Sweeping and white above the western seafront, The Grand Hotel — affectionately known as the “White Palace” — is one of Britain’s most magnificent Victorian hotels and, famously, the only five-star hotel on the country’s coastline. It’s where Debussy finished a masterpiece, where royalty and film stars have stayed, and where Eastbourne‘s sense of grandeur is at its most complete. Here’s its story.
The White Palace: a grand Victorian vision
The Grand was the dream of a local resident, William Earp, who in 1874 proposed a magnificent hotel with a 400-foot frontage at a cost of £50,000 — a colossal sum for the day. Designed by the local architect Robert Knott Blessley and built in 1875, it rose in a superb position facing the sea with views towards Beachy Head, surrounded by ornamental gardens and tennis courts. It was conceived for the Victorian upper classes, who took their seaside holidays in the grand manner — sometimes staying for months at a time, and bringing their staff with them. With its soaring ceilings, glittering chandeliers, marble columns and cavernous Great Hall, the “White Palace” was — and remains — the grandest hotel on the Sussex coast, and today holds the distinction of being the only five-star hotel on the British seafront.
Debussy and ‘La Mer’
The Grand’s greatest claim to fame is musical. In the summer of 1905, the French composer Claude Debussy stayed here for around two months and completed work on one of the greatest of all orchestral works — ‘La Mer’ (“The Sea”) — while gazing out over the English Channel. He described Eastbourne as “a charming, peaceful spot”, and the suite in which he stayed, Room 200, is still known today as the Debussy Suite. It wasn’t the hotel’s only brush with musical history: the composer Frank Bridge completed his own orchestral suite ‘The Sea’ here in 1911, and from 1924 to 1939 the Grand Hotel Orchestra broadcast live on BBC radio from the Great Hall every Sunday night, on a programme simply called “Grand Hotel”.
Did you know? Debussy had travelled to Eastbourne with his companion Emma Bardac, having left France amid the scandal of his divorce — making the peaceful “White Palace” a discreet retreat as well as a creative haven.
A cast of famous guests
In its century and a half, The Grand has welcomed a remarkable roll-call of the great and the good. Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sir Edward Elgar all passed through its doors, and royalty was drawn to Eastbourne in the early days partly to visit their friend the Duke of Devonshire, whose family shaped the town. More recently, tennis star Serena Williams famously booked out the entire fourth floor while playing at the Eastbourne tennis. The hotel has also drawn filmmakers: Dennis Potter’s “Cream in My Coffee” was shot here in 1980, and he memorably described the building as “a huge, creamy palace”.
The hotel today: dining, afternoon tea and staying
Sympathetically restored after being acquired by Elite Hotels in 1998, The Grand today blends period grandeur with modern comfort across its 152 rooms and suites. It’s home to two of Eastbourne’s finest restaurants — the award-winning, two-rosette Mirabelle, one of the best restaurants in Eastbourne for a special occasion, and the more relaxed Garden Restaurant — along with lounges, a terrace and cocktail bar. Its afternoon tea in the Great Hall is a celebrated treat and is open to non-residents, making it a lovely way to experience the hotel even if you’re not staying. Guests also enjoy indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and gym, and the hotel is unusually family-friendly for a five-star. It stands on King Edward’s Parade at the western end of the seafront, near the Wish Tower and the Western Lawns.
Good to know: restaurant menus, afternoon tea sittings, dress codes and prices change through the year and popular dates book up well ahead — it’s always worth checking the hotel’s current details and reserving in advance for dining or afternoon tea.
The Grand Hotel: FAQs
Why is the Grand Hotel called the White Palace?
The nickname comes from its sweeping white Victorian façade facing the sea. Built in 1875, it’s one of Britain’s grandest seaside hotels and the only five-star hotel on the country’s coastline, so the affectionate “White Palace” fits it well.
Did Debussy really finish ‘La Mer’ at the Grand Hotel?
Yes — Claude Debussy stayed at the hotel in the summer of 1905 and completed work on his symphony ‘La Mer’ overlooking the English Channel. The room he used, Suite 200, is still known as the Debussy Suite in his honour.
Can you visit the Grand Hotel without staying there?
Yes. Its restaurants and its famous afternoon tea in the Great Hall are open to non-residents, so you can enjoy the grandeur of the “White Palace” over a meal or a pot of tea. Booking ahead is recommended, and there’s a smart dress code for dining.
Where is the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne?
It’s on King Edward’s Parade at the western end of Eastbourne’s seafront, near the Wish Tower and the Western Lawns, with sea views towards Beachy Head. It’s an easy walk along the promenade from the pier and town centre.
Treat yourself: see the best afternoon tea in Eastbourne, the town’s best restaurants, and the story of the Dukes of Devonshire who built the town.