Sea Beach Cottage

We had a great stay in sea beach cottage in Eastbourne, we took our adult son who is mildly autistic to the airbourne festival which is held over 4 days every august.

He loved it so much we are already booked to go again next year! Now about the accommodation, we were very comfortable, nice comfy beds, lovely dining kitchen that you can actually cook and eat in! Nice ground floor bathroom, also, an e suite shower room to main bedroom. We were a little worried about the accommodation due to some negative comments left online by other guests. But there was no need to worry, the place has had a very good makeover in the 2 years since the owner has taken it over. Yes, there are still some things he has to do, but nothing was detrimental to our comfort in there. It is beautifully decorated in the last year. Neil the owner loves next door in Sea Beach House and he cannot do enough to make your stay as comfortable as possible. We would give it 5* B

Lovely property perfectly situated, just back from the front.

You don't get the main road or promenade noise. But the beach is just across the road and pier only a couple of minutes walk. Delicious Gelato shop next door but one. Shopping centre with everything you need is a 10 minute walk. Highly reccomend Xing Fu in Meads, about 40minutes walk. Property is a little tired but has everything for a comfortable stay. The kitchen is basicly supplied, for a cooked breakfast but not a roast dinner. Dishwasher and tablets were a godsend. The owner was amazing at contacting at us before our arrival and promptly replying to any queries. I would highly reccomend for a fantastic family stay by the sea.

What a beautiful cottage during my stay.

It was a quaint place with amenities just a short walk away, including the beachfront. The promenade, only 20 yards away, was lovely and stretched for miles with cafes and more. The cottage was clean, and the beds were quite comfortable, although they did squeak a bit. The kitchen appliances were easy to use. Aside from having a wonderful stay here, I would definitely come again. I must note that the stairs are quite steep, and I had to walk up and down carefully. However, this cottage was built hundreds of years ago, when people were smaller in height and doorways were narrower, so I did bang my head once and learnt from that.

The location is perfect, right across the sea and close to shops and pubs.

Plenty to do nearby. Parking is tricky, but we were lucky and were able to park right in front. The cottage is lovely and has everything you need. The Wi-Fi isn't fast, which is inconvenient if you rely on it. Some things need a little TLC. But it's perfectly manageable for a holiday! Highly recommended.

Sea Beach House was in a great location for us, we don’t have a car but had no difficulty getting around with buses stops and the train station nearby.

Sea Beach House was comfortable and had everything we needed for our stay.

What a great find beautiful location one of the best places I have had the pleasure of staying would highly recommend

This could be a great little cottage.

It's very well located, you could literally throw a ball to the sea at a push, and if you don't mind searching a little for parking in high season it could be great. With the exception of the tiny living room, rooms are a good size. You need to be wary of the 5ft 9 inch upstairs doorways and stairwell. I'm over 6ft and I have lots of fresh bruises on my head. There doesn't seem to be any reason why the doors are this low, the structure doesn't seem to be a constraint to proper modernisation. However .... The place needs a good refurbishment and proper cleaning. Several windows could not be opened due to being painted in or seized mechanisms, one was cracked and one had a temporary repair to the badly rotten wooden frame. Four lights were not working, the front and back doors do not have proper security ( front door has a hotel style twisting internal door lock, back door has security bolts but they don't throw out as far as the receivers so they don't work ). Both toilet seats were loose, with the bolt of one dropping on the floor on day one. The description says it has a smart tv, it doesn't, it's just a plain old TV. As we watch 90% on demand this was a big issue. WiFi disappeared several times during the week, but that's to be expected with Three. The heated radiator switch is inside the bathroom but is not suitable for such, it is a normal rocker switch which should never be in a bathroom, it needs a corded switch ...someone could die ! One lightswitch in the porch is taped over with masking tape to presumably warn users not to try to switch it on. Outside, hanging baskets had been made up for the tiny courtyard, possibly as a response to an earlier review, but the 3 baskets only had dead stumps in them (30th August) and they were in a pile on the floor. As far as equipment is concerned, the vacuum cleaner barely worked and the mop has no head. The blinds in both bathrooms largely would not open nor close. The kitchen blind had been removed with the fittings remaining, not a good look. The bathroom blinds were also very badly covered in mould throughout. Very badly, not just the odd spot. There's plenty of mould around the shower areas and on walls as well, not just in the bathrooms. Mould is easy to remove, how is it acceptable even on bedroom walls? Indeed it was cleanliness which bothered us the most. Cutlery and crockery needed washing but the worst was the flooring. The floors had seen a cursory sweep but had not been mopped for some time- remember this is a dog friendly property. In the few yards walk from my shower to my slippers downstairs the soles of my feet went black, a few hours after arriving. Interestingly, there was a sign asking people to remove shoes. I did this to keep my shoes clean! I could not let my white dog lay on the floor as he was standing up covered in black marks. Areas around the outside of the ensuite shower in particular was filthy, not just mould but also old hair and dust. I may be wrong but I am assuming this is a one off holiday investment by the owner. You need a far more professional approach sorry. You need to check the property between rentals as cleaning and maintenance are dreadful, an opportunity to water the hanging baskets while you're there ! You cannot expect people to pay decent money unless you check, for instance, lights are actually working, and equipment is working and intact. You can't rely on previous occupants to clean, you need to check, who wants old food on cutlery ? Hard floors need washing not sweeping. ..and periodically you need to do a deep clean and bleach the mould off the walls and shower areas. You also need to ask yourself whether multiple large stains on the carpets warrants replacement, similarly for the half a dozen large holes in the stair carpets. I book up to 3/4 breaks in the UK a year, usually through Sykes. This is the worst property I've stayed in. If Sykes read these reviews I would strongly recommend they enforce some improvements and preferably a proper refurbishment to a safe and acceptable standard before allowing this to be listed again. I have a lot of photographs which I'm happy to make available. Some are quite shocking.

Very tired, second time we have stayed here.

It's really small for 4 people but there was only 2 so not a problem for us. Parking a real issue but to be expected at a seaside resort. Yard could do with a good clean up and better furniture as too big for the size. Not enough storage in kitchen for food, as we were there for 2 weeks very limited had lots of bits on side and table. Lovely little cottage but does need some attention. Wouldn't stay again just because of size not the overall experience.

We found it to be in a perfect position for everything we needed.

We found it comfortable and clean. You need to switch hot water on in the cupboard in the main bedroom. Shower was good pressure. Stairs a little step. On street free parking, but it gets busy. So hard to find a spot sometimes. We parked up and didn’t use the car again till we went home. As we could easily walk to everything plus a Dotto train works same as buses hop on hop off. We will definitely be returning. No need to bring toilet paper, towels, tea towels washing up liquid ect it was all supplied, and the shortbread biscuits and milk in the fridge was a nice touch too thank you Neil we’re be back next yr. Ali, Kath and Alfie x

It’s a delightful little cottage in a great location in Eastbourne.

The landlord sent a welcome message with his info and door code before we got there, in the event we didn’t need anything but it’s reassuring to have. We stayed as a young family of 4. The house was perfectly clean when we arrived and we enjoyed the lovely shortbread left for us. The beds were comfortable, pillows may have been a little thin for some but suited us well. The kitchen worked well, just a few more drinking glasses would have been useful and some of the cutlery is quite tired. We didn’t do any cooking so can’t comment on that side of things. WiFi worked well. There are lots of good electric heaters around the place to make up for the lack of central heating. Overall lovely little place, great stay.

Although a lovely position and a comfortable bed we found in general the cottage was lacking TLC with numerous worrying signs of damp and neglect especially on net curtains and certain points on walls and ceilings Many areas had not been cleaned properly eg shower door runner skirting boards huge stain on lounge curtains as if food had splashed on to it We found ants crawling on kitchen floor and worktops and in lounge (a recurring problem obviously as there was ant killer prominent in kitchen cupboard ) The courtyard could be so much nicer with pots of plants repainted furniture and cleaned up walls and floor

This house is close to the beach and in walking distance of shops pubs and restraints ,the property needs a bit of loving and it would great again ,we stayed here about 4 years ago and it was lovely , and would stay here again when cottage is brought up to a standen which I hope will be very soon,

The property was in a great location.

Close to the beach and with public transport nearly on the doorstep. Effort had clearly been made with the decor, the seaside theme throughout felt perfect based on the location of the cottage. We received a message with arrival info and an emergency contact prior to our arrival which was really handy. There was one main problem which caused all of the other problems we experienced. The lack of central heating. The property was extremely cold (we stayed in February). I had to go and buy blankets for our stay so that we could keep warm. I felt bad with the amount of time we had the heaters switched on but we both spent the entire stay cold. The heaters may be ok in warmer weather but definitely don’t heat the property enough in winter. We didn’t have any hot water in the sinks for the entire stay and had to boil the kettle to do the washing up. This wasn’t a massive issue to me but was definitely an inconvenience. The lack of heat is also causing a lot of mould. Both bathrooms have mould across the ceiling, as well as above the bathroom door in the double bedroom. The paint is also peeling along the right hand wall of the property. Regular heat would definitely help this. The temperature definitely affected the feel of the property. Even a low heating would have made the property feel warm and welcoming rather than cold and uncomfortable There is so much potential in this property but it needs some love!

Lovey cottage a bit tired in places, but great location for us, parking not great but we knew that from when we lived near some years ago.

Light stopped working in lounge 2 days after we arrived, light bulb missing in back bedroom we brought one to save getting host for this. Yard very messy weeds everywhere and drain blocked so water wasn't ale to drain away, i cleared weeds just to make it nicer to sit out not a big deal, gutters leaking as several holes in them, overflow pipe dripping as well, washer needed for tap in kitchen as constant dripping not us of as overall a lovely little cottage.

Our accomodation was a really nice old house, very cozy!

It was centrally located in front of the sea near by the beach and a lot of local shops. But you have to look after the mold in the bathroom and in the showers, this was a little bit ugly. The curtains should be changed, because there were mold, too! The courtyard needs a cleaning, then it would be nicer to sit in! Otherwise everything was there enough dishes and cutlery. All in all I would like to come back again!

Lovely little cottage with sea views and right on the seafront close to all amenities.

Cottage owner very helpful and friendly. A few minor hiccups when we arrived, but he quickly got them resolved. The cottage is charming with very comfortable beds, clean linen snd towels provided and lots of room with 2 bathrooms and 2 large bedrooms and a nice big kitchen. The kitchen crockery and cutlery are great but the oven cookware and pots and pans could be replaced. Little extras provided added a great value touch (dishwasher tablets, dish towels/sponge/scourer and dishwashing liquid and toilet rollls all provided). Rail on stairs helpful for any elderly guests. Our dogs were welcome so pet friendly was an added bonus. We would highly recommend this cottage and intend to return.

What a gorgeous seafront cottage, an absolute gem !

Everything you need for a break by the sea, it even has folding chairs to take to the beach. Fabulous Italian ice cream shop less than a minutes walk and many restaurants and takeaways as well. Two great dining pubs also within a couple of minutes. Neil the owner, very helpful, is currently finishing the renovation of the Sea Beach House adjacent, a beautiful and much larger listed Georgian gem where our extended family will be staying shortly as it can sleep 10/12 and all bedrooms en-suite! Highly recommended.

Not a great start.

When you have arthritic fingers and can’t get the key safe to open. Owner called who said he wasn’t available and it does open you just have to get it in line!!! Damp issues are concerning(don’t book if you have any sort of chest condition or any family member has asthma etc etc!!) Hoover was another health hazard full of something disgusting. This should have been emptied and cleaned before new people arrived… Information booklet(once we found it!!) asks you to empty the kitchen bin daily but does not supply you with extra bin liners to do this!!!! The en-suite shower screen is not fixed at the bottom and is not safe. We did not use it….. Heating needs to be sorted. The cottage was cold unless electric radiators are on permanently… Outside area is not welcoming, furniture needs painting or just cleaning. weeds everywhere I could carry on…. Not a good experience,

Fronting an unkempt and littered street this is a compact, comfortable old cottage in an excellent position for the seafront and town.

Suggested improvements to small details that we think could have significantly enhanced our experience : 1. Ensure ALL electrics in working order prior to hand-over! 2. Replace poor quality towelling. 3. Provide more basics for cleaning and washing in the kitchen and bathroom. 4. Empty the vacuum cleaner before customers arrive. 5. Provide more than one rubbish bag! 6. Provide cooking basics such as oil, seasoning, foil, cling film. 7. More crockery would reduce energy usage for the compact sized dishwasher. 8. Provide a guest feedback register to help identify maintenance needs easily after each turn-over.

Sea Beach cottage has a brilliant location only yards from the pier, beach and all local amenities.

Neil the owner is very helpful and goes out of his way to help you. He is readily at hand by phone throughout the visit as well. The cottage is homely, warm and cosy and the kitchen is very well equipped with modern appliances and well stocked for self caterers like ourselves. This IS a very old cottage and Neil is in the process of further updating and replenishing it and in time it will be of the very highest standard but it is still currently a work in progress. From the outside it is pretty and welcoming and we had a really pleasant stay here - although we are looking forward to returning again once the refurbishments have all been carried out. Neil is a hard working owner and there are lots of nice touches in the decor including some nice art work on the walls. He is a caring man. Parking is not easy but there is a very secure NCP CAR PARK fairly close by that offers secure parking at a charge or you can grab a space on the road outside - when it becomes free - and then leave your car in situ for the duration of your stay! - Alternatively leave the car at home and go by train as the station is in walking distance - say 20 mins away. We recommend this cottage which is ideal for up to a maximum of 4 adults or a standard family. Children will also love the location - which is probably its outstanding advantage over very very few similar places in Eastbourne! It really is a seafront location and handy for ALL amenities. At the moment it is not “Bijou luxury” - but it is a lovely place to wind down in an enjoy the pleasures of delightful Eastbourne . Thank you Neil for a lovely and attentive week! KR

Everyone we needed was in the cottage, we managed to find a parking slot but this could prove difficult if moved daily, as very few came available.

Unloading car could be difficult if no spaces. House in need of some tlc, as smelt damp and on examation could see why. Settees uncomfortable, as so low. On a positive note, the fantastic weather made up for a lovely weekend and its proximity was fantastic. Owner responded quickly to queries.

We had a lovely stay in Eastbourne.

Very sweet little house, the owner is also very friendly and accomodating. Would definitely return to stay for another vacation. Home is well equipped, and perfect for a family of 4. (This is an old town house, so do not expect very high levels of luxury. The home is lovely, but old homes have their upkeep. This is part of the charme.)

Neil was quick to help us with a problem with one of the single beds after our first night.

He also let me know that the decorators would be coming on Sunday to paint the outside and he hoped this wouldn’t be a problem. I replied that it was ok with us. However, in the end the decorators were working at the cottage all week starting at. 8 in the morning. I have absolutely no complaints about the decorators. They were friendly, courteous and did their best not to disturb us. But they started at 8 in the morning and had to do some quite noisy work which was a bit disturbing for those sleeping in the front bedroom. They had a scaffold up which meant there was a decorator scraping and painting at the upstairs window. Again I have no complaint about the decorators. They had a job to do. However, I think it would have been courteous if Neil had let us know that they would be there all week. Also they asked to use the toilet because they couldn’t get access to next door, Sea Beach House, which they normally are able to use. My complaint is that Neil should have let us know that our holiday would be compromised for the whole week. Not just one day.

Positives Location.

Close to shops, stones throw from the beach. This section of beach is dog friendly. Bus and train very easy walking distance. Upstairs and downstairs showers. Lots of takeaways and restaurants within walking distance Negatives. Arrived and nowhere to park. On road parking very limited and narrow. House frontage very dilapidated and dirty. Paint peeling off doors and windows, window frames rotten. Did not bode well for what’s inside. Got a text with a different key code to the email. This was wrong, then had to trawl through emails to find correct code. House inside was very dirty, dusty, cobwebs, washing up still in dishwasher. Said to take off shoes indoors, floor was so sticky we decided not to! Paint peeling off walls, and plaster falling down behind the wallpaper leaving little piles all around the skirting boards. Freezer compartment in fridge drastically needs defrosting plus looks like a popsicle had exploded in there, looking like a murder scene. All furniture, including double bed are very tired and uncomfortable. Gap completely all round front door, so quite noisy and drafty. Also not very secure. Not sure when shower drains were last emptied, but the water was up to my ankles when I had finished my shower, had a look under the drain, disgusting, not putting my hand down there! Cord on sash window upstairs broken so unable to open window, in this heat this was not good, plus which I guess is a fire hazard. Back yard! A very small square of broken concrete full of weeds, not very inviting, and due to house location directly onto footpath, no outside private space. On departure we got the hoover out and it was full! Not only that the brushes didn’t work, only suction, so no wonder the house was in such a state! This property is in need of a massive renovation, and general overhaul. Although the beach near the cottage is dog friendly, we struggled to find a restaurant that allowed dogs in and not being allowed to leave dogs unattended in the property struggled to find somewhere to eat out in the evening, luckily the weather was good so we managed to eat outside, although some places did not even allow that with dogs. Sorry for tirade but this was not a cheap property and we were left disappointed and feel you should know what to expect.

Sea Beach Cottage Ref 1127983 June 4thth 2023 2 star rating.

First the Positive The house is as you see on line. Nice equipment lounge kitchen bath & bed rooms etc. Perfect position 50 yds. from beach 10 min walk to pier & 15min walk to town centre. Negative I gave two star rating. Kitchen 13amp socket came off the wall after unplugging our coffee machine Air filter over cooker brown grease stains (well over due for both cleaning & changing) Container for cutlery to drain by sink had rusted away at the bottom. Not sure if the windows have been cleaned this year but the sea gulls have found them. The wooden floor throughout the ground floor was sticky, when you walked on it you feel & hear your feet / slippers peeling of it. The waste bin had green mildew / grease all around the top. The outside table & four chairs you can forget apart from again had not been cleaned at all, they were filthy they on within four walls probably 6ft x15ft Front Bedroom Could not open window as the sash cord had snapped. General comment The house at first glance looked ok but after unpacking ect you noticed the house was far from clean. It had been wiped over but not CLEANED. The whole house is in urgent need of a DEEP CLEAN General maintenance is far from adequate Contact I did contact the No in information book spoke to a man Neil. He said he was in London & would try to get somebody round to fix things. My response was thank you but I am on holiday and would not be staying in waiting around for somebody to come around. I have no idea if Neil was the owner A Sykes maintenance man or what. We spoke a couple of times during the week but we were leaving on the Friday & he said that it would all be fixed after we had gone. If the house had been clean & well maintained I would have given it a five star rating. George