The Birch Hotel in Haywards Heath is ready to host you this Christmas, from a festive afternoon tea with family, to party nights that take the headache out of planning the office Christmas party. The venue also boasts 51 onsite bedrooms and an ideal location, close to major roads and a train station.
Independently owned and long established in Mid Sussex, you'll find The Birch Hotel sitting close to Haywards Heath town centre, offering easy access to a commuter-friendly train line. It also lies in close proximity to the A23 and M23, both of which offer connections towards Brighton, Gatwick Airport and London.
For 2026, The Birch Hotel has devised a whole festive programme covering everything from daytime get-togethers to full-on party nights. If a festive lunch is on the cards, the hotel is running seasonal lunchtime menus, with two- or three-course options featuring dishes such as broccoli and Stilton soup, traditional roast turkey and white chocolate panna cotta. For an elegant festive afternoon tea, special menus have also been developed with finger sandwiches, warm fruit scones, Christmas cake, lemon drizzle cake and macarons.
For bigger office celebrations or groups of friends, the festive party nights are the main event. Running on selected dates from late November through December, they combine dinner with music and lively entertainment from 7pm until midnight. Accommodation can be added, which turns the night into much more of an occasion and makes the hotel particularly practical for groups travelling from different parts of Sussex.
As for the party menu, starters include chicken liver pâté, salmon gravlax and rainbow beetroot carpaccio, followed by mains such as slow-braised feather blade of beef with Yorkshire pudding and red-wine jus, traditional roast turkey with pigs in blankets and stuffing, pan-fried sea bass, or a vegan risotto verde. Desserts include Christmas pudding, white chocolate panna cotta and apple and forest fruit crumble.
Additional seasonal events include a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day lunch, plus a New Year’s Eve four-course dinner and dance for anyone wanting to stretch the celebrations right through to next year.