Grand Hastings

My uncle was left without a room on Good Friday evening, at 7pm, and had to make a three-hour journey home without his weekend plans or the money we’d already paid. With the bank holiday busy and most alternatives full or very expensive at short notice, it was a dreadful end to the day. The owner, Peter, had refused to let him stay after demanding over £300 extra for the four-night booking. I’d booked and paid the full agreed amount through an app advertised by the Grand, and had received confirmation. Peter called me while I was at a children’s party, said the room was available if I paid more, then blamed problems with the app when I explained we’d paid in full. I said that was not our responsibility, and he told me there were no rooms. I’m astonished by how greedy and unkind this was. Do not book here.

A classic British seaside hotel, and I’d be happy to come back. We stayed one night for the Mayday Bike day, and it suited what we needed. Everything looked clean and felt comfortable, with extra pillows available. The tea, coffee and sugar were all brand names.

I was caught in the rain, and the owner kindly let me check in early. He was really helpful, even getting me shampoo. In the morning he made coffee and eggs on toast after realizing I couldn’t afford breakfast. The bed was fairly comfortable, the shower properly hot, and the WiFi worked well. It’s cheap, comfortable accommodation, and I’d definitely recommend staying here.

The room I experienced was dingy, dated, disorganized and dirty. The 2.5 rating on Tripadvisor seems much closer to that reality. What made it worse was seeing Peter berate guests who left critical reviews. In the pictures I posted, he comments on people’s cultural backgrounds, and in one case Googled a guest and mocked her publicly for having a “tiny three bedroomed home in Linconshire.” Some of his responses include: “For an Iranian and his family living in the safety and comfort of Great Britain to be so critical makes me wonder, as someone who has spent some time in Iran and seen some of their really dire circumstances,if he would not be happier back there.” He also wrote, “We are sorry that this Polish family of 4 from Streatham have chosen to write anonymously,” and, “WAITING UNTIL RETURNING TO HER TINY 3 BEDROOMED TERRACE HOUSE ON A CROWDED ESTATE IN THE DEPTHS OF LINCOLNSHIRE BEFORE COMPLAINING.” I think this says a lot about his general manner. I only later realized he’d appeared on Hotel Inspector, where his personality is on display. At one point he gets upset and says, “I feel strongly that you don’t put salt on food.” Thankfully, they no longer serve breakfast. I agree with that change, since it means guests can choose somewhere else that seasons food properly. The episode is linked here, or can be found by searching “Hotel Grand Hotel Inspector,” Season 3 Episode 1. Read his replies to other reviews before staying. It’s baffling, but his certainty that he’s right makes the nature of the person responsible for our health and safety clear.