Gothic House

The location is a real plus, right on the historic high street near shops and the hospital, and the staff we dealt with were pleasant and helpful. But I wouldn't recommend this place for more than a night, especially if you need quiet or want staff on site at all times. We booked nine nights while my partner recovered from an operation and had a follow-up appointment, but left after three because the bar noise was so intense even midweek. We moved to the cheaper, nicer Travelodge. We'd wanted to support a small business, but wish we'd booked there first. The hotel staff apologised when we checked out early and said they know it's noisy. I don't know why the live music venue immediately behind the hotel isn't made clear in the listing. The noise was genuinely bad, and wasn't just us being sensitive. Our twin room was very small, though clean, with clean sheets and good pillows. One bed was comfortable; the other squeaked so badly that we had to put its mattress on the floor to sleep. The metal frame was awful. The room was dark and poorly decorated, which felt like a shame in such a historic building and town. It didn't feel like four stars, three at best. We skipped breakfast at the attached cafe because it was always empty or nearly empty, which didn't appeal to us. There was barely space to work or sit anywhere but on the bed. The TV was confusing if you don't use Fire TV, and there was no information or code for signing into your streaming accounts. There wasn't enough table or storage space either: the wardrobe was full of spare pillows and the two little tables had tiny drawers. My partner had stayed in another room before and found it spacious and comfortable, despite black mould in the bathroom, so we wrongly assumed all three rooms would be similar. In our tiny en suite, the heater didn't work and the shower was very small, though the pressure was good. The window looked onto a courtyard where people came out to smoke, so there was no privacy unless the curtains were shut. If that bothers you, don't open the window. You also have to call a mobile if something goes wrong. We didn't bother, and left early to focus on health.

After an eight-hour wait at our local hospital, my wife was sent to East Grinstead for urgent surgery. It was dark and raining hard during the two-hour drive, and I got her to the hospital with our exhausted two-year-old. At 10:30 PM, I was calling every hotel nearby and hearing they were full. Then this place answered: they had a room, though reception closed in 20 minutes. We arrived ten minutes later. The man at reception said the kitchen was closed, but offered to cook something for our little one. When we went down for water and juice, he gave my son food and snacks for free. That was the best customer service I've ever had, and the room was great too. Highly recommend. We'll definitely be back!

The staff were lovely, and the price was good. The beds were comfy too. The downside was the noise from the cafe and restaurant, which carried on into the early hours. Two of the three rooms have windows facing the balcony where people drink, including the bathroom windows, so there's no privacy.

We had a weekend stay and the breakfast was fantastic. Food and drinks downstairs were very good too. The room gets a little noisy until the bar closes, but the noise stops after 11 and honestly wasn't too bad. A good base for visiting the area.