The Relais Cooden Beach and Spa

Hotels
•
Classic British Hotels
8.2 (1694 reviews)
Cooden Beach, Cooden Sea Rd , Bexhill , GB
+44 1424 842281

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Fitness center
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Heating
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent seaside/beachfront location
Friendly, helpful staff
Good/excellent breakfast
Clean rooms and spa
Some lovely, homely rooms
Cons:
No lift and many stairs
Tired/outdated decor and carpets
Some small rooms and limited storage
Small spa/gym and limited lounge/bar space
Occasional noise (squeaky floors) and isolated maintenance issues
Perception of being overpriced by some guests

Categories

Cleanliness
8.6
Generally praised: multiple guests noted rooms and spa as very clean; overall cleanliness considered a strong point despite some dated decor.
Service
9
Frequent comments about friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff; several guests singled out reception and restaurant staff for positive service.
Location
9.2
Outstanding seaside/beachfront location and proximity to the station repeatedly highlighted as a primary reason for staying.
Room Quality
7.6
Mixed: some rooms described as lovely and homely, others small, tired or with maintenance issues (squeaky floors, broken hair dryer, limited storage).
Amenities
7
Mixed/limited: spa described as immaculate but very small, gym small, no proper bar or comfortable lounge in some reports, and no lift which affects accessibility.
Value for Money
7.2
Mixed perceptions: breakfast seen as good value, but several guests felt rooms or overall offer were overpriced relative to state of decor and facilities.
Food and Beverage
8.6
Generally positive: breakfast frequently praised (varied choices, good quality); some minor criticisms about individual meal portions or quality but overall strong.
Overall Experience
8.4
Mostly positive short breaks and stays thanks to location and service, tempered by dated areas, accessibility issues and some variability in room quality.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:26

Property Description

Directly on the Beach

The Relais Cooden Beach in Bexhill, East Sussex is a unique award-winning hotel located directly on the beach. Just take a step from the terrace to start a wonderful walk along the coastline!

Stylish Accommodation and Dining Experiences

Offering a range of accommodation and dining experiences, including the Stylish Rally Bar and Restaurant. With no roads to cross, relaxation by the beach is just steps away. Enjoy stunning views while indulging in delicious meals after a day out, a wedding, or a conference.

Luxurious Refurbished Rooms and New Dining Concepts

Following a redesign, all 45 rooms, including five new Veranda Suites with private terraces, have been entirely refurbished. The hotel now features new public spaces and dining concepts, reflecting a relaxed yet sophisticated style. The Rally Bar and Restaurant, Beach Terrace, and Cafe Bar offer various dining options for guests.

Book now to experience the perfect blend of luxury and relaxation at The Relais Cooden Beach in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.

Important information:

Guests may only book up to 4 bedrooms at any one time. Any Bookings exceeding 4 bedrooms will not be accepted.


Gym access is complimentary for the property guests only.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: LGW

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 1694 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.6
Service: 9
Location: 9.2
Room Quality: 7.6
Amenities: 7
Value for Money: 7.2
Food and Beverage: 8.6
Overall Experience: 8.4
M
Maximilian • solo_traveller • at
10
2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
S
Simon • couple • gb
10
Great break in a very characterful hotel.
Pros:

Location and view right on the sea.

Cons:

Nothing to dislike

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
D
David • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Lovely position right next to the beach. Friendly and helpful staff. Breakfast.

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • couple • gb
10
2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
P
Peter Alfred • solo_traveller • gb
7
Apart from the function,not a lot to write home about ,would not stay again.
Pros:

We were there for a Masonic ladies festival,the facilities were good

Cons:

Over priced. Room was small, a rout March to get to the room as there is no lift ,no drawers to put clothes in ,no dressing table of sort for ladies to sit and do their makeup,Hair dryer was not working properly,nor the remote for the television.food was average.

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
M
Miranda • couple • gb
10
Long weekend
Pros:

Location
Friendly staff
Good food
Lovely rooms

Cons:

Bar area could of been a bit bigger or perhaps a larger lounge area

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
S
stuart • couple • gb
5
Pleasant enough but falls short of a 4* hotel.
Pros:

Cleanliness was very good - the staff were pleasant and helpful.

Cons:

The hotel hasn't changed for years. Reception remains just a couple of tables in the middle of a room. Decoration/flooring is poor and hugely outdated. There isn't a proper bar to sit in. There is no comfortable lounge. The rooms are clean but not particularly comfortable and look/feel like an old style B&B. We visited to Spa but didn't use it. It looked nice and was immaculate but is tiny. If this sad hotel was not by the sea, there would be no reason to stay there.

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
G
Gareth • couple • gb
10
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
R
Rebecca • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Beautiful location very lovely room staff are really friendly

2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
C
Claire • couple • gb
9
2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
C
Claire • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Great friendly staff and super service with delicious food.

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
L
Lesley • couple • gb
8
Comfortable and enjoyable
Pros:

The hotel is in a lovely location, right near the station with easy access to Bexhill.
Staff friendly and helpful

Cons:

Not really a dislike, we stayed in room 702, we were kept awake by the guest upstairs walking round on a squeaky floorboard from 3am, reported it to reception in the morning, all we got was a sorry for that. We did report it again on departure and the lady kindly waived our restaurant bill for one night of our stay, this was much appreciated.

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
B
Bloggs56 • extended_group • gb
10
2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
A
Andrew • couple • gb
8
Excellent weekend even though the weather was terrible.
Pros:

Room was a bit cold but was warm enough by the second night
Breakfast was excellent plenty of choices and reasonably priced.
Friendly knowledgable staff.

Cons:

I could not say

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
K
Karen • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Beach

Cons:

No buses

2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
S
SC 42 • couple • gb
7
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Bit tired...carpets need replacing.

2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
E
Enzo • couple • it
9
Conserveremo un buon ricordo
Pros:

Hotel accogliente, personale gentile e disponibile, stile British tradizionale, posizione del hotel vicino alla stazione del treno, si raggiunge in un minuto!

Cons:

Vista della camera non piacevole

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
V
Vicky • couple • gb
8
Peaceful coastal break.
Pros:

Super beach location.
Family room large with children’s room separate so great especially for older children.
Modern bathroom.
Outdoor terrace on beach.
Great breakfast.
Lovely walks
Pretty decor
Cheery, friendly, kind staff

Cons:

Only minor but…Spa only included if book direct. This is stated but still a shame. Gym quite small.

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
A
Alan • couple • gb
8
Comfortable, staff very friendly and quite central for our requirements.
Pros:

Great view; easy to find; plenty of private parking

Cons:

No fridge in room

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
J
Jane • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Loved the homely feel of our room.

Cons:

One of the main courses said with watercress salad but in effect was simply one sprig of watercress.

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee