Name: The Lookout in Rye
Address: East Cliff, Rye, TN31 7LD, GB

8/10

Excellent

28 Jul 2026

barbara

Location is verry central to all the lovely things that Rye has to offer - the view from our room (at the top of the hotel) was spectacular. Although the room was top floor, and the temperature was hot, the fan supplied did a good job of keeping the room cool.
We met two different members of staff who went above and beyond to help us and this made the stay.

There are some rooms that have been renovated and other areas, (the hallway and stairs) that are yet to be done and appear to look tired and in need of a refurb too.

Breakfast was well organised and food was of good quality with a range to choose from.

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jul 2026

Jill

Only stayed one night, however have stayed overnight in the past. It is a lovely place with super staff.
And Rye is dripping with history (and good pubs)

8/10

Excellent

25 Jul 2026

Peter

The staff were friendly and helpful. Our room had been recently decorated. The hotel itself is very old and dilapidated.

8/10

Excellent

21 Jul 2026

Nicholas

Lovely lounge areas/breakfast room. Our bathroom was looking very tired.
Comfy bed.
Bring back the swimming pool!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Robert

Perfect location & lovely team. Check-in plus the terrace bar were perfect - we used the terrace when we arrived and for an early morning coffee before breakfast,

No room service or evening meals, but we’re didn’t need either. A huge range of eating options within 5-10 minutes walk.

Apart from strolling around Rye, we also drove to Rye Harbour (free car park there) and walked to the Discovery Centre and the sea.

Note that for the hotel car park you pay £10.00 per day and this needs to be done via the Ringgo app. We received a very clear email on parking instructions before we arrived.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2026

Claire

Helpful staff , welcoming , nice location

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Jul 2026

Jon

As one can tell from the photos, this is a beautiful lodge in the old city. It's perched on a cliff overlooking the lowlands and the harbor off in the distance. The staff were always helpful and friendly. The breakfast menu, while limited, offered a fine variety of options, all well prepared. The only factor that keeps this rating from 5-stars is that the building lacks an elevator and stairs to upper floors are narrow and steep, the carpet is threadbare, and the walls require repair and re-painting. (The staff assured us that such repairs are forthcoming.) One would expect better upkeep, given the rates charged. That said, we'd go back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2026

Megan

Lovely staff and perfect place to relax!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

Aklass

I stayed for one day with my daughter we were impressed with room it was a very nice room with a terrace . The location was great , it was only about 20 mins by bus from Rye station to the Camber sand beach. The breakfast was amazing it was intercontenent, the gay who served us was so polite and helpful and the rest of staff too. Will be nice if they change the hotel carpet otherwise its highly recommended.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

sarah

We love coming here, Alex as always makes us really welcome and it is always a pleasure seeing him.
The french guy at breakfast too is always friendly and the food i find is always good and cooked really well and the buffet is enough for our needs.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

Adele

My second stay at this hotel- it didn’t disappoint. Great location, good sized bedrooms nicely furnished. Excellent breakfast.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2026

Danny

Very well positioned in the centre of Rye, with good value Ringo parking to the rear. Good common room facilities; dining, bar, terrace and reception.
Hotel and room very clean with good quality selection of toiletry products, towels etc.
Comfy bed and bedding. Plus a great table fan that was needed of a record breaking hot day/night
Hotel only let slightly down with tried decor needs a bit of decorative TLC and some fixture and fitting updates.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jun 2026

Steven

No help with getting our suitcases up to the top floor which is no good when you’re disabled room was far too hot you couldn’t breathe in there???apart from that ok

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

21 Jun 2026

michelle

The hotel was in a good location and had ample parking. However the hotel is looking very tired with worn carpets, cracked mirrors and rooms in the need of decorating. Bedroom walls were very thin so you could hear tvs and conversations in other rooms. The cooked breakfast was nice but the continental breakfast was very basic.
Overall our stay was comfortable but the room was vey overpriced

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

20 Jun 2026

Pam

We stayed one night so it’s hard to judge. It was fine for what we wanted. The staff were polite and obliging. The breakfast was very good. Value for money ( the bathroom was small)

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Jun 2026

Nicola

We had a lovely, comfortable room (6) with a nice view but the air-conditioning was either not working or ineffective.
The breakfasts were great and the Happy Hour prices at the bar good. We were disappointed that the bar closed early yesterday and we couldn't get a \"half time\" refill. It wasn't open at all Tuesday evening because of staff sickness but we were made aware of that.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Julie

We arrived on bicycles to a very warm welcome. The staff member showed us to a locked room where our bikes would be stored safely overnight. Our room, a small double was cosy but very comfortable. The hotel is in the centre of Rye with easy access to many pubs, and restaurants, we visited two micro brewery pubs - Waterworks, and Garage Culture Brewing Co. There was a great selection of breakfast items including cooked options. Thank you, we look forward to a return visit.

Partner

4/10

Poor

14 Jun 2026

Darren

First appearance when arriving in the car park were not good. Pealing paint and a general unkempt condition. Staff were helpful, breakfast ok and generally quite clean but the condition of walls, paintwork, bathroom grouting was appalling. Rear exit to car park was a disgrace. Room was a good size and the bedding was a high quality as were the towels but overall, I’m unsure how they can charge almost £200 per night

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Jun 2026

Jerry

Very helpful staff and a good breakfast.

The hotel was clean but the building , furnishings and decor are very tired and dated.

It was once a lovely hotel but now needs a lot of money spent on it .

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Jun 2026

Sophie

Staff were friendly, breakfast was hot and nice.
Lovely old hotel that needs some care. It is a shame the pool is no longer in use.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Jun 2026

Millie

The room was a good size, the beds were comfy all in all a very pleasant stay! Very well located aswell! Would recommend

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2026

Rebecca

Thanks for a great stay!

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Andrew

Like -Terrace for evening drinks
Not liked- no air conditioning

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2026

Yvonne

Great location for exploring Rye.Friendly staff.Had a spacious room on the ground floor.
Good breakfast.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 May 2026

Lindsay

Tired room reasonably clean breakfast ok beautiful views lots of stairs

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

28 May 2026

Tracey

Good location in Rye and we managed to utilise the hotel parking.
However, the building and the bedrooms need some money spent on them, for general maintenance and updating (and fixing the rooms).
The single staff member we saw was great but wouldn't hurt for them to have extra help in peak check-in and breakfast times.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2026

Lorraine

Breakfast was nice,but if you have a later sitting. You won't get as much choice. Not much fruit and no croissants. They did not replenish for later breakfasts. But very nice full English.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Ed

Had a great stay at the lookout. Some of the decor is a bit dated in places. But when it was done was done to a very high standard so has worn well.

The hotel has benefit of parking which is charged at £10 a day. This compares well to costs of public car parks in Rye. Definitely worth it for the convenience.

Room was large and airy and well cleaned. Will be bsck

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2026

Bernardo Lu-Tsu

The staff is great, very friendly and helpful. The main downside is that the property lack of maintenance and the furniture, curtains, toilets, etc are really old. They should refurbish common areas and old rooms.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2026

Mike

Staff were helpful, good location. Good choice for breakfast.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

20 May 2026

Nicholas

Overall great the room was clean and really nice. Overall would recommend.

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2026

Mark

Had a great stay , great location and breakfast was amazing

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

07 May 2026

Lesley

Our room was not very clean
The entire property needs to be refurbished
Staff were friendly

8/10

Excellent

03 May 2026

Sarah

The Lookout is in a great central location with a good sized car park, which you have to pay for separately. There is a bar behind the reception desk where we bought a drink. Our room was large and the bed clean and comfortable, but everything looked a bit tired- the cushions were stained and the curtains had a few holes. The bathroom was also large but dated. The breakfast was good and the hot items were well cooked. I would stay again, but I feel that a few updates are needed.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2026

matthew

Good room, nice breakfast. Very quiet in the evenings. Lovely stay

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Apr 2026

George

Excellent staff and ideal location make this stay a good choice.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2026

Tom

Don’t be put off by the poor condition of the exterior of the hotel - common areas and bedrooms recently refurbished. Excellent value and breakfast is cooked to order.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2026

Paul

We had a room on top floor which was very comfortable. Good cooked breakfast with buffet continental . Parking at rear of hotel was handy £10 extra. Would use again. Staff great.

Friends

4/10

Poor

19 Apr 2026

Wayne

Didn’t have breakfast as you need to book a time the night before when I came back in the evening no staff to book it with so didn’t get breakfast

8/10

Excellent

13 Apr 2026

Glenda

Excellent location, rooms clean, staff very friendly, breakfast delicious

Family

8/10

Excellent

13 Apr 2026

Alexis

The room was very comfy. Breakfast was lovely, good selection of both hot and cold food. Staff very friendly and helpful.

Friends

4/10

Poor

11 Apr 2026

Kathryn

We recently stayed at this hotel and had a mixed experience. The breakfast was excellent, with a great choice of foods, and the service from the staff throughout our stay was genuinely outstanding.

Unfortunately, the bedrooms and en-suite facilities were very dated and in need of a thorough clean and modernisation. We were disappointed on arrival, although the staff did change our room without any trouble. The second room had a slightly larger bed, but the overall standard still fell well below the expectations set by the photos on the website.

The bar and breakfast room have clearly been refurbished and look beautiful, but from the stairs upwards the hotel is in real need of some TLC. The stair carpet is threadbare, and there are visible cracks in the walls, ripped wallpaper, dirty paintwork, and thick dust in several areas.

The staff and breakfast were definite highlights, but the accommodation and general upkeep let the experience down.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2026

Catherine

Room was charming and clean, breakfast was delicious, staff were friendly and helpful.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

09 Apr 2026

John

The location is good and staff were very nice. The room was a good size but very tired!! Dusty with cobwebs , paintwork chipped badly and the bathroom had rusty handles and in poor condition. The balcony was quite honestly filthy!!! Disappointing as the pictures do not match what you actually get!!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Apr 2026

David

.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Apr 2026

Clive

Enjoyable stay breakfast in the morning was very good

Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Apr 2026

Gertrude

I never book for included breakfasts because that is a good way to

8/10

Excellent

31 Mar 2026

Robert

Pleasent breakfast, good location with its car park - though its a tenner per day - rooms feal very tired, could do with a freshen up. Specially the carpets and the bathrooms.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Mar 2026

Laraine

Breakfast was very plentiful and tasty and the two for one happy he with cheese and biscuits was a pleasant surprise.

Wasn’t aware we needed to pay £10 for parking however. Room very spacious but was feeezing. No hearing has been put on before our arrival and we had to sit in our coats for ages before it warmed up. Very good location for visiting town on foot

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

Gillian

We had a lovey stay at the hotel, staff were very friendly and helpful and it was the perfect location! We highly recommend

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Simon

W

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Ian

Amazing breakfast and staff were very nice and called us so we could get in earlier. Our room was on the top floor and looked out over Romney Marsh. Rye is stunning with lots to see and the hotel is at the bottom of the high street near the medieval arch

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Andy

The staff were very friendly and welcoming.The room was well stocked and clean.Breakfast was good, with an impressive iPad linked drinks machine.Hotel was situated in the middle of Rye with numerous independent shops,pubs and restaurants nearby to compliment the beautiful little town.

Family

8/10

Excellent

27 Mar 2026

David

Unfortunately we had to cut our stay short as I was unwell.
We left immediately after my wife had breakfast on our first morning. She only had cereal and toast as we were keen to get away. I was rather sad to have to leave early as I remember the hotel when it was a boys’ primary school having lived the first 18 years of my life as a resident of Rye.

Family

8/10

Excellent

20 Mar 2026

Tony

ideal position,1min walk to high street,very close to bars and resturants

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Mar 2026

Jennie

The hotel is looking a little tired now and could do with redecorating. We arrived a little early for check in, but reception was unmanned. We waited about 15 minutes and pressed the buzzer 3 times but no one materialised.
The room was cleaned well apart from a glass being smashed in the bathroom, when we got back there were still several shards of glass on the floor which were dangerous in a bathroom.
The hotel’s location is excellent and close to restaurants and shops.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2026

Sandra

Good location, very central. Impressed, liked it even better than more expensive “sister” hotel (quieter). Good breakfast included in the price. Nice outdoor space for a drink or breakfast on a nice day. Will go back there for sure!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

JULIE

We love this hotel.
The staff are friendly and the location is great for spending time in our favourite place Rye.
Some rooms require updating but they are clean with comfy beds and breakfast is great.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2026

Jill

Great spot

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2026

David

Convenient parking at rear of the hotel via Ringo app. Staff friendly and excellent breakfast.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2026

Lindsey

Lovely room, beautifully decorated. Comfy bed. Breakfast was delicious. I have gluten and dairy alergies and the staff were able to provide a full breakfast for me. Friendly staff, great location. Will stay again. Thank you.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2026

Julie

View from hotel room was fabulous

10/10

Exceptional

27 Feb 2026

Philip

Lovely little hotel. Staff were helpful, kind and considerate. The hotel is in a great location for walking around Rye and the car park was easily accessible, albeit £10.30 a day quite expensive. We stayed in room 7, large and comfortable with a large en-suite. Although needed updating, along with the communal areas which could do with a lick of paint and new carpet. Overall a good hotel with a great breakfast.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Feb 2026

Helen

We had a fantastic weekend. Our room was warm and cosy - but what really makes it is the staff. Nothing was too much trouble. We’re planning on returning soon.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Feb 2026

Charlotte

Everything went smoothly. Lovely room with bath overlooking the front. Good breakfast. Will be back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2026

Beth

We loved the location of the Lookout - right in the heart of Rye. The room was comfortable and quiet. Parking was very convenient and easy to pay for with the RingGo app and we didn't have any trouble finding a space. All the staff we met were very friendly and helpful. Thanks for a lovely stay.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2026

Deborah

Such a warm friendly welcome.
Was given a free upgrade.
The room was lovely and spacious, clean and bright. Lovely amenities in the bathroom and in the room.
The room rate included breakfast. We decided to have a long lay in so can’t comment on this.
My Husband and I would like to thank you all the staff for such a wonderful day

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2026

Debbie

The room was clean and had everything you could need, very comfortable king-size bed, bathroom bit dated/tired, excellent breakfast, very friendly helpful staff. Dinner is at an adjacent pub property 5 minute walk if you need it. Would recommend a stay here.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Feb 2026

James

Everything was fantastic

6/10

Pleasant

17 Feb 2026

Oriana

The hotel looked lovely and was in a great location, our room was very spacious. However there were some downsides, there was a lot of dust and leftover socks under our bed. Additionally, we had major issues with the food service. The avocado on toast was actually pre made guacamole spread on toast, not smashed avocado - it was inedible. The tea & coffee machine was not working and I noticed that the milk spout constantly dripped meaning dairy milk was dripping into my partner's drink who is allergic to dairy. This is not great as it's not allergen requirements.

10/10

Exceptional

16 Feb 2026

sarah

This is our go to hotel in Rye now and as usual we had a lovely stay. What stands out is the staff here. The guy on reception is always so friendly and welcoming and the guy at breakfast was really helpful, I wish I knew their names. Our room was decorated really nice, a very comfortable bed and lots of teas and coffee to choose from. We will be back thank you!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2026

Asanka

Great central location, nice breakfast, private paid parking and overall very reasonably priced. However, some of the decor needed refreshing such as some worn stair carpets and moss on window frames none of which detracted from us enjoying our stay at the hotel.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Feb 2026

Doug

spotless room. Comfortable bed

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Feb 2026

betsy

Customer service was top notch although short staff ( holiday weekend). Room was great!! Loved the tea selection with biscuits was a treat.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Feb 2026

scott

Great venue brilliant staff

10/10

Exceptional

03 Feb 2026

John

Fantastic room. Staff superb, courteous and friendly. Breakfast was excellent, well presented with a great choice of food. Would stay there again.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jan 2026

Rosemary

Staff lovely and friendly. Breakfast very good. Room clean - though smaller than expected. We would stay there again!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 Jan 2026

Kyproulla

The rooms were lovely, clean and warm. The staff were friendly and helpful but it was not disable friendly, The stairs from the carpark to the hotel was too many and my mum struggled with them. The car park was also £10.30 and not 24 hours which meant you paid 3 times for 2 nights.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

18 Jan 2026

Jackie

Staff very friendly helpful and efficient.
The decor and some of the fixtures and fittings seem tired eg the curtains in the bedroom were all torn.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2026

Lynn

We stayed in a deluxe room, it was warm & clean. The bed was enormous & very comfortable. Some parts of the hotel was looking tired & could do with a paint up & the carpet in places was threadbare.
The two male staff members working on reception & at breakfast were fantastic & were very helpful.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2026

Bob

Room was clean and well equipped

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2026

Sharron

Lovely cosy room booked very last minute. Staff are so welcoming. Really nice breakfast.

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2026

Mike

Lovely old building , lovely friendly staff and great breakfast - The hotel is ‘tired’ and could do with some investment to get it up to scratch as Rye is wonderful town and could easily take another high end hotel … you would get your investment back in no time

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2026

Neil

Another comfortable stay at the Look Out. Really welcoming and attentive staff, clean well-equipped rooms and an excellent breakfast. Some areas of the hotel are tired (e.g. stair carpets), but overall would thoroughly recommend.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Lailus

yes, it was nice

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Sandra

Clean, good sized room, friendly staff, good breakfast choices and location.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Gourav

Everything was great

8/10

Excellent

29 Dec 2025

scott

Room was spotless the guy on reception was helpful

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2025

Jebin

Spacious room - no pool at the property though (apparently since Covid) but hotel pics show a swimming pool.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2025

betsy

Alex was sweet and thorough , went out of his way to make our stay enjoyable with reservations for dinner and special accommodations at The George ( parent hotel). Anna and Harry at The George were likewise enjoyable at The George.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2025

Martin

Nice clean very large room and helpful staff

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

Jill

Staff went out of their way to accommodate me (surgery meant couldn't cut my food) during breakfast. Especially Tariq.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2025

Colin

Lovely clean room and comfortably warm. Unlike other hotels we have stayed in.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

18 Dec 2025

Emma

Beautiful rooms, friendly staff, great breakfast

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2025

Jamie

Room was very clean, quiet, and very comfortable. Well appointed too. Staff very helpful. Handy to have a car park on-site. Recommended.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Dec 2025

Janet

Staff very polite and friendly.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Dec 2025

JILL

Room comfy, breakfast excellent and staff very friendly

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2025

Carlee

Very welcoming staff and lovely room and breakfast. It felt very relaxed and comfortable.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Dec 2025

Francesca

We had a really lovely stay - the room was spacious, really nicely designed, fresh muted colours, with stylish details (and lots of plug sockets!), very comfortable bed, an excellent shower room, peaceful spot with lovely view, yet easy to walk into town, great staff, felt very festive and cheerful decorated for the season. parking easy to get at too and very central.

6/10

Pleasant

06 Dec 2025

Jason

We stayed for our 9th anniversary and I can only say, the hotel, whilst promising, wasn't the greatest experience.
Piles of dust under our bed - reported to reception on 1st night, it was day 3 of our stay before it was cleaned.
Noisy radiators kept us awake on 1st night, and we overslept, was 15 mins late for breakfast, and the morning receptionist had a bit of an attitude - saying something along the lines of \"if you're having breakfast tomorrow, try to actually be on time\". We ate breakfast elsewhere for the rest of our stay.
Also, we requested dressing gowns (listed in the booking description) - when we received them, they had yellowed sweat stains in the armpits.
The young lady on reception at check-in and check-out was the high point of our stay. Very professional, very polite. She informed us that she didn't actually work at the Lookout, instead she was on staff at the sister property, The George.
I have been in hospitality for over 25 years, and currently manage a property in Sussex. Aside from the young lady from The George, I was quite disappointed with our stay, and frankly disgusted that our room was so dusty, and that it took 2 days for housekeeping to get around to cleaning it properly.
Lovely location, and a lovely, very unique layout to the hotel, but other than the young lady from the George, the staff just seemed that they couldn't be bothered, and were only there to wait for quitting time.
Definitely not worth what I paid for the experience.

Leisure Partner