Port Hotel

The hotel is a small, quirky place, clean and peaceful, with a modern but calm feel. I relaxed easily there, and the bar had a great range of drinks, including local ales well worth trying. From the start, David made me feel at home. He explained everything clearly, suggested places to eat and things to see nearby, and never made me feel rushed. His warmth, professionalism and knowledge of the hotel and area stood out. He was attentive without hovering and consistently friendly. It's rare to meet someone who goes so naturally above and beyond, and he's a real credit to The Port Hotel. My stay was comfortable and memorable, and after being here, I find it hard to believe negative reviews reflect the true experience. I'd happily recommend The Port Hotel for its charm and outstanding service, and I'll definitely return.

The menu we got was different from the one advertised online, but we ordered anyway. The drinks list was pretty limited, and our food took close to an hour. When we asked about the wait, because I'm pregnant and very hungry, we were told there was only one chef and they don't normally serve outside customers. Nobody had mentioned that before. We left without eating after such a long wait, and nobody offered a discount on the drinks. The service was generally lacking, which was disappointing after the hotel had caught our eye as somewhere distinctive in Eastbourne. We'd called ahead to book breakfast for a birthday, and they accepted the booking even though we weren't staying there. It didn't live up to my hopes.

I booked this by mistake and tried to cancel straight away, though I had to wait for the phone lines to open. Booking.com was willing to refund me, but deputy manager Bradley was extremely rude. He said a refund would be a 'poor business decision' and talked down to us. The hotel could easily have sorted it out but chose to keep the money. The customer service was very poor, and I'd tell friends and family to avoid the place altogether.

The breakfast was tasty, and the music was good too, they had Teardrop by Massive Attack playing. It was just an overnight business trip, but I had a wonderful stay. Check-in was easy, staff were helpful, and the room was great and comfortable. I'd come back.