Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
See why so many travellers make White Horse Hotel their hotel of choice when visiting Rottingdean. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a family-friendly setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers like you.
Rooms at White Horse Hotel provide a flat screen TV, and guests can stay connected with free wifi.
In addition, while staying at White Horse Hotel guests have access to room service. You can also enjoy free breakfast. Need a place to park? Free parking is available at White Horse Hotel.
When you’re feeling hungry, be sure to check out Ros Thai and Li's Sizzling House, which are some Asian restaurants that are popular with locals and out-of-towners alike.
If you’re looking for something to do, Kipling Gardens (0.3 mi), Grange Museum & Art Gallery (0.1 mi), and St Margaret's Church (0.3 mi) are a nice way to spend some time, and they are all within walking distance of White Horse Hotel.
At White Horse Hotel, your comfort and satisfaction come first, and they look forward to welcoming you to Rottingdean.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Family
Languages Spoken
English
Location
High Street Marine Drive, Rottingdean BN2 7HR England
White Horses Hotel
4 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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Nestled close to the beach with easy access to Brighton attractions, the White Horses Hotel comes highly recommended for its prime location. Guests have called out the clean, comfortable, and stylishly refurbished rooms, with many suggesting the sea view rooms for an enhanced stay. The hotel boasts a range of praised amenities, including terraces with scenic views and comfortable beds, set amidst a tasteful and sophisticated atmosphere.
While the staff's friendliness receives accolades, there are occasional mentions of inconsistent service. In contrast, some guests consider the hotel to offer poor value, noting high costs and underwhelming dining experiences.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Sophisticated
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Pristine
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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First appearance of the Hotel from the outside is very clean and tidy. This is due to them just coming out of an entire Hotel refurbishment 3 months beforehand. The carpark however is a little bit of an issue as the general public can park there as it is a pay and display. However if you are staying at the hotel overnight or more the parking is free for your entire stay, just remember to give your car reg number to reception once you check in. The reception staff are very welcoming and couldn't fault them. Unfortunately I didn't take there names. They lady gave us our room key which is made of wood. Be prepared that there is no lifts. But they do have rooms on ground floor as far as I'm aware. We treated ourselves to a room with Sea View and Balcony and stayed for 3 night 4 days. The room had tea/coffee making facilities and also bottled water is provided as well as biscuits. The Balcony had large potted planters separating each room as there is 6 balcony rooms so can give you a bit of privacy and each has a table with a touch light and 2 chairs. The view was lovely. The smell of the room was clean and not bleachy must be using natural cleaners the shower room was amazing toiletries are provided but are locked into holders like most hotels are doing now. plus Bathrobes. Room has USB sockets and plug sockets. hair dryer, ironing board and Iron. also a safe. TV. Breakfasts were very tasty they have a fully stocked choice of continental and juices at which you can have with your cooked breakfasts. we were served by Katie and Milena every morning through out our stay. I also want to thank them for there kind service. We had one evening meal at the hotel and the staff were very helpful and chatty. The issue on the first nights dinner was that they had ran out of a few main meals so we had the special which was Lamb rump and it was very tasty, our desert was a bit of an issue that evening to but the chef did make a special request desert for me. We were served by Ollie and Ruby and we couldn't fault them. I'd Like to thank them both for putting up with me keep changing my mind. Rottingdean is a good base to be staying at has its in the middle of Eastbourne in one direction and Brighton in the other. Nice little village nearby with some nice pubs and a pretty garden that Rudyard Kipling had made or designed. Plus take full advantage of the regular bus services only £2.00 per adult single to go to Brighton stops directly in front of the hotel. As Brighton is a pain to park and very expensive to. We will definitely be staying at this Hotel again in the very near future. You all made our stay a very pleasant one and both Myself and my Husband would like to say a big thank you.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beautiful hotel. The last review I left on the restaurant page by mistake - bur I’ll Leave it there as that was great too! This is a wonderfully relaxing and fun hotel. The rooms were spotless and the beds super comfortable- slept very well and woke feeling restored and refreshed - and opened the balcony onto the views of the sea 🌊
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Business Owner, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 4 weeks ago
Hi Paul, Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you had a relaxing and enjoyable stay with us. It's wonderful to hear you had a restful night in our comfortable rooms and enjoyed the sea views from your balcony. We’re also thrilled that you had a great experience at our restaurant! We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
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Myself and my fiancee visited the white horses hotel for the valentine's weekend. We had a classic room with a sea view, and had booked a table for the evening on February 14th. The room was small but perfect, everything in the room had been placed with attention to detail. The bathroom was fantastic and the shower was excellent, there was plenty of light in the bathroom with a light built into the mirror and a night light under the basin too. The bedroom was very well furnished and the bed was absolutely amazing, I haven't slept so well for a long time, probably a combination of the comfy bed and the sea air. Beautifully decorated throughout the whole hotel and the restaurant and bar are fantastic. We loved the little touches around the hotel, the pictures dotted around and the furnishings in the restaurant were very comfortable. Every single member of staff we spoke to was extremely friendly and helpful, I honestly can't think of anything negative to say. The car park was great and when you checked in they put in your registration number for free parking, but I expect it to be very busy in the summer. There are some lovely walks along the beach with a nice walkway along the bottom of the cliffs. The high street is just across the road with plenty of places to eat and drink. Overall it exceeded our expectations, both the room and the hotel, the video doesn't do it justice.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Parking is a first come first served basis. If you have mobility problems I think they have an...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Business Owner, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 4 weeks ago
Hi Richard, Thank you for choosing The White Horses Hotel for your Valentine’s weekend and for sharing such a lovely review. We’re delighted that you enjoyed the cozy sea-view room, our attention to detail, and especially the comfortable bed and well-lit bathroom. It’s wonderful to hear you appreciated the décor throughout the hotel, as well as our restaurant and bar. We’re also thrilled our team made you feel welcome and that our location offered plenty of nearby walks and dining options. Hearing that we exceeded your expectations is truly the best compliment. We look forward to welcoming you both back soon for another memorable stay.
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October 2024 Stayed for 2 nights in a standard twin bedroom.
Great location and pretty little village. It has nice tea rooms/cafes as well as shops.
The bus stop is just outside the hotel. We took the bus into Brighton rather than pay extortionate parking and found it really convenient. Only about 15 minutes on the bus, and the buses are really regular.
We received a warm welcome on arrival, and subsequent visits to or past the check in desk were friendly and helpful.
Parking at the hotel was no problem - be sure to register your car details.
The room we had was probably the cheapest, so I wasn't expecting much. The room however was large, clean and cosy. Everything we needed was thought of. Towels, toiletries, lots of hangers in the wardrobe, hairdryer, iron and board, teas and coffees, biscuits and water. Beside tables with usb charging, full length mirrors etc. TV at the bottom of the beds. We were very comfortable. The bathroom was pristine and had a bath in addition to the shower above it.
Room 102 is at the front next to the car park and a popular bus stop. Also above what I guess are the extractor fans, and the recycling bins. It was quite noisy with the window open, so if you want a more peaceful stay, I would choose a room with a sea view.
We didn't eat in the restaurant for most of our meals, as we had made alternative plans, but we did have breakfast there on one of the days we stayed. There is a continental breakfast choice with all the usual goodies, teas and coffees, juices etc. We had really nice egg on toast.
Thank you to all the staff for making our stay so good.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Room 102 can be noisy due to road noise, bus stop, extractor fans and bins. Register your car...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Greene King, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 07 Oct 2024
Thank you so much for the excellent review and for taking the time to let us know in detail how you liked your stay. We really do appreciate all reviews and are so pleased you found it all to your liking , and hope next time you can dine in the Restaurant too. Kind Regards Whitehorses Hotel Rottingdean
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This a lovely Hotel newly refurbished with great quality bathrooms and good powerful showers. The rooms are beautifully furnished. Everything of good quality and comfy beds. Choose a room overlooking the sea if possible as the other side faces the busy road to Brighton. Having said that the glazing was pretty good. We stayed in two rooms as we wanted to add an extra night to our stay. The first floor road facing rooms are quite small although still have the quality of the others. Here was a noise from an extractor outside the room but as we were leaving the next day and were out during the day it was manageable. The staff were really helpful and thanks to the reception staff who were very helpful with regarding buses into Brighton. The buses are very frequent and stop right outside the hotel.
The Restaurant food was variable..the chicken really good but could have been larger. I had the steak one night and was put off by the large bone marrow that was also on the plate. I had to have it removed. It would be nice to have a red wine gravy instead of the usual peppercorn sauce, mushrooms would be a nice addition. Breakfast was very good quality but wasn’t keen on the sweet potato hash brown which was rather dry bacon and sausage great quality. I mentioned to the manager about my gluten intolerance when I came across him ..I was offered a vegetarian/vegan menu..no gluten free options mentioned on that. The gluten free bread was tasty but no cereal and yoghurt and berries could become boring. All in all a larger choice of dishes would improve the menu. We had a long wait for steak one night and if not eating starters it was too long to wait. I would recommend the Pea and Ham Soup ..delicious and not too heavy as a starter..also the nice spicy olives. Wine was fine and two organic choices for my Rose.
Ethan our waiter was very attentive in the dining room and extremely polite and helpful please congratulate him on his fine manners.
I’m sure this hotel will be wonderful given a little more time to adjust things as the reviews come in. Thanks to all the staff everyone who works so hard with regard to the cleanliness and upkeep of the Hotel.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Greene King, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 18 Sept 2024
Hello carefulcat Thank you, for taking the time to write such a lengthy review. We are aware of the areas that need improving and the team at the White Horses are working on getting this right. We are glad you thought the rooms were beautifully decorated and all your feedback has been noted. We will indeed, pass on your lovely mention of Ethan and congratulate him on his fine manners. Thank you, once again, for passing on such a detailed and honest review. Kind regards White Horses Rottingdean
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A super small hotel in a great location, right on the sea front with direct access to the beach and undercliff walk. This place has recently been totally refurbished and re-opened only in July so everything is new. We had one of the cheaper rooms but it was a good size, well equipped and very comfortable. We were given a free parking space for the whole of our stay (although not sure that would apply in high season) and there are buses about every 10 minutes into Brighton (takes about 10 minutes) from right outside. Compared to driving and parking in Brighton this was a dream. Breakfasts are not included in the room price but are really good, lots of choice and hot food cooked to order. The dining room is large and airy with fabulous sea views. Highly recommended
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First time back at this venue after it shut down for extensive remodelling. The new layout and new decor are very good and there are dining tables which overlook the sea across the rear of the dining room. All very comfortable.
The menu is quite limited and one choice, chicken, was unavailable. That left seabass, steak, risotto, burger, linguini, fish and chips, fish pie. Only one choice was vegetarian.
Food was well presented and nicely cooked. We had 3 side dishes as a main, and seabass from the mains. Two of us. Desserts were delicious.
I think there is a barfood menu for the pub end of the hotel.
Service was friendly if a bit slow.
Cost with one glass of wine and one soft drink and including service was £77. For two.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Business Owner, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 11 Nov 2024
Hi Sallyseagull, great to hear you enjoyed your visit to us. Hope to see you again soon! Best wishes Whitehorses Rottingdean
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This hotel used to be an old lady of Rottingdean, but no more after a refit and remodel,it’s now an amazing hotel and restaurant.
Food is outstanding ,special mention to the Cod in beautiful sauce and seafood linguine. Staff are attentive and professional,and the cocktail range is superb
Our friends stayed at the hotel and must report rooms are beautiful and very comfy
Hotel is in Rottingdean and is a short 10 min bus ride to Brighton for £2.00 each way , so perfect for a short break with the free parking a huge bonus
The beauty of this place is the direct sea views so the balcony rooms overlooking the sea is worth the extra slight cost
Overall it’s a great alternative to busy noisy Brighton with a cozy quality to come back to after a busy day visiting Brighton .
The local village has so much to offer as well and this is something the hotel is proud to showcase to every guest with guides and full local historic information on hand
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Book sea view balcony room or suite for that extra touch of luxury
Oh and great breakfast worth...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Business Owner, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 24 Nov 2024
Jasoncruis, we strive for 100% satisfaction, and it is great to see you had such a positive experience on your visit. We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your meals, cocktail range and that the staff were attentive and professional too. We agree , Rottingdean is absolutely delightful. Please try and visit us again very soon. Kindest Regards Whitehorses Rottingdean
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This hotel was recently completely refurbished and we looked forward to staying here during a longish visit to Rottingdean. Everything has been updated and redecorated to a sophisticated design. The food in the restaurant was excellent although service was slow and they had run out of some items: some items promised on the menu were missing on our plates and they ran out of decaffeinated coffee. At breakfast service was ok but we had to ask several times for a tea. It’s important for residents to book for dinner because this is a very popular local restaurant and you may not be able to get in if you leave it too late. This is a shame because the food is exceptional and a nice change for this area . If you have a sea view it’s rather splendid. The fans came in handy as we stayed during the hottest part of the year. Nice coffee/tea selection: unfortunately our gift chocolates had melted by the time we got into the room.
The worst thing about this place was the noise: it’s set on a very busy junction with a main road that is active all night. The restaurant is fashionably tiled so the harsh acoustics meant we couldn’t hear each other speak. If you are out all day and night, this is the perfect place to stay in the area. I expect all the niggles will be ironed out as the staff become more experienced.
Some points to note:
Our door did not close easily. It needed a good whack and it would’ve been very easy to just walk in, or go away leaving our bedroom unlocked. All the doors are heavy to push
The shower was not walk-in as promised on the website but over a bath - you might to call to check. There is no lift yet there are many stairs up to the first and second floors. There are accessible rooms on the ground floor.
Our bed, or the floor, was at a slight tilt so not as comfortable as it might have been.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Greene King, Owner at White Horses Hotel
Responded 07 Aug 2024
Hello Firstly, thank you for your detailed feedback. The issue with the door is being looked into, it appears the lock has moved, causing the door to not lock properly. Majority of our rooms are walk in showers. Our twin room, does have a shower over the bath. I am so glad that you liked the refurbishment and that you thought the food was excellent. Your feedback has been passed on to our Head Chef. We apologise for the slow service you received in the restaurant and at breakfast. We are working on improving and changing certain elements of our service to make sure we deliver. Once again, thank you for taking the time to forward your comments. The White Horses
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We had a very luxurious stay here. The staff are very welcoming. The rooms are immaculate and very comfortable The choice of food is excellent too.
We soon realised the relevance of the name 'White Horses' The name is well chosen as it refers to the nearby sea waves breaking at their peak and sending frothy white foam upwards. The hotel is very close to these breaking waves and it is particular spectacular at this location. It was very therapeutic just watching these 'White Horses' as we were enjoying our meal in the dining room - the weather being a bit stormy. They also have a bar on the terrace where providing the weather is warm enough you can enjoy an even closer view whilst having a drink.
I would love to stay here again sometime. It is handy for popping into Brighton on the bus as there are plenty of buses along Marine Drive ie ~ Leave your car at Home.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Business Owner, General Manager at White Horses Hotel
Responded 10 Feb 2025
Hi James S, great to hear you enjoyed your visit and got to see the amazing "white horses" and found the staff, service and rooms to your liking. Hope to see you again soon and you can enjoy a lovely meal on our sea terrace. Kind regards Whitehorses Rottingdean
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I think all rooms have en suite albeit a bit dated.
However would recommend you book a room on the sea side of the hotel as thefront of the building is located on an incredibly busy main road that leads into Brighton. Traffic starts before 7.00am and continues long into the night. It is also a really busy bus route that again goes on well into the night!
Good morning, firstly thank you for contacting us and thank you to all that replied.
I am absolutely fine if you wanted to decorate the table, the only the thing that we ask is that you don’t use the small foil confetti.
Look forward to hearing from you,
To discuss further please call 01273 300301.
Regards
Jonathan Ballard
General Manager
Brighton, United Kingdom328 contributions136 helpful votes
"Parking outside requires entering your number plate to register for free parking for 3 hours...if you are eating please be aware of how long service is before ordering
"
There are more places to choose from in the Rottingdean area.
PRICE RANGE
R 2,050 - R 3,321 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandEast SussexBrighton and HoveRottingdean
NUMBER OF ROOMS
32
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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