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.
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.
Opening March 2025 In the storybook village of Alfriston, where the South Downs stretch like a lush green canvas and the Cuckmere River winds peacefully by, you’ll find our countryside bolthole. This once-manor farmhouse has been thoughtfully reimagined, honouring its past and embracing the distinctive local charm. The Alfriston is the perfect retreat for exploring Glyndebourne, walking the South Downs, or discovering the picturesque towns, quaint villages, and breath-taking coastline of East Sussex.
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, French, Russian, Spanish and 5 more
Location
Seaford Road, Alfriston BN26 5TW England
The Alfriston
1,476 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.
We stayed three nights in a garden view room last week and had a wonderful time. The hotel is on the edge of the lovely village of Alfriston and ideally located for walking on the South Downs and by the River Cuckmere - indeed several walks start from the hotel grounds and walk notes are supplied in the room. The garden setting is immaculate and the outdoor heated pool was really warm with sun loungers around. All staff were friendly and helpful and we enjoyed excellent breakfasts every day, with a selection of hot and cold buffet and meals cooked to order. Yogurt and fruit and pastries for me and eggs Benedict for my husband to set us up for a day walking. We had one evening meal which was also good. The room was good and the bed very comfortable and generous in size. No fridge in the room sadly and shower pressure low (but Sussex was experiencing drought). We would happily stay again. There are many places to visit in the area, including Charleston Farmhouse, home of some of the Bloomsbury artists, Berwick Church with murals by Bell and Grant, and in Alfriston the first property the National Trust bought: the Alfriston Clergy House. Ther are also many good pubs in this village and villages nearby.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Park the car for free and enjoy the local walking.
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.
A perfect weekend stay for myself, my partner and our dog, who approved of his first hotel experience.
What can we say, the staff were; polite, helpful, and made us feel at home. The food was delicious and had great portion sizes. The staff asked all the right questions and greeted us at every appropriate moment, from opening the door on arrival to making sure our needs were always met.
The hotel was quaint and well decorated making you feel like you lived in a grand old house.
For those looking for a dog friendly hotel - this is the place - the staff were accommodating and they allowed him to run around on the grass, they have installed dog poo bins and have a place to fill up bowls outside.
The location is perfect for a walk into the village to look at the shops and to grab food and drinks at a cafe or pub.
Although it’s personal preference; the water temperature did not get as hot as we would have liked.
Overall a fantastic hotel with lots of character and we would happily stay again…hopefully soon!
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip 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.
Our room. I had asked if it was possible to have a walk-in shower as my husband and I both have mobility problems. On being told it would cost another £15 per night I decided not to go for it. When we arrived the receptionist told us she had managed to upgrade us to a ground floor room with a wet room. Although this was kind of her the room turned out to be a disabled room. The room itself was ok but cold: the wet room was grim and icy cold. I think this was mainly because it had a huge window which had no curtain or blind and the weather was very cold. As well as this the wet room was in dire need of refurbishment and the first morning the water was virtually cold. When we complained the receptionist sent some staff down to fiddle with the radiators in the room and towel rail in the wet room. This made no difference to the bathroom at all. We were not offered a different room or any sort of refund which disgusted us. The second morning the shower was just about lukewarm. The room was certainly not worth the money we paid for it and we were very annoyed, not only for ourselves but for all those actual disabled people who have to suffer that room. We will never come to Deans Place again and our experience ruined what should have been a joyous couple of days as we had come to celebrate our daughter’s engagement.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Don’t use the disabled room unless you really have to.
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 Deans Place Hotel, Guest Services / Front Office at The Alfriston
Responded 21 Feb 2023
We apologise for your disappointment with the room that you were upgraded to. The room that you booked was a basic double, upstairs, with a bath. Our reception team, after reading your notes, thought that it would be more comfortable for you in a downstairs room (as we do not have a lift) with a wet room. The only available room that we had left, with a walk-in shower. On the first morning of your stay, we attempted to rectify your heating issues during the cold snap that we have recently had. We turned the radiators up to maximum and placed additional electric heaters in your bedroom. We are sorry to hear that this didn't solve the problem. Had you let us know that you were still unsatisfied, we could have moved you back to your original room. We have taken onboard your comments regarding the window, and have since ordered a thermal blind for the room, which will useful on those very cold days. Regarding the water situation, the original part of the hotel, and in fact most of the rooms, are in a 15th century listed building. A lot of the pipes, of which there are many, go through unheated areas of the building and it does take a long time for the pipes to warm up, and the heated water to get to the rooms. Many apologies if this wasn't explained to you. Finally, we're sorry that your stay at Deans Place wasn't what it should have been, and we do hope to see you again, in an attempt to change your views for the better.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We only stayed one night for our grandsons 21st birthday party and it was spoilt by the fact we couldn’t shower because of freezing cold water and barely warm water for the wash hand basin. We informed reception and was told it is an old building and to run water for 10 minutes, still nothing. Informed reception again and they then got in touch with the general manager. By this time we had to for go washing and attend the party without being able to shower. Nothing could be done that evening. On waking Sunday morning shower water was fine but toilet was blocked. Told reception who refunded our bar bill amounting to approximately £20, not enough in our opinion as the room should never have been opened ro guests in the first place knowing the situation. As it is the room had a distinct smell of damp.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
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 Deans Place Hotel, Guest Services / Front Office at The Alfriston
Responded 25 Feb 2023
We apologise for the water situation during your stay. The original part of the hotel, and in fact most of the rooms, are in a 15th century listed building. A lot of the pipes, of which there are many, go through unheated areas of the building and it does take a long time for the pipes to warm up, and the heated water to get to the rooms. Many apologies if this wasn't explained to you properly. Whilst you were here, the Cuckmere River had burst its banks onto the fields, and then come into our gardens. Overnight, the flood waters had risen so much, that the toilets in the downstairs garden facing rooms, became unusable. Unfortunately, this is something that couldn't have been predicted, and thankfully happens rarely. Finally, I do remember your husband at Reception on checkout, who asked to have the drinks taken off the bill in compensation for the inconvenience. We are sorry that your stay at Deans Place wasn't what was expected. We hope to see you again, in an attempt to change your views for the better.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I love this place. It's the second time we've been. Our superior room was very nicely decorated and furnished with a king-sized bed, and table and armchairs, comfortably large with a big, clean modern bathroom. The view over the grounds and the South Downs was magnificent. The substantial hotel grounds are a delight and worth a stroll at any time. You can borrow table tennis, croquet or petanque sets. It was too cold to use the outdoor pool this time but it is a great facility. We had a good meal in the bar in the evening. We choose to eat in the bar because the dining room is rather soulless although we enjoyed our breakfasts there. I think there is an opportunity to include artwork that reflects the area and artists who have lived in the area: Eric Slater, for example, made numerous pictures of Cuckmere, Beachy Head etc. The hotel is in a perfect position for exploring the beautiful village of Alfriston for launching onto walking or cycling trails. We expect to visit the area fairly frequently and will always stay here. Thank you.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Prices are very reasonable - it's worth booking a superior room.
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.
Really lovely period building in the tiny but picturesque village of Alfriston (3 min walk) between Eastbourne and Lewes.
Our room was lovely - large with original wooden beams and a modern bathroom which fitted in with the building very well. We were warned the shower took a while to warm up (well over 5 min!) but was nice and hot once it got going.
The restaurant and bar are very nice, especially the bar which has a cosy period feel to it and serves the same food as the restaurant. The staff were excellent - attentive and interested without being intrusive or overbearing.
The food was really good and the kitchen catered to our dietary needs really well. Breakfast is generous with a range of hot and cold options (inc GF and vegan) and the evening meals in the restaurant were excellent with the exception of one of the meals on the second day which was not quite to the same standard. We were treated to complementary sample dishes on both nights which was a lovely touch and very tasty. My wife's samples were GF and vegan as well.
The grounds looked lovely but on a wet March weekend we didn't get to make much use of them unfortunately! Even this early in the season they were well presented and maintained.
We would definitely stay again.
The village of Alfriston has a handful of very nice (but expensive!) craft/art shops. The proprietors were all very friendly and chatty plus a couple of nice looking pubs we didn't get to try and Alex Polizzi's Star restaurant (which we did try - very good). the roads are very narrow and we did wonder whether it would get congested in the high season and turn into a bit a car park/traffic jam. Check summer reviews! In March it was fine.
Lots to do in the area of course so a good base for stay.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
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 Deans Place Hotel, Guest Services / Front Office at The Alfriston
Responded 03 May 2023
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're so pleased that you enjoyed your stay with us, and the area, and look forward to seeing you back again in the not too distant future!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The room was a little old fashioned but warm, comfortable and large, and considering the low price compared to other places nearby we thought it was great. The staff were welcoming and the food was good. We found the restaurant soulless and without atmosphere and wished we were given the option to eat in the bar which looked much nicer. However on a Wednesday in November it’s not surprising that it wasn’t exactly buzzing.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
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There is no point in writing another review about Deans Place, now that the hotel has been sold and will close its doors in mid-January, but I still wanted to share our experience at the end of the year. Positive: the location of the hotel in beautiful Alfriston is perfect, it is a beautiful historic building, there is plenty of parking and the staff are very friendly. Less positive: that the hotel is in need of urgent renovation/reconstruction is an understatement. You immediately notice that in recent months (perhaps due to the takeover) only basic maintenance has been carried out: windows have no longer been thoroughly cleaned, paint is falling off the doors and walls everywhere, sticking cupboard doors, sagging seats in the bar, dusty tables, etc. . But the interior is also rather old-fashioned and out of date (especially the 90s curtains). What we found worst, however, was the noise of the rooms (we had room 24, a superior double room): doors that close loudly, so far, but you really hear everything that happens in the adjacent rooms. However, this is absolutely not a cheap hotel, too expensive for the comfort offered. Nevertheless, we had 4 wonderful nights here and, above all, an unforgettable New Year's Eve, with good food, live music and, above all, the pleasant company of the other hotel guests and the bar staff.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
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.
My husband and I stayed at Deans Place Hotel for a couple of nights in August. The hotel enjoys a great location on the edge of the pretty little Alfriston village and is surrounded by countryside. This is a very beautiful part of the world and perfect for exploring the area, local sites and for visiting Seaford and Eastbourne beaches.
We had a lovely room with an extremely comfortable bed and nice decor. It had country views from both sides but was also overlooking the heated outdoor pool which was a little noisy in the day but was closed from 7pm so it didn't disrupt our evening.
The hotel has lovely gardens, especially the front of the building where you can enjoy a drink or dinner on the lawn or terrace area. The food was very tasty and good value overall, with a few small exceptions (the Sussex rarebit was truly dreadful!) but creative vegetarian options and good portions. Breakfast was hearty and varied with a buffet and a range of hot dishes. although the very thick slabs of smoked salmon on my eggs royale made it hard to enjoy - less is definitely more with smoked salmon in my opinion!
Special mention to the delightful staff who were always smiling and very friendly and helpful - they all seemed to genuinely enjoy working at the hotel. Overall we had a very nice stay and I'm sure we will be returning.
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Date of stay: August 2022
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.
Such a wonderful retreat, our second Christmas stay at Deans Place. From front of house, and all who cared for us throughout our stay faultless. Lovely clean room with stunning views of the Sussex Downs So much attention to detail in the the bar lounges and dinning areas The food was exceptional interesting menus each sitting and the staff in all areas of the hotel gave so much time to all guest i Thank you to every one, we wish you every luck and success for 2024
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:You won’t be disappointed, cream tea in the garden in the summer not to be missed
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.
Good evening!
We welcome non-residents to the hotel - come and sit in our cozy bar, our restaurant or our gardens and enjoy anything from a coffee or a cream tea to an evening meal.
Feel free to bring your dog (if you have one!) too. Our four legged friends are allowed throughout the hotel, except for the restaurant, but must be kept on a leash whilst on the premises.
Sign up to our mailing list via our website, and you'll be one of the first to hear about our events and offers - our next being a Jazz and Tapas night in July.
We hope to see you at Deans Place soon!
Buxton, United Kingdom135 contributions72 helpful votes
We do not need special facilities and my answer may not be full. I remember access being easy and all facilities including some bedrooms at ground floor level. I do not know if any bedrooms have special bathroom facilities. If travelling by car ask for a parking space to bee reserved by the front door. The majority of parking is at a distance.
There are more places to choose from in the Alfriston area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
deans place alfriston
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandEast SussexAlfriston
NUMBER OF ROOMS
38
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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