Afternoon tea at The Grand Hotel Eastbourne offers a traditional, coastal-leaning experience set within one of the town’s most recognisable Victorian hotels. Overlooking the seafront, guests can expect a classic British tea service with a refined but relaxed tone centred on familiar flavours and careful presentation rather than reinvention. It’s not just traditional either, you’ll find adaptations from an entirely savoury afternoon tea to menus that include Champagne and sparkling wine.
Inside, the setting reflects the hotel’s grand heritage. High ceilings, chandeliers and ornate marble detailing sit alongside neatly dressed tables and crisp linen. There’s a gentle bustle throughout the room, particularly at peak times, but it never feels rushed. Large windows draw in natural light and frame views of the promenade, reinforcing the hotel’s traditional seaside character.
The classic afternoon tea menu at The Grand Eastbourne features finger sandwiches such as honey roasted ham, smoked salmon with cream cheese, cheddar with black onion seed chutney, and cucumber with cream cheese. These sit alongside mini savoury quiches, followed by freshly baked fruit and plain scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve. The final tier is made up of seasonal pastries that rotate and change based on what’s available, and a selection of teas, coffee and herbal infusions is available throughout, with an emphasis on classic blends.
Alongside the standard afternoon tea menu, The Grand Hotel Eastbourne serves a savoury menu complete with items like spring onion and Red Leicester scones with chive cream cheese, homemade sausage rolls, goat cheese quiche and fruit flapjack. For younger guests, a junior afternoon tea offers simpler sandwiches, scones and a mix of homemade treats such as brownies, marshmallow skewers and fruit jelly, which appeals to all little tastes.
For those wanting something more celebratory, the Champagne afternoon tea pairs the full traditional menu with a glass of Canard-Duchêne Brut, while a non-alcoholic sparkling tea option caters to non-drinkers.