Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
V. Free parking. Head 3
1
⁄
2
miles northwest of Hastings, to the junction of the A2100 and B2159.
Ameni-
ties:
Restaurant; bar; golf course (9 holes); health club & spa; room service; outdoor tennis court (lit).
In room:
TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
The George
This boutique hotel snuggles inside a coaching inn dating back to
1575. The half-timbered architecture is charming (some of the timbers may be from
the wreck of an English ship broken up at Rye after the defeat of the Spanish
Armada), and inside it's simply gorgeous, a heady mix of fabrics and good design.
Rooms are pale and inviting: rich linens, marble-top baths and, in some, a four-poster
bed. The
restaurant
has a local and seasonal menu (main courses £14-£18), which
features Mediterranean-inspired dishes (and has courtyard tables), while the bar,
George's Tap,
promises to stay open until the last guest has given in.
High St., Rye, East Sussex TN31 7JT. www.thegeorgeinrye.com.
&
01797/222114.
Fax 01797/224065.
24 units. £135-£195 double; £245 suite. Rates include English breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free overnight
parking on street; parking lot nearby, £2 per 24 hr.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; babysitting; room ser-
vice.
In room:
TV/DVD, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
Hope Anchor Hotel
At the end of a cobbled street on a hill dominating the town
stands this 17th-century building, once home to a gang of smugglers. It enjoys pan-
oramic views of the surrounding countryside and sea. There are oak beams, open
fires, and a
modern restaurant
that is somehow timeless, serving local food. Bed-
rooms are individually furnished, many with historic features, and some with four-
poster beds. The adjoining fisherman's cottage has a double room, but can sleep four
more on sofabeds, so is ideal for families.
Watchbell St., Rye, East Sussex TN31 7HA. www.thehopeanchor.co.uk.
&
01797/222216.
Fax 01797/
223796. 15 units. £90-£150 double; £160-£210 family room. Rates include English breakfast. AE, MC, V.
Free parking.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; babysitting; room service.
In room:
TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (in
most; free).
Mermaid Inn
The Mermaid is one of the most romantic inns in Sussex. It
was the haunt of the cutthroat Hawkhurst Gang of smugglers, and of author Russell
Thorndike's fictional smuggler Dr. Syn (one room is called Dr. Syn's Bedchamber,
connected to the bar by a secret staircase). Rooms are wonderful, with beams every-
where, and the Elizabethan Chamber, with a four-poster bed, is like something out
of a Hollywood version of a stately home.
Mermaid Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7EY. www.mermaidinn.com.
&
01797/223065.
Fax 01797/
225069. 31 units. £90-£220 double. Rates include English breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking.
Ame-
nities:
Restaurant; bar; babysitting; room service.
In room:
TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (in some; free).
6
BRIGHTON
52 miles S of London
Brighton is a party place. It's where Londoners flee for a day out, or a fun weekend.
It's now officially a city, and it is packed with bars, clubs, restaurants, and hotels. It
was one of England's first great seaside resorts, and then went through a bad time as
its clientele started holidaying abroad. Now it's back, bigger and brighter than ever. It
has taken on the ambience of London, which is only an hour away, with boutique
lodgings, hip nightspots, and trendy shops. It's not for everyone, though: Once you're
here, you'll find little respite from the crowds, and the beaches are pebble. Yet many
visitors can't help loving Brighton.
