Downs Hotel in Brighton and Hove

Recently stayed at the Downs Hotel, room spotless (thanks to Angela), nice and clean, homely, roomy, warm and modern. Hotel bar lovely, staff all friendly. Was given the key early to check in, which was very kind. Car park great, our room was no. 7 (a little loud as close to road) but you would expect this on a busy junction. We used the hotel bus into Brighton Stadium (great service). All the locals very friendly and welcoming. We used this hotel for away game (football). Little gem, book it up, you won't regret.

What an absolutely wonderful stay and meal! Stayed here overnight and also ate dinner in the restaurant on the 23rd Oct. To start, the gentleman that met me at the door was unbelievably polite, helpful and allowed me to ask a bunch of silly questions!! (Unfortunately didn’t catch his name!) The room itself was spacious, beautiful and brilliantly cleaned by Angela and anything you could want in a room, it was there!! Being next to a road it could be loud, but there were earplugs should you need them! It’s clear they had thought of everything for the room! The dinner was super delicious, with the atmosphere of the pub being relaxing and calm. Georgie was also so helpful and a pleasure to be served by! Overall, a beautiful hotel and I would absolutely stay again 😊

From room,to food to service ,quite a delight. Very clean and comfortable, good value for money with all needs considered.

Had a lovely lunch today at the Down Hotel. The food was really good and Gemma was cheerful and efficient.

4 stars for food but 1 star or less for customer service. Beware paying these. Card machine ‘broke’ during payment. Was asked to pay again, despite saying I would pay over the phone, which they don’t allow. No trust in the customer what so ever. Despite me showing them the first pending transaction on my credit card I now have been charged twice. Can’t just pop in because I live 90 miles away. Well you don’t allow payment over the phone, I don’t allow having to wait 3-5 days for a refund just because your till says it went through once. It’s on my card twice and will be in your bank account twice. Terrible customer service. Duplicate payment taken on 13/10. Now 20/10 and I’m still waiting for a refund. I am unable to see duplicate review and your comments as referred to below. Please confirm here. I will give you a food review once my money is given back to me.

Well what can I say!!!!! The Staff could not have been more than perfect, a very BIG thank you to Kerrie for everything you did for me not just for making us feel very much at home but also sorting out my room for the 2 nights that I stayed extra. Thank you to Teresa for all your help in the morning's. And last but no means least David for the up graded room and that nothing was to much. And for the housekeeping, Sarah and Angela. Thank you for a wonderful clean and tidy rooms everyday. The food was wonderful.

Young, friendly and very helpful staff. The food is really delicious and the breakfast is very rich. We are vegetarians and had a great choice of dishes. The room was clean and well furnished, equipped with many comforts. We were very satisfied. We absolutely recommend it!

Had a one night stop over as passing through the area. Arrived around 830pm and checked in then straight to the restaurant for a meal. Nice selection of pub grub and choose a ribeye steak which was very reasonably priced. Large portion arrived which was well cooked. Staff were very attentive. After a couple of drinks it was time for bed. Lovely room with a super comfy bed ! Big shout out to Sarah in housekeeping who obviously takes pride in her work, superb ! In the morning it was breakfast time, again a lovely choice. I opted for the full English. Another delicious meal. Will definitely be staying again as the following day I stayed in a 5 star hotel in Eastbourne and the service did not compare to this ! Thanks again for your hospitality.

Decent little boozer glad we came across it as they run a bus service to the football stadium

Very welcoming staff. I have a lovely single room with everything I could want in it and beautifully presented thankyou Angela and Tarsha. My bed is so comfortable 😌 and to top it off I enjoyed a delicious lamb shank from the restaurant.

Friendly suburban local. Been done up nice.

We had room five which we thought was really good; lovely bedroom and bathroom - highly recommended 😊

Great food and really friendly staff, they were only too happy to help and the best service we have had for ages. Just what my mum needed after a horrible morning, she called me and we came running to her aid and took her out to lunch. We made a great choice. Well done to the NEW manager/management

I stayed at this place the 30-31st of August 2024 during my road trip and I have to say that this was perfect ! The room I had was the best I had for a week. Spacious, clean (TY Angela 😉), really well decorated. The diner was really tasty and I appreciated the large selection of drinks. This is a little bit pricey but considering the location (10 min of Brighton, this is ok for me). Even though this is a pub, it is not as loudly as I was afraid and the isolation of the rooms are sufficient in my point of view. The only little little problem was the breakfast that was a bit long to came but it was delicious! Definitely a place I will recommend!

We decided to try Downs Hotel for food on a rainy day with young kids, as it was the nearest place available. Unfortunately, our experience was far from welcoming. Upon entering, there was no one to greet us or ask if they were serving food. The young girl and a more mature lady were busy chatting, so we seated ourselves. After picking up the menu, we had to go and ask for a kids' menu as well. When we ordered, I politely told the girl that we didn’t need the drinking glasses, but she snatched them off the table with an attitude, as if she had overheard our conversation about the dirty glasses and cutlery. She then returned with different glasses, and even though I said we didn’t need them, she insisted they MUST be on the table and stormed off. The food looked decent, but her bad attitude ruined the entire experience, so I couldn't even speak for the taste. The corn on the cob, however, was clearly straight out of the fridge and served cold. My overall experience is that the atmosphere was timid and unwelcoming. I don't recommend this place at all.

What a lovely afternoon. The food was incredible. The staff were super friendly. The hotel is beautiful. We'll be back!

Just went to the pub for a quick dinner with our baby. The service was really quick and the renovations inside are so much cleaner and nicer than before however the food was really bad. Salty, cold, the truffle fries for 2 was a small portion (average portion for one at best) with a pool of oil at the bottom. It was over priced and really disappointing, I did share the feedback with staff in the most constructive way I could (even though it was really uncomfortable) but no one else came to speak to me. I paid £40 for one burger with salad, fries, a starter, 1 pint and 1 shandy pint. It’s a shame, because the pub is lovely but better food is needed. Disclosure we didn’t get any discount or anything - we scrammed the food as it was a quick impromptu outing for dinner before baby’s bedtime.

A very comfortable, spotlessly clean, spacious room with an amazing bathroom, nice views out to sea (in the distance!) and a lovely breakfast. Would thoroughly recommend.

We stayed here for one night when in area for Glynedborne. The Hotel rooms are very nicely decorated and were very clean. Shower excellent. Bed comfy. Breakfast was very good. Bar stocks very variety if boozes. So all in all very good. Thank you. Our rooms were a little hot, but the weather was hot ….. would have been nice to be able to open windows properly. Edit: We did try to use the air con, but it looked to be switched off, and couldn't find the isolator. Completely understand re. windows, but only 1 (left hand) would open.

This was unexpectedly awesome. Hadn't been for a number of years, and the pub has has a complete refurb and shake-up. Four of us had dinner here, and the menu has a solid selection of pub food, and is very well-priced mid-week. The staff were all helpful, polite and friendly, and we loved our evening there.

Lovely room and very cosy, friendly staff and enough free car parking spots for hotel guests. The wifi is a massive let down so if you are going to work from there, you will struggle. The food was good and the staff were very friendly and accommodating to dietary requirements. Breakfast runs from 7.30am to 11am.

We enjoyed a lovely family reunion Sunday lunch today. This place has undergone such a massive transformation since I last came here a few years ago. Very pleasing surroundings and atmosphere. The friendly efficient service was much appreciated - thank you Sadie and Georgie ☺️

Had a wonderful meal here on the weekend. The pub was really clean and well laid out. Everyone who served us was really friendly and welcoming. There was a very comprehensive menu with something for everyone, including vegetarian options. I had the mushroom Wellington, which was delicious, was served with a large portion of different veg, which was also really well cooked. Prices were about average for what were on offer. There are also nice views over to the sea.

My partner and I drove roughly 280 miles to come to Brighton for her graduation ceremony so needless to say we were tired. The pub is located next to a busy road but needless to say our worries with that were instantly gone. Walked inside the pub and the staff were lovely, the noise from the cars going past instantly gone. Even in our room we couldn't here a peep from the road.. not even the pub!! (And they had a rather high energy Sunday quiz going) We came done for some food and it was all reasonably priced and tasted fantastic. I was a bit of a moron and didn't read the ingredients on the food properly but when I asked if it could be redone (after they brought it out) it was remade and brought back to the table in about 10 minutes! Couldn't ask for a better waitress either. Rosie, a constant smile and a pleasure to have a brief conversation with as well! An absolute asset to the staff! Location is great as well only 5 minute drive from the beach and the pub has free parking so that's also 100% a plus! We will definitely come back!

Customers outside were smoking and swearing, but it was the football on inside. We had to kill time in the area, not really much choice of venue.

As a regular customer the Downs Hotel has been greatly improved since its refurbishment not so long ago.

Since the refit this place is amazing. Great for families. Pub quiz on a Sunday is fab

Even though the restaurant was very empty,we waited an hour for our food.In the end we paid for our drinks, and left.The staff weren't interested in why we were leaving, only to be told that our food would be coming out shortly. Never again would I grace this place,and now I understand why the restaurant was empty. I work in a restaurant environment myself,and if I provided,the lack of customer service I received this evening, then I would be out of a job!!!

The downs Hotel is on the downs 3 miles from Brighton pier bus stops just outside the hotel great if you like walking to places like Rottingdean and salt Dean and the downs the hotel is dog friendly the staff are great and have a good food menu also a good choice of drinks it's free parking the hotel rooms are lovely I'll be booking again 😀

Wonderful rooms, kept amazingly and the staff are SOOO lovely

Smashing visit, would absolutely come back and recommend to anyone :) Good times

Great food and bar! Great rooms and Roast! David was very welcoming and gave us the best service!

Absolutely fantastic ! Clean, spacious room with great facilities hairdryer iron, air con, tea/coffee and so beautifully presented. So comfortable…. Welcoming helpful staff, a real family feel, everyone went above and beyond to make an enjoyable weekend Will definitely be back ! Thank you to everyone xxx

Very enjoyable stay 31st May, Friday night. Really good room (5) with air con, black out curtains and triple glazing so hardly heard a thing from outside. Great breakfast. Would highly recommend.

Went there for a wake. Nice raised area set aside. Good selection of buffet food. Excellent pint of Harvey's at the bar. Large car park at the side on an incline. 2 disabled bays. Friendly atmosphere.

Popped in for some breakfasts. Lovely pub, staff were very friendly and most of all food was really nice. All 3 of us left full and happy. Thanks guys

Quick lunch (sharing platter) with my daughter and first time here. Friendly and quick service, nice environment and lovely food - keep up the good work!

Went there for a 'Wake'after a nearby funeral . Nicely set out buffet with water,tea & coffee. Drinks at the bar .Held in a separate area - 2 steps to get up & down but tbere was a rail.

Hunters chicken was lovely, service was also good. I don't recommend the Smores Brownie for dessert though!... Meant to be melted marshmallow, instead we got mini unmelted marshmallows scattered on a £6 piece of dry brownie. Awful and not as described on menu.

There were 20+ of us celebrating my mum's 80th, we were given a seating area of different tables, the tables had not been laid out for a large party, we had to move the furniture ourselves. They forgot my husband's dinner, so by the time they had cooked/microwaved it, most of us had eaten our food. My pie crust was burnt. We asked twice for someone to take our desert order

Great place to stay. Very comfortable rooms with very good breakfast.

It's ok here. Nice to sit on the decking and enjoy the sea views whilst ignoring the horrific traffic. Marked down though because it's way overpriced, the food is average at best but premium pricetag on everything. Come here for a pint but go elsewhere for food.

Went there for a funeral wake with food/snacks. Very nice assortment of sandwiches that everyone commented on and complimented them on. The chips were exceptional too. Tea and coffee on a halp yourself basis and the only spoiler was in was instant coffee rather than filtered coffee.

Had a lovely experience from start to finish. Lovely room and amenities, friendly staff and lovely views. Breakfast was amazing, would definitely recommend a stay here!

Perfectly good pub grub. Lovely views!

Stayed here 11th April for a couple nights. Lovely clean room (thanks Angela) delicious breakfast both mornings served by friendly staff (thanks Kerne and Teresa). We were visiting family and didn’t have the chance to eat in at night but the menu looked inviting. Thank you to all the staff working those few days, you made our stay very comfortable and enjoyable.

Art last this fantastically appointed hotel pub has had the attention it deserves, great views, great outside space, nice decor and staff will come again

Have eaten here a few times now. Staff are always really lovely and welcoming. Lucky to have this on our doorstep 👍🏻

Currently staying in Room 2 with our 9 year old son. We could not have been more pleased on arrival. Gorgeous location, friendly and welcoming staff, spotless room with beautiful attention to detail (thank you Angela!), very comfy beds. We've just enjoyed our evening meal in the restaurant which for the superb quality of food was very reasonably priced. And again, all the staff were absolutely brilliant. Lots of board games on offer for families which we took full advantage of. Looking forward to what breakfast has to offer and would not hesitate to stay again. Already sad to be leaving!

Great atmosphere, drinks went down well... delicious food and the service was SO GOOD! would definitely come back for a visit. PS. Aussie here!

Been a number of years since I've visited here and I could barely recognise it! Really nice and warm atmosphere. Food was pretty good. Decent pub fair.

I recently came across this review that I'd written a year ago, and on re-reading I discovered that I was thinking about an entirely different pub! The building, instead of being "strangely ugly" is actually quite handsome. Coincidentally , my remarks about the great view, the genuinely friendly staff and the decent, reasonably-priced food all still apply.

This place view is so nice, it is a shame it isn't a town pub, it doesn't feel local. If you're wondering about the food, I had a house salad. Worth £17 and I felt like they were feeding a tine turtle, only a handful amount of rocket leaf. Very disappointing.

Staff are pleasant and doing their best, but the food is pretty awful. Portions are tiny, glasses are filthy. Shan't be back.

Excellent, friendly and rapid staff served me a delicious pint of Neck Oil which I drank outside the front on a really nice beer garden with a gorgeous view.

We decided to use this place on recommendations for a wake. It was just along road from crematorium and had parking. So seemed ideal place also being central as had people from Saltdean, Shoreham and London. It was a great success food was excellent, area they gave us was ideal with great views. Bar staff were excellent forgot their name think it was Tracey and Kelly they were very helpful. Definitely recommend this place.

Lovely place to eat. They have free parking

We had a lovely weekend at the Downs Hotel Woodingdean, all of the team especially Angela, Kerrie, Emma and Gemma made us feel so welcome. The place was immaculate and the food delicious. We will definitely be back. Thank you all

Went in here today and ordered a Sunday roast. Service was good, but thought it was Very expensive, and very small portions. The roast potatoes looked and tasted like frozen potatoes, and the beef didn’t look or taste like beef. Wouldn’t recommend

Popped in for lunch. Menus were very good. Opted for scallops followed by gammon. Main courses were generous. All food cooked well and tasty. Bar selection was really good. Service was excellent.

Just spent this wkend here with our friends. All round brilliant stay. Easy to find, parking straightforward, staff exceptionally friendly & helpful, especially Kerry & David but all others too. Rooms are just perfect, everything you need, Angela our housekeeper, did a great job! Food was amazing, drinks great. Can't wait to go back again.

Gemma was fantastic - food was lovely and excellent service for a family wake.

Food took 40 minutes even though it wasn't very busy. Garlic bread was just normal slices of bread which weren't even toasted properly. Skin on fries were meant to come with my meal but got chunky chips instead. Bread on my sandwich was soggy from the "fish fingers" which was actually a piece of cod. bread looked like it was crust as it was dry and hard. Burger was cold. Won't be returning. Also, no available parking on site as all taken by people going to watch the football.

I visited on a Saturday afternoon, it was fairly quiet, food was nice. A little expensive and the kids weren't keen on the food options. It is spacious and clean

Roast was very disappointing. Tiny burnt potatoes that looked like the end of a bag of frozen ones. Cauliflower cheese was soggy and tasteless.

Great food and atmosphere, very dog friendly. Only negative is rooms at front of hotel are poorly sound insulated from the road

We had a wake for my mum. They supplied a buffet and closed off area for our friends and family. They were very friendly, helpful and understanding.

Lunchtime meal for 5 people. We ordered, did not wait long and meals were brought out with a smile.

We stayed with our 2 spaniels for 2 nights. The rooms are very pleasant and comfortable. The service was friendly and couldn’t fault them. There is a dog station for water and treats and if you wanted it, dog dinners! Really dog friendly, the staff loved the dogs too. And the food, delicious! We invited friends to eat with us here as it was cosy atmosphere and wanted to try more of the menu. Would definitely come back and stay.

Lovely pub with rooms just outside Brighton with excellent transport links on the doorstep and a good sized car park. The rooms are wonderfully appointed with unexpected touches that add to the overall experience. All staff I interacted with were also wonderful. Have really enjoyed my stay. Will be back soon.

Stayed overnight. Great stay. Very comfortable beds, good size room with great amenities. Breakfast was delicious.

Our local, friendly pub that serves good food with polite staff and has some great views over the downs towards the sea. If you are a hot chocolate connoisseur then you have to try Gemma's hot chocolate - simply the best around!

Went to a wake at the Downs Hotel. Service was good, could do with more staff on bar as long wait.

Lovely venue. Staff so friendly. Food is lovely. Parking available. Nice decor.

Stopped for lunch on the off chance. Really busy but good polite service and lovely food Couldn't fault it

Had our staff Xmas meal here ,and have to say was very disappointed, potatoes weren't very nice and parts of the dinner was luke warm did not enjoy it at all ,staff were very nice though ...

Nice, modern bar / restaurant area and good breakfast, friendly staff. Recommended

Had a family dinner there and had a great time, food & service was excellent would definitely recommend.

The staff were helpful and good place for large gatherings

Food is great here, and the staff are pretty special as well, add in a large free carpark, a great distant view of the sea and easy access from the main road. So nothing to fault, everything to praise.

Celebrated my brothers birthday along with seven others family members. Very enjoyable. Food was good as was the Harvey's.

The food was bad and the mulled wine bitter. The vegetables were dry and hard, the cauliflower cheese consisted of boiled frozen caulifower with the cheese sauce used for nachos poured on the top. The seasoned fries came with no seasoning, when we informed the staff they brought us a bowl covered in black pepper. Given the price the food was disappointing. The whole time we were there the tables were not cleaned and there was poo smeared on one of the toilet seats.

Amazing accommodation and the food was lovely. Cannot recommend this place more highly.

Great pub/hotel for a weekend break! - pub has a great range of beers/ciders on offer and bar staff couldn't have been friendlier. - food was fresh, tasty and well-presented - lots of parking available - fantastic view over the Downs & to the sea - only 15-mins from Brighton town centre. - Bedrooms were immaculately clean with a modern/nautical theme Would happily visit & stay again

I stayed her with some friends for a Christmas catchup and had a fantastic experience! It was pleasantly busy upon arrival but was served quickly and politely by the staff. There was a great range of beers, ciders and spirits available so all members of our party were happy. If it wasn’t for a preservation at a restaurant in Brighton (which was only a short bus ride away) we would have happily stayed here all evening as the atmosphere, service and decor was top notch. The room was suburb as you can see in the photos so following a good nights sleep we popped down for a full English breakfast which definitely hit the spot! We want to come back to Brighton in the summer and now we have found this place we already know where we will be staying!

Had the best experience in a hotel in years at the Downs. Easy to book, everyone was welcoming and even the guests were all friendly. The rooms are immaculate and the bathroom is gorgeous with a lovely rain fall shower. The bed was so comfy and big I did not want to leave in the morning. The full English absolutely hit the spot as were the other meals too. I love that the hotel is dog friendly and the treats available for the dogs sound better than those for the human guests. I will make a point to return again and when staying nearby I won't even bother looking for other hotels as I don't think you'll find a better hotel for many, many miles.

Had a wonderful stay at the Downs Hotel. Staff where incredibly friendly, particularly Dave who went out of his way to make our visit memorable. Look forward to visiting again soon.

I went here today 26 November with my family for a Sunday lunch. . We all chose the roast, 4 turkey and 1 pork. We were so disappointed not only with the quality of the cooking but also the portions and lack of variety of vegetables. We were served 1 piece each of roast parsnip and carrot and 2 pieces of what was supposed to be tenderstem broccoli. The broccoli was almost raw and my knife would not cut into it. I mentioned it to the waitress and the responses were’ yes lots of people are saying that’ and ‘ oh we’re trying a new menu it’s hard to get it right’ the mind boggles if you can’t even cook vegetables to make them edible. We won’t go back of course. As we were leaving another table was making similar complaints. Sad because the decor was about the only good thing. Not value for money with a total bill of £170. I’ve had better food in a harvester.

I visited the restaurant with my daughter and granddaughter on Saturday 18th September at around 4pm. The restaurant at that time only had 4 other people seated and eating. My daughter ordered sausage and mash, my granddaughter had the plant based burger and I ordered the turkey & ham hock pie. We were surprised that we had to wait 35 minutes for our food considering that we were the only ones ordering food as the other 4 people in the restaurant were already eating. While my daughter and granddaughter were happy with the food they had I was extremely disappointed with my plate of food. When the waitress came to clear the plates I told her how disappointed I was. The pie was all pastry and I had to search for any meat in it, the carrots, parsnips and broccoli were obviously left over from lunchtime and reheated and were totally inedible. The pork, cranberry & fig stuffing was so dry and hard I couldn’t put my fork into it and the rich beef gravy was cold. As I was hungry I ate some of the potatoes and the pastry only. The waitress didn’t offer much of an apology and just cleared all the plates from the table. Then to add insult to injury we were totally ignored by the staff. We weren’t offered the dessert menu or coffee and my granddaughter had to go to the bar to ask them to bring us the bill as we just couldn’t get their attention. I paid the bill in full even though £17 for what I was able to eat was outrageous. My family and I have eaten there before and have always been happy but after Saturdays visit we will never go again and that is mainly because of the appalling customer service. An apology and some attention from the staff would have made up for a lot.

The food is inedible, we came in for Sunday lunch but were told when we went to order they were out. So we ordered other bits. The muscles came up and they were terrible they had not been steamed but kept under a heat lamp and could not eat them. Half of them the shells were broken and the very few i could eat were full of grit. I had to send them back and was told there was nothing the chef could do. The other people in my group had issues with the food they had burnt bacon in the burger and fish that was over cooked and 90% batter. The manager wad very apologetic and said that its a new chef. I hope they get a better replacement before the reputation is damaged. The rest of the staff were very friendly.

Rooms have everything you need, cosy and clean. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

Alas , not many inside eating the good well sized food, nor drinking one of the limited but varied selection. Service and attention was good.. Thank you..

Nicely decorated, nice staff, worth a visit..

Terrible attitude. Whatever you ask the only grotesque answer is "they can't". Makes you feel you doing great favour for staying over there

Een fantastisch hotel op een goed locatie. Wil je naar Brighton dan is dit hotel de perfecte uitvalsbasis. Parkeren kan op eigen terrein. Met bus 22 of 2 ben je zo in het centrum van Brighton. Ontbijten doe je hier heerlijk met een glimp van de zee als uitzicht. Personeel is supervriendelijk en doet er alles aan om je verblijf zo aangenaam mogelijk te maken. Wij hadden kamer 7, ook een prachtige kamer. Lekker met een eigen ingang en erg schoon en netjes. De pub is smaakvol ingericht en het eten is gewoonweg heerlijk. Wij zouden hier zeker terugkomen.

Possibly my 100th night in a hotel this year, and this is possibly the best! The staff treat you like a customer, something which is lost in so many places. I will definitely book again next time I am in the area. Small touches by Angela meant the room was perfect.

Me and my boyfriend had Sara as our server and she was so bubbly, kind and friendly! The food was really good and the restaurant felt nice and cosy! Would definitely go again and recommend anyone to go there!

Very relaxed, throughly enjoyed it, staff couldn't have been nicer and very helpful.

We had a lovely lunch. Food was great. Staff were nice made us feel welcome.

Lovely cosy rooms and amazing friendly staff, big thanks to Gemma and the rest of the breakfast team for setting me up for the day.