The white horse hotel in Brighton and Hove

Beautiful hotel with amazing views. It was a very calm, relaxing experience. I’ve stayed in a number of hotels recently and this has so much that is just right about it. It’s tranquil and well positioned: the town has charm and character. And the hotel has personality. As do those that work here. Friendly and professional and nothing is too much trouble. I heard that it’s been recently renovated and I don’t know what it was like before, but now it exudes a cool, contemporary, welcoming vibe. Fresh and modern and yet understated. But perhaps most importantly the rooms themselves are spacious and spotless, the beds are very comfortable and I slept soundly every night and woke feeling refreshed and wonderfully rested. And my stay was great value - it’s incredibly reasonably priced for what you get. I’ll be back.

Went there for Sunday roast and was very disappointed. The chicken was bland and pink inside, no flavor or whatsoever. The potatoes were soggy inside. Had heavy stomach for the rest of the day.

We stayed in the Junior suite. Hotel underwent a massive refurbishment 6months ago and it shows, everything new, clean and beautiful - the junior suite was fabulous. The interior decorator did such a stunning job, each piece of furniture in bedroom carefully selected - pure class. Love the huge bath in the bedroom and separate double shower. If you want to treat someone junior suite is a win. Also like the fresh milk (bottle) - no silly sachets. Reception staff excellent. Restaurant staff excellent. Restaurant menu is the only underwhelming bit - limited boring Greene King menu (think butternut soup & mushroom risotto type boring). But food was high quality except for maybe the mediocre apple crumble. The dining room is however lovely - so worth at least one meal.

I ate at the restaurant. Service was really good, staff friendly to my son and mum and me. Food was delicious. I am coeliac and there was lots of choice.

We had a meal last night around 7ish. Probably only 8 covers in the restaurant. Both ordered starters to be told they had run out, had alternative arancini which was Luke warm, duck confett n pears acceptable but both considered highly priced. Mains were good , as was my pudding however mousse n cherries v small and highly priced for portion. Went to post and asked waitress the name I needed to input to get blue light discount. She was b unhelpful and replied I don’t know. Asked her to check she came back and said don’t know I’ve never done blue light before. Eventually another senior member of staff came to help. We paid then were asked review questions which the member of staff input on her iPad. Weird as all other customers were handed the iPad to complete themselves ! I have no idea what she put for my ratings. I think the restaurant has gone downhill since opening as this was my 5th time eating there. Very overpriced in my opinion

Small menu however on placing order told done items not available. Nice decor however far too many cushions on sofa had to place them behind me avoiding radiator vent. Very poor starters in size, like warm Arancinni, duck confett questionable. Main burger v good, seafood pasta should be renamed 8x mussel and 2 prawn pasta !! Think twice before ordering chocolate mousse not worth the money. 5th visit each time one 1-3 items unavailable !! Waitress was very dismissive when I tried to get blue light code and answered “I don’t know the name to input I’ve never done it before” I had to ask her to get an answer. Be aware after paying I noted all other diners were given a survey review to complete on iPad very intimidating. After problems with the bill a senior member of staff came to help with code then verbally asked our review answers which she completed I am unaware whether to actually put what u said Doubt there will be visit 6, shame but on my opinion overpriced and gone downhill

Excellent Sunday roast, everything was perfectly cooked and flavoursome. Good service and a nice setting.

Great location, fresh decor, very friendly waitress. Three out of the four meals in our party were ok, just one that was devoid of taste. Will visit again at some point and try a different dish.

This is the second time we’ve been gobsmacked with the food here. I was charged £18 for a cappuccino and salmon and eggs on toast….. when the food arrived, it looked as though it had been shrunk with a magic machine! There was one piece of toast the size of a baby’s hand, with half an eggs worth of scrambled, and a small swirl of salmon (see picture). £18 for this?????? It isn’t The Ritz!!!! The plate was the size of a small side plate and the food didn’t even fill half of it. So disappointed! No wonder it was dead….. the waitress’ response when I asked her about it was “these are the portions….” …… Just gobsmacked!

Fed up with the hustle and bustle of Brighton? We were until we discovered an amazing gem just 5 minutes out side Brighton. The White Horses at Rottingdean, a Green King hostelry, is, in our opinion one of the finest on the South Coast. Newly totally renovated this place surprised us in so many ways. This hotel ticks all the right boxes for us. To start with reception, both the lovely ladies made us immediately welcome, were friendly and professional and explained all we wanted to know. Our bedroom with sea views was well designed and so comfortable. One excellent extra was the addition of a good coffee making machine and joy o joy they have done away with those disgusting UHT pods and supplied every morning. The Hotel features a grand bar with a truly amazing collection of wines, beers and cocktails. The restaurant was relaxing with an imaginative decor. Service was impeccable, and the food was plentiful and delicious. In short the ideal place to relax and loose some stress in comfort. Cannot wait to return.

We ate at the restaurant the week that the hotel and restaurant reopened last year. Service was not great and food ran out, something else happened which is way worse. It took an age to validate parking when I did I thought I was covered, however the parking company contracted to manage the parking lot, don’t negotiate nor do they allow any leeway. Long story short I have been sent a letter from the magistrates court for the sum of £261 yup for parking that should have been validated. You can’t talk to a manager at the hotel as they have been through three since August. I live locally but won’t support them at all.

we came for dinner last night with a friend and I’d like to say that our main waitress (not sure of her name) was superb and we ensured we told her at the end of our service. the refurb makes a huge difference to what was once a “sticky floor pub” and the boujee menu looks appetising, however the food was still just above-average with tastes you could experience in a standard gastro-pub. we also had a long wait for our table despite there being an abundance of unoccupied tables !! we had originally gone in on the basis of 6 guests, however were quick to tell bar staff there would only be 3. for some reason this took them about 20 minutes to prepare our table when we could’ve been sat anywhere at that point, and we reminded staff twice that we were waiting to be seated (it took about 30 minutes from arrival to be seated). £145 for 3 people (no alcohol) which seems about right for the cost of eating out nowadays. I don’t think we’d be heading back unless someone who hasn’t been is really keen on going and I can imagine it’s a great place for a summer’s drink during the day due to close proximity to the seafront.

I went to the white horses on new years day with my daughter and a friend. I was so impressed with the refurbishment. It is a beautiful building in a great location. The staff were so efficient and helpful we booked a table but were invaded by 4 adults with 7 loud unruly children the adults 3 men propping the bar and leaving them to their own devices. The staff kindly relocated us without fuss to another area where we enjoyed a lovely meal, freshly cooked cider battered fish, delicious. It took the time one would expect for freshly cooked food, and was delicious. We had a lovely meal, thank you to staff for making it such a lovely experience. I am living locally and will most definitely return.

Love the white horse for an evening drink. Reasonable price and mostly friendly staff. They do like to shoo you out the door after 11pm and can be a bit rude about it, but overall nice place to go. The closing time changes all the time and seems to be whenever they feel like leaving early, they close early, despite saying that they'll be open until midnight at the weekends as advertised. Very inconsistent

5☆ food and service every time I've been, going again soon.

Great views, plenty of outdoor seating. Good beer choice. Done up nice.

Just drinks on this visit, but would be interested in trying the restaurant in the near future. The Hotel has undergone a transformation since the refurbishment.

Popped in on way to collect my husband from dental surgery with my son. We enjoyed the atmosphere. Very bright and cosy

Food is overpriced...I ordered Roast Turkey but when it arrived looked and tasted like pork...veg was really nice lady who served me was lovely and friendly....but will not eat there again as was second time and food was bad then too

4 came for evening meal. Food was lovely, service was perfect. Spacious dining room. Will come again .

A beautiful place and lovely people. Went to an 80th birthday party and they looked after us wonderfully. Would love to go again. Huh

We had to wait 20 mins for our first drinks to arrive. Staff lacked knowledge of basic drinks. Starter took ages to arrive.I asked for my steak to be rare side of medium rare and it arrived completely over cooked. I left half of it and explained this to manager when she collected my plate, and asked me if everything was ok. No offer to remedy the situation. There was a large party next to us, with two young children who were allowed to run around the restaurant causing mayhem, this sort of behavior may be ok in a fast food restaurant but not what you expect in what is supposed to be fine dining experience. Shall not bother again.

Stayed for one night in the hotel that is absolutely beautiful inside and out. Stayed in the Sea Voyage suite and it was so worth it, absolutely stunning large room with a big flat screen big shower and a big bath in the room looking out at the gorgeous sea view. The room was well equipped with a welcome treat of two brownies, water of each kind, tea and coffee and a coffee machine. The bed was the most comfortable bed I’ve ever stayed in I had the best nights sleep. We also had dinner and breakfast on our stay, the service was wonderful all the staff were so friendly and our food arrived so quickly, I had the beach burger and it was the best burger I have ever tasted, it was amazing. The breakfast was so good the continental had everything you needed and the full English was delivered to us in no time and was also so tasty. We will definitely be back again.

Great staff ..very clean and comfortable environment

The new decor is brilliant but the new cushions make sitting down very difficult as you have to perch on the edge of the seat making eating difficult in the bar. The food was NOT great, overcooked calamari. skin on both sides of the battered fish mean that the batter was soggy underneath, some of the chips were too hard to pick up with a fork and some were underneath the fish and that meant that they became soggy rather than being crispy. The portion of peas provided were far too small for even a baby and were NOT sufficient for an adult.The special of the day was sea bream that was served with a few measly undercooked potatoes. The fish pie had lots of mashed potatoes but too little fish and none of us had ever seen it served with a supposedly runny boiled egg that unfortunately had become hard boiled when placed on the fish pie. The saving grace was tha the waiting staff were superb and cannot fault them although the food service was vey slow. The menu overall was not very exciting and very limited and quite expensive. Overall comfort was 4 value for money 3 service was 3 overall and atmosphere was also 3. Honest review

Lovely decor. Fresh, clean & bright. Excellent service. Katy our waitress was friendly, patient and chatty. All staff were courteous and attentive. Sunday roast was very enjoyable, good size portions. Great place on the seafront. Will definitely be back. Thank you.

Great food and service by Katie and Geraldine!!! The art deco refurb and view have made this a must go to spot! We visited on a Tuesday afternoon and were really impressed with the portion sizes, service and quality - well done to the team.

White Horses is undeniably a beautiful restaurant with fabulous views of the sea, which initially raised our expectations. The atmosphere and location suggest it has so much potential, but unfortunately, the service didn’t match the setting. From the start, it was clear that table etiquette and basic service standards were lacking. Our mains took an excessively long time, with no updates on kitchen delays until we had to ask about it ourselves. Communication like this should be a given, especially for a restaurant of this caliber. When we accidentally broke a glass on the table, staff wiped it down but left shards behind—careless and unsafe. Requests we made when ordering weren’t followed through, and we had to remind them, which shouldn’t happen. After our cutlery was cleared, replacements weren’t provided, so we had to ask again once the food arrived. The waitress also struggled to remember who ordered what, adding to the disorganization. This place attracts a certain type of customer through its online marketing, but it desperately needs training to meet those expectations. White Horses could be exceptional with its stunning location and stylish decor, but without serious improvements to service, it falls short. Wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for attentive and professional service to match the setting.

The restaurant and staff are great but the food was disappointing. One meal we to send back and the 2 soups we ordered were just warm. I feel it could be improved.

Delicious food. We had the, roast dinners, fish & chips & the seafood linguine. Food was a little slow to come out, but the friendly service staff was fab. Amelie our waitress was super helpful & welcoming.

Service was very good. Staff are friendly and rooms are a good size. I particularly liked the attention to detail on the refurbishment, the fixtures and fitting are well thought through and add detail to the aesthetic of the place.

Very nice in side and out have not eaten or stayed in any rooms

Beautiful bar and restaurant (we will be staying another time) I had the the Sea bass and it was superb. My husband had the beach burger and commented it was the best burger he has ever had. Highly recommended

Really nice rooms, great, friendly service. Nice restaurant with great service as well.

Lovely place with a superb sea view. Stopped off after a long drive, needed a quick stop, a drink and bite to eat. We walked in and we were greeted by Amy on the bar. She was very welcoming and professional. She brought our drinks up to the bar table, after a little natter, we found out she’d only been here just over a month, she was very competent and believe she will be a real credit to the newly refurbished hotel. She suggested to try the fish and chips, being right by the seaside, We gave it a try. So Glad we did. The Food was presented beautifully, it was Top Notch. Really lovely golden crispy batter, two types of peas and a choice of chips or fries. We never go anywhere looking for faults but you would be hard pressed to find anything to complain about here. It was a real treat. Newly refurbished, with very friendly staff, I recommend everyone gives it a try. We will definitely be back. 🙂

I popped in with my sister and her husband. He had a pint, and we both had a Cappuccino. It was the smallest Cappuccino I've ever had. And it cost £4. For the size of it should of been more like £2. I did notice they have a good range of wines on the drinks menu. It looks nice the interior, it's only just been renovated. We have eaten here before 2 years ago, and we wasn't happy with the main meals we ordered, mine was a chicken burger and it was burnt. I don't know if the food is better now. We saw quite a lot of different dogs inside, so is dog friendly.

Delicious meal and friendly service in a beautiful well maintained building inside and out. Will return.....thanks

I had a lovely meal for the first time at the white horses. Really enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere. I particularly love the decor. They have done a great job. It's lovely to see how this has revived the whole area. One thing I thought would transform it even more would be to have either a front door to the road or at least tidy that front part up as this is what you see first when arriving. This will then match how lovely it is at the back! I look forward to returning.

Gorgeous pub. Food was epic, wine was cold and views are stunning.

I really want this place to thrive. Its location near me offers so much potential. I've visited three times now, and while I expected some teething problems after the initial opening, I plan to continue supporting it. That said, it’s clear that running a business during the week and maintaining the same level of service on the weekend can be challenging. I’ve experienced both, and while the bar staff are friendly (though a bit lacking in knowledge, which is understandable), the restaurant side needs improvement. The food, unfortunately, could be much better. For the price, especially given the location (not central Brighton), I expected higher quality. The menu is somewhat limited, and both the food and service don’t quite justify the cost. I could easily head into Brighton for better value and a more enjoyable dining experience. I truly wish the venue all the best and much success, but improving the food, service, and overall quality would make a huge difference.

No stars I had an incredibly disappointing experience at The White Horses in Rottingdean that I felt compelled to share. I visited the restaurant with my therapy dog, which is an essential part of managing my condition. However, the host's reaction grey hair with a beard was shocking and unacceptable. In an attempt to prevent me from entering the restaurant, the host charged into the restroom, phone in hand, as if to create a scene. This behavior not only showed a lack of understanding of the rights of individuals with therapy animals but also made me feel unwelcome and disrespected. In addition I have a condition that require la a lot of toilet breaks. Service animals are trained to assist individuals in various ways, and my therapy dog is crucial for my well-being. It’s disheartening to see such ignorance in a public establishment. I urge the management to educate their staff on the importance of accommodating therapy animals and to ensure that all guests are treated with respect and dignity. I will not be returning to The White Horses and hope that others considering dining here are aware of the potential for a negative experience.

Have stayed in each dog friendly room on three occasions..room only..reception extremely helpful and welcoming; rooms are stunning, well thought out and extremely comfortable. Free WiFi, tea/coffee facilities, spotlessly clean. Looking forward to a visit that includes dining ***** = 5*

Lunch at the restaurant was very nice. Excellent customer service. Beautifully decorated. I didn't stay at the hotel and hence not able to review the rooms.

Checked with the White Horses that we could take dogs to the bar section and that food would definitely be served in the bar as we were looking for a lunch spot on the way through Rottingdean. The guy on the phone assured me that 'though they can be busy he was sure we could squeeze in and that food was very definitely served in the bar area'. This was then the experience: Got to car park - minimum charge for 3 hours of £5 not available so each car had to pay the minimum default of £10. When seated in the bar area we picked up the limited food menu and decided on what to eat. On going to the bar to order we were told they weren't serving food in the bar. So despite earlier phone call (same day btw), the food menus being left out on the tables and a half empty restaurant area (apparently according to staff at the bar they randomly choose to stop serving food in the bar if they think the restaurant is looking too full!) , we left, hungry and £20 out of pocket ... beyond disappointed

Just been to the restaurant, not the hotel. Great food, location, and sea views. Pleasant and friendly staff.

We have been to the hotel restaurant for a family meal. The food was delicious, the place is really nice, bright and very clean with the restaurant overlooking the sea. The service was A class and the staff were very helpful and friendly.

Nice place to stay very clean room very good service Nice location by the sea in Rottingdean the restaurant is very good with excellent views. outside seating overlooking the beach is especially nice with a relaxing drink 🍻 5 Star Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Booked this hotel for my husband and I, and my in-laws when visiting the area. We were really impressed with the White Horses from check-in til check-out. Rooms were immaculately presented and clean. Extremely comfortable and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the design, layout and features of the room. Everything was as you could possibly hope for, and a little bit more. Breakfast was outstanding and everything was to the highest standard. Staff were all friendly and helpful, and there was a personal presence from the management. We will most certainly be back!

Attentive and knowledgeable staff from the minute we arrived. Order was taken promptly, Sunday roast was amazing high quality good. Great venue, clean and tasteful decoration. Highly recommend

Very expensive, not a big choice of meals. Not clear where & how to park when dining. However very pleasant surroundings & lovely friendly staff.

The hotel and restaurant has undergone an extensive renovation and the transformation is fantastic. We visited for lunch in the restaurant which is directly overlooking the sea and it felt modern, clean and spacious. Ask for a table by the window. We had sea bass and chocolate torte and it was all delicious. All of the staff were very friendly and service was quick and attentive. The bar also looks great and there is a new deck area at the back which would be a lovely place for drinks in the summer. Parking was included you just need to register your number plate with reception on arrival. It’s an impressive transformation, absolutely what the old White Horse hotel needed and is a definite asset to the local area.

Great club sandwich, best I've had, not cheap but a magnificent view of the sea and south coast.

My partner & I had dinner here to celebrate my birthday. We were impressed by the venue & the friendliness of the staff. Then it went downhill unfortunately. I had smoked almonds, which were delicious, & my partner had the soda bread with caviar, which he thought was bland. For the mains, he had the chicken dish but he didn’t enjoy it as it was all tasteless. I had the spinach & pea risotto, which, again, was bland. But it was after we returned home that I had a violent reaction to the restaurant’s food - I spent all evening vomiting & having diarrhoea so that was a birthday ruined. I had checked all the ingredients beforehand & they all seemed fine. I contacted the restaurant when I felt better to let the chef know but I had no response whatsoever.

Just had an excellent meal to celebrate my mother’s 93rd birthday. Great food and really fabulous service.

Parking was extortionate £10 minimum charge for 3hrs. I arrived to find the main obvious door open, to a service area... The 2 young chaps serving were excellent. The lady bossing them around while serving herself, was less impressive. Food was high quality, and served promptly. Seating comfortable (albeit high - as a 6ft man, my legs dangled as I hopped up).

Had a lovely full English breakfast sitting on the terrace overlooking the sea.

Nicely renovated the restaurant is very good. Nice selection of food and wine. Tried the signature platter. Recommend salmon, prawn, mussels and clams. Caviar a nice touch. Gf soda bread available.

Had a birthday roast with family. Sat outside in the terrace. Food was absolutely beautiful. Two of us had roast beef with ox cheek the other Riast chicken. Yorkshires were beautiful and extra gravy on tap. Staff were really on it, only annoyance was there wasn’t any truffle cauliflower cheese but to be honest we didn’t need it. Thanks so much. We will be back .

went with friends last saturday, had a great time, staff very attentive and friendly, will definitely come again

A lovely, friendly pub next to the beach. A little expensive but worth it. Friendly staff, clean and great saughvion blanc

Didn't stay or eat there, so can't comment on rooms or food. Popped in for a late summer evening drink. Good location overlooking the sea. Bar staff not in a rush to serve, but quite happy to talk among themselves. Won't be going back.

Thus far this is 4 stars. Did not eat, have seen good and bad reviews, looking forward to trying out a reasonably unadventurous but good menu if they get it right. The bar is 5 stars. A huge and very impressive commitment to local wines and spirits, a big thumbs up to you here. But guys, don't forget the basics, clean tables please, collect glasses please, general front of house stuff adds another star. Looking forward to my next visit.

Beautiful place to eat while enjoying the view, staff were very kind and helpful - would definitely recommend visiting!

I will say there has been some improvement in the service since our stay in July when they first opened, but they are still not there. The rooms are beautiful and we can recommend room 115 balcony room. The balcony rooms give a wonderful seaview appointed with high quality bistro sets. The hotel has been renovated to a wonderful polished hotel. With comfortable, excellent quality fixtures and fittings and furniture. Everything is quality and nothing is too much trouble with reception. Unfortunately the White Horses are let down on the breakfast service. With long waits for often a lukewarm breakfast. A total of 7 breakfasts from other residents were returned infront of us on the 2nd morning of our stay! With a family walking out! I still have had better at other establishments ( see my reviews). I will say the veg hash brown was not always edible a bit tasteless, hit and miss. And the garlic slices on the tomato was an odd addition to a full English! I can't comment if the catering issues occurred in the evening as we only used the dinning room on the 1st night and ate elsewhere over the four night stay. My chicken was very tender. But my husband found the amount of chorizo with his sea bass was over powering. The evening service was much tighter. The menu was the same from when we stayed the previous month and it felt a struggle to choose something different. A change of menu would be useful for those staying more than a couple of nights. Most of the staff are enthusiastic even if there are training issues. A specific mention for Katie who always greeted us even when we were not eating at the hotel. I cannot 100% recommend purely because of the catering which is such an important part of your stay. Keep an eye on the reviews as once these problems are resolved it will be a beautiful place to stay.

Stopped for an early evening meal yesterday after a school sports fixture nearby. Possibly the worst fish and chips I’ve ever had. Batter and chips were soaked in bitter-tasting oil. Inedible. Clearly the oil was long overdue a change and everything was fried just short of burning. No sign of service to ask how our meal was, so we just ate the haddock (perfectly fine), left the rest and departed. While ordering I had watched a young bartender attempt to open a bottle of wine for other customers - not a clue how to cut and remove the foil before trying to extract the cork. Completely butchered it. Nice location, but let down by inexperienced and untrained staff I’d say, with no control over basics in the kitchen judging by our experience.

Rubbery bread, no spoons with our sides, the music is as appalling, which didn’t help the lack of atmosphere… more like a mediocre hotel restaurant with crazy prices…

Wonderful refurbishment and huge improvement in dining and friendly staff.Dining room and terrace with sea views really add to a lovely experience.Pub area still a bit depressing and badly lit, but good choice of drinks and very good bar staff.

Last time I wrote a review on the Google entry for the hotel, but after the latest event with Bolney Wines wanted to share some more opinions. Helen is such a wonderful host from the wine estate, and the whole evening, this time with Ben from Harvey & Brockless a cheese specialist was very relaxed and jovial. Ben had a very interesting family background in cheese with family very much still in the business down in Cornwall, whilst we didn't enjoy all the cheeses, we absolutely loved the Baron Bigord from Suffolk, excellent bread and other accompaniments along with plenty of wine poured, although I did miss our favourite Blanc de Blancs but I could have bought some at the bar. I believe it's important to celebrate those in the hospitality industry that are naturally doing an outstanding job whatever their age and for this event we had some really good engagement with Pippa, sometimes in this industry with the worry of mystery customers and corporate expectancies the service can feel rigid and scripted, Pippa was a rare delight, and spent time talking through both the bar and restaurant menus and explaining all the dishes and how they were taught to taste wine. We will be back for Chicken and Seabass in the restaurant especially because Pippa recommended it. In fact the whole team really are supreme at what they do, with one working their last shift before University in Cardiff. These customer facing people are more important than anything else however delightful the food and decor since the impressive reincarnation of the White Horses

Club sandwiches are excellent. Unfortunately we weren't able to eat with a seaview.

We visited for lunch on a Saturday and sat indoors, there's also a lovely area to sit outside overlooking the sea. The indoor restaurant area is really nice, very new and modern, bright and spacious. The staff were really friendly and helpful. The food was tasty but I would say the desserts were really small for the price. Generally it is a little expensive which is why I give 4 stars instead of 5.

Online menu looked good so noticing the restaurant was much less than a third full and the outside seating area almost empty at 1.30 on a Saturday lunchtime we ( just the two of us ) thought we would give it a go. We waited by the desk at the restaurant entrance and were totally ignored. Several staff just walked past us until eventually we stopped one and said we'd like a table. Her response "....just wait there the manager will be here soon". When the manager did arrive we were then told they were fully booked !! Obviously despite the large premises they can't cope with more than a few people at a time, or they were expecting some large parties of late lunchers? We looked in on our way past a couple of hours later and it still had the empty look about it. Can't comment on the food as we're not given the chance to taste it but had a nice pint and meal on the balcony at the Coach House pub, across the road where we were immediatly welcomed by the barman when we walked in. Huge interesting choice on the menu and despite a full house, our food arrived quickly. The serving staff were chatty and checked we were happy or needed anything else.

Sadly the beautifully curated interior, sea views, excellent location and menu was overshadowed by the inexperience of younger staff, and the poor attitude of the hostess. The entrance isn’t quite in the right place and this leaves you needing direction when you enter the bar from staff. Unfortunately, this seems beneath the staff and their nonchalant attitude. The restaurant stewards desk, hidden behind a pillar is difficult to find and in fairness I wouldn’t bother, she was as rude and dismissive as the younger staff. There was one amazing experienced waitress with a side ponytail that shone, offering tremendous customer service and knew how to meet customer expectations. I hope the establishment overcomes these minor problems and allows the food/chefs to shine as they find their feet in this ever challenging hospitality landscape.

As a local, we used to stop here all the time with our little one for a meal or a snack. Now, after a lengthy refurb, we are told the bar has no snacks at all (I wasn’t offered a food menu either) and they're unable to do a simple hot chocolate for a child - water instead of milk and boiling hot despite asking for room temperature. So I guess it's OK for people who stay at the hotel or only want beer and cocktails. How sad... my child is now saying “should we never come here again, dad?”

Special thanks to the lovely Kim who assisted my party with a dinner reservation and a disabled parking space for my mother.

Nice setting outside in summer but would not recommend! Dirty tables, terrible service, below average and over priced food. Shame as could be so much better than it is.

Very nice staff - ordered coffees at the bar inside and the nice young man brought them out to us. Reasonably priced for such a lovely location.

Reviewing a la carte menu. Overpriced and poor service

We are so pleased to be able to write such a glowing review of a wonderful stay at the white horses 🐎 First and Foremost was the warm reception given on arrival and subsequent warmth and genuine feeling of friendliness shown to us by all members of staff from the great cleaning team, receptionist and breakfast waiting team. A special mention must go to Gina and katie who gave exceptional customer service with a broad and happy smile at all times. As an outstanding mention to another member of your team an incredible and sincere thank you to Aaron who worked on the bar who provided fun and a light hearted spirit to make sure my Birthday evening was unique and special thanks go to him. A memorable stay a thousand thanks Kevin and Gem Room 207 19th August to 21st August 2024.

Just stopped for a beer which was fine. Great location.

Outstanding food quality (fish & chips and seafood linguini) Amelie an absolute asset with her attentive and efficient service. Please commend her exemplary behaviour.

Extremely rude staff. Came in for breakfast as was made to feel as if you’re an inconvenience to the staff by being there.

Be careful if you used to park here before the hotel was done up - then it was cheaper than across the road. Now it costs £10 !! The food was not what we expected from the descriptions. My grilled courgette and orzo salad had all the components separately stacked around the plate with half a gem lettuce do it yourself style?! Was the chef too tired to make a dish that by being mixed would infuse flavours together? As people have said lovely setting but the rest is lacking

Visited on Friday 16th August with a group of 4 - when we walked in there was terrible stench. I then went to the toilet, full of fruit flies. Spoke to front of house (polite young man) and asked for a table for 4 - the restaurant was pretty much dead - he said shouldn’t be a problem and vanished off for a moment. He then retuned to say sorry they weren’t taking walk in’s! We went across the road, had delicious food - went back in to the venue to see it was still empty. What a shame.

Couldn’t get my usual gin and also ran out of Shiraz wine. We had booked for inside, but they had us booked for the terrace. Staff were very nice and sorted it out. Ran out of seabass and also dessert of seaside trio. Being my birthday celebration it was quite disappointing. Also. very expensive.

Second trip since the refurbishment and not impressed. Both trips we have had food brought to the table without cutlery, and we had to ask for the cutlery to be brought over. Tonight's trip..... After we had eaten the food, we waited about half an hour for someone to clear the table and take our dessert order. No one came, so we asked for someone to come. No one came. We ended up going to the bar to get the drinks as we were getting tired of waiting. We finally spoke to someone in charge about the issue, and someone came over to take our dessert order. Sadly we again had to ask for spoons, and the desserts took way too long to come out. Had already complained about the slow service and we had kids with us and it was late, but that didn't seem to matter. The refurbishment is lovely, the place looks great. The food is really good. Just the service is very very poor

Stopped by here for dinner. Newly refurbished and offers great food and cocktails. Highly recommended if you're in the Rottingdean area.

My wife and I were looking forward to visiting the refurbished White Horses and sampling their new menu. We had high hopes giving it a few weeks before going so any opening glitches would hopefully be sorted out. The lay out and décor were impressive and having the out door bar a bonus even if the drink prices were much higher than surrounding establishments. As the weather was perfect we opted to sit out in the sun under a parasol. The menu was very limited and quite pricey which in itself was disappointing. I opted for the burger with braised ox cheek, £18.50, my wife ordered Pea and spinach soup £7.00. and a side of chips £3.50After a long wait, 3/4 hour, our order finally arrived. What a disappointment ! The burger was just a burger no side coleslaw/garnish and a small pot of chips. Nothing to write home about especially at £18.50. My wife's soup, if you can call it soup, was so thick you could stand a spoon in it. Total bill £43.00 (including a pint of moretti lager and a pint of blackcurrant and soda! So £14.00 for drinks!!! The place seemed over staffed with lost looking waiting staff wandering about. Lovely place to sit with a drink and watch the world go by but we certainly wouldn't recommend eating here.

I am going to put this down to the place being new but we had a pretty bad experience…. We booked a table for breakfast for my partner’s birthday. When we arrived, the lady on reception looked very surprised to see us and it went from there. We were quickly ushered through the nicer dining area which is apparently for residents only and placed in a spot without the same great sea views and no aircon (on a very hot day). A guy put some menus down and as he was rushing off, he offered handedly told us there was no salmon available. We ordered coffee which took ages to arrive and mine (decaf) tasted no better than hot water with milk… the kids wanted the buffet and the waitress (who was lovely and doing her best with little support around her), kindly offered they could have it 2 for the price of 1 as there was no child price. My kids were delighted and loved their fruit and pastries. This was somewhat spoilt by hearing the waiter proceed to tick her off in our full earshot for letting us have the buffet as this was also for residents only (despite it being on the menu we were given). It then took a long time to get our cooked breakfasts ordered and served and whilst my allergies were accommodated with GF bread, no alternative was offered for the dairy butter. Furthermore, we asked twice for tomato sauce (much needed to lift a pretty dry plate of food), but no sauce ever arrived. By this point we felt frustrated, unwelcome and just wanted to pay the bill and leave. We were charged per child for the buffet so we asked if the original offer could be honoured, the waitress dealing with the bill was pretty surly about having to sort this out… and to top it off, I then heard her being told off for not charging us for two kids, at which point I had to intervene and tell her colleague that the other waitress (the only one who was nice to us) had offered this deal so it was quite correct that we should be billed as such. Beautiful hotel, great views if you sit in the right area, but lots of work to do on service.

The bar staff were outstanding, really friendly and helpful. Decor looks amazing too. We had booked for lunch a that's when it got disappointing. Despite having glasses for water on the table, none was offered. We then waited 25 minutes before anyone even came to take a drinks order. Sharing a starter which came without any side plates. Main course was warm and not very appetising. Decided to leave rather than have a deseart as worried it would take too long.. Not great

Bitterly disappointed to be told that there was a shortage of food and that the menu was reduced to about 8 items, including starters. Our large party should have been informed BEFORE we were due to arrive. Yes we were told about the shortage on arrival but the manager NEEDED to be in communication with senior chef staff BEFORE the shortage was low enough to become an issue, knowing that larger parties wouldn't be able to simply turn up to any other restaurant at 7pm on a Sunday night. Waiting staff seemed both inexperienced in handling this situation and generally out of their depth; not bringing plates during starters we said would be shared, too few menus and too little cutterly we're just some of the issues encountered. The extra star was because the staff kindly waved a round of drinks and starters from the bill, and the food was good, but we had to ask for compensation to make up for this poor showing. At the end of the day the reduced menu (an even bigger issue for our vegetarian guest, who had even fewer options compared to the rest) and other aforementioned issues really did put a damper on the evening.

Generally the exterior/interior is much better than is used to be and the clientele is generally much nicer. Unfortunately the staff seemed more interested in doing anything but serving customers.

We stopped here for a walk by the sea and came in for lunch at about 12.30. The restaurant wasn't busy but there were several staff members doing nothing who seemed to ignore us until at last someone noticed we were waiting. We hadn't booked and when asked the question the waiter or manager agreed to find us a table - the place was almost empty! Having said that the staff performance picked up completely once we were seated and the food and service were both good although the main course was lukewarm. The restaurant itself was well presented and the views fantastic. Apparently it hadn't been opened long since a total refurbishment so I guess they were finding their feet. Will definitely go back there at some stage.

Stay here if you like the word no. We was Told the bar was 24hours then no it shuts early on a week night and at weekends. Told by staff it we couldn’t sit outside on terrace even though it was empty and talked to in a very rude manner. Restaurant run out of food items and then couldn’t serve half the menu. Bar closes early at random times and then told no more drinks are served even though the hotel staff are all drinking at bar. If you like good service and pleasant people steer clear. No where nearly worth the £200 a night they are charging for budget rooms and atrocious service, avoid at all costs

Couldn’t be any more obvious if they tried, that they’re not experienced in “quality”. But they’re giving it a go. If you’re used to nice places, this isn’t for you. Staff very much used to saying no to everything. Very obvious it’s a cheap chain trying to do well. Mostly because of staff and management. Would definitely not reccommend spending almost £800 for three nights - painful and feel like putting my own training on

Visited at lunchtime, didn't stay, from experience could see the car car crash that this place is so went elsewhere, good luck.

Lovely place right on the seafront at rottingdean fantastic food first time there will definitely be going back , plenty of places to park in & around the area make sure you book gets busy . 8/10/23 sorry to say it's closed down 😞 shame. Went past again today 21/10/23 sorry folks still closed 🔒 I don't know if it's going to open again all the windows are boarded up. 2024 so pleased that this wonderful place has reopened again after a massive refurbishment , brilliant . 👍🍻

A couple of days ago I had the sea food plateau for lunch at the white horse. The next morning I had food poisoning with terrible side effects . I will not go back there !!

Amazing food great service really lovely staff

Newly refurbished to a high standard, non recognisable to the place that use to be here. Clean, modern looking and a great place to relax with a beer and a good view.

Great food lovely flow to the bar, highly recommend !