The Dorset is a little gem tucked away in Lewes. Our room was very clean and comfortable and the staff couldnt do enough to help. The breakfasts were excellent and there was a good selection for evening meals. We ate in the restaurant on our first night and loved the food so much, had to eat there on our second night as well. The bar was modern but still had charm. There was a great selection of Harvey's beers which were looked after well. If you're looking for a retreat from your hectic lifestyle for a few days, this is the place to kick back and relax. We've already booked our next visit!!

This is a reasnonably central B&B in a popular pub. It's not far from Cliffe High Street, at the foot of Chapel Hill. Like virtually everywhere in Lewes, parking is a problem. NCP wardens are merciless and begin prowling at 8:00am, and parking is not cheap. The Dorset Arms has no parking facilities, though several (2 hour max.) busy car parks are near. It is a friendly pub, with a very good range of beers and ciders. The food is pretty good, but a little on the pricey side (as is common in Lewes). We had a double room at the back and it was quiet and well laid-out. The fittings were good, though the mattress was a little on the "hard" side (and the TV was analogue-only-- 4 channels). The room and the en suite bath/shower were very clean. The sealant round the bath was starting to peel away (but only starting), but the bath itself was a good one. I expect we may well stay there again if we simply want to visit relatives in Lewes again.

We were in Room 3 at the front of the inn, looking over the road which was very quiet. The room was clean, spacious and decorated to a good, modern standard. There was a small portable TV set and two upholstered chairs. No bath but a good spacious shower cubicle. You took breakfast downstairs in the pub lounge. Cereal, orange juice and "full English" - it was fine. The staff at The Dorset were pleasant and professional and this includes the email communications ahead of our stay.

Lewes itself is a gem of a place. It has a real "community" feel and is smallscale. There are pubs and eateries, a castle and various little shops. At the side of the River Ouse is Harveys' Sussex Brewery which is still operational and still produces an excellent bitter which is popular throughout the county. My wife and I enjoyed a nice walk past the golf club and up onto the nearby chalk "down" which overlooks the town.

Part of our reason for staying in Lewes was to spend a day in Brighton. The day return rail fare from Lewes was just £3.90 and saved us all the hassle of parking in Brighton during its Gay Pride weekend (no I'm not!).

The worst thing about Lewes was the parking situation. The Dorset doesn't have a car park of its own and nearby streets are all "residents only" or "pay and display" - a real pain but I did find a free parking spot up Timberyard Lane - a couple of hundred yards from the inn. Anyone would think that Lewes doesn't really want any overnight visitors with its over-zealous parking regulations.

Stayed here over the bank holiday weekend.
From dealing with the initial enquiry through to welcome, serving of beers or breakfast the staff attitude was refreshing - smiling and and helpful!
The pub itself serves local ales (brewed 300 yards away!) and the menu looks great. Beware that on a Sunday they do not serve after food 5.30pm and the bar shuts sometime between 6-8pm depending on the number of customers in.
The accomodation is above the pub, and we paid an extra tenner as it was a bank holiday weekend, but at £95 for a double and £65 for a single occupancy we felt that itwas good value. The rooms were large and had been kept in reasonably good nick, and the only real gripe was the bathroom. This was dark, and with the fan not connected to the lightswitch it meant that it had that musty moldy feel with mold on the shower curtain. A shame as that was the only negative, It had hairdryer, ironing board, tv (small), the double bed was large and the room had a sofa too.
Worth a go!