The Mowbray

I had an awful experience with this hotel and believe the man who runs it took my money without remorse. I booked twice through booking.com, first for May 30 to 31 and then for June 5 to 12. I’m in my twenties but look younger, and I felt he treated me as if I were easy to take advantage of. On the first stay, I chose an extra-large double bed rather than two singles. At first things seemed okay, but I was never given a key or keycard. The man showed me two four-digit codes on his phone and expected me to photograph them. I asked him to email them, but he refused. My room shared a wall with the loft, and the people above were a drunk couple who argued, shouted, had very loud sex, slammed things around and laughed when the noise woke me. There was also a serious leak in the bathroom. Water was pooling beneath the sink and spreading across the floor, making it unsafe to use the sink or wash my hands. I asked to change rooms that night, May 30, but he said they were sold out on booking.com. He should have called an emergency plumber, and he shouldn’t have let that room to me. By the time I found out about the leak, it was too late to book somewhere else. He offered late checkout, but I felt a dangerous leak called for a full refund, not an extra hour in the room. He said he’d make it up to me if I booked again. I believed his apologies and nice words. I booked the second stay on June 2, for June 5 to 12, with checkout the day before my birthday. The advertised extra-large double bed was £290 for seven nights, which seemed an incredible deal for June. I’d considered another place, but remembered his promise to treat me better after the leak. On June 3, I messaged to request the third floor, away from the second-floor room I’d had before, where I’d been beside the lifts and under the noisy couple. I also asked for the highest floor and to be away from the lifts. He agreed. He again refused to send the key codes and insisted I photograph them from his phone. That night, the people above me blasted music and had a loud party. They kept setting off a loud alarm, probably a smoke detector, and laughing. It went on until 3:30 a.m. on June 6, and I didn’t fall asleep until 4. The toilet flush was broken and needed three presses to clear even a little tissue. When I woke up, my back was very sore. The same thing had happened after the first stay. I then felt a gap down the middle of the mattress. I took photos and video, and saw that he’d pushed two single beds together, covered them with a sheet and presented them as a double. I messaged him about it; he wouldn’t respond in writing, but admitted what he’d done on a video I have that’s nearly five minutes long. He made me flee, and I’m now hundreds of pounds out of pocket. I believe he’s an audacious, brazen fraudster.

The Mowbray worked out as a reasonable choice for our short visit. We found the staff polite and helpful whenever we needed them. The room was clean and comfortable, if quite basic, and breakfast was fresh without being anything special. It’s conveniently close to the beach and an easy walk from the town centre.

There are much better options in Eastbourne, including The Halcyon, Citrus Hotel Eastbourne and The Burlington Hotel. In my experience they offer far better service and breakfast, and are much more generous with amenities. This place claims to be a 4-star hotel, but I don’t think it deserves that. I’ve stayed in many hotels and found this one especially stingy with what it provides. The negative Booking.com reviews are accurate, so read them first. My mattress and towels were stained. That’s not acceptable to me, and I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The room was basic but did the job, and I’d recommend the place. I paid £35 for a discounted single and honestly wasn’t expecting much. It was clean, fresh-looking and the bed was comfortable. The location is handy for the beach and lots of restaurants. Noise from the nearby roads could bother light sleepers. The walls are a bit thin too, though that seems normal for properties around here, so I didn’t think it was fair to take off a star for that.