shops.](https://staycation.co.uk/eastbourne/hotels/the-cavendish-hotel-eastbourne) [Brighton Paskins Town House ★ 4.2 (205) Long-established environmentally minded B&B in two Kemptown townhouses, known for an Art Deco dining room and thirteen cooked breakfasts.](https://staycation.co.uk/brighton/hotels/paskins-town-house) [Hastings The Laindons ★ 4.9 (78) An AA Five Star Gold guest house on Hastings Old Town's High Street, with six individually decorated rooms and elaborate breakfasts.](https://staycation.co.uk/hastings/hotels/the-laindons) [Hastings Tower House 1066 ★ 3.9 (146) A VisitBritain Four Star Silver guest accommodation in St Leonards-on-Sea, with individually designed ensuite rooms and a garden terrace.](https://staycation.co.uk/hastings/hotels/tower-house-1066) [Eastbourne Croft House Eastbourne ★ 4.2 (47) A small, well-reviewed guest house in Eastbourne's quieter Old Town, offering individually decorated rooms and a personal, home-from-home style of stay.](https://staycation.co.uk/eastbourne/hotels/croft-house-eastbourne)

## Quick answers

How many 4 and 5-star hotels are there in East Sussex?+

We list 16 in East Sussex. The best-reviewed are shown first.

Which 4 and 5-star hotels in East Sussex are best reviewed?+

By Google rating weighted by the number of reviews: The Grand Brighton (4.4/5, 4,446 reviews), The Mermaid Inn (4.6/5, 2,254 reviews) and The Grand Hotel Eastbourne (4.4/5, 1,878 reviews).

Is this list up to date?+

It is built live from our listings; ratings come from Google and each venue page shows when its details were last checked. Always confirm with the venue before travelling.