We recently returned from a week long visit to the Mermaid, where we now go annually. As always, it was a delightful experience. We were especially pleased to discover that our usual room had a brand new bathroom that is just lovely. Apparently the owners are in the process of replacing all of the sinks/tubs etc. throughout the building, and doing a very nice job of it.

While we were there, my husband became quite ill and required transporation to the hospital in Hastings. The night porter was most helpful in arranging this and the owner called the hospital to check on us and offered to send a car to return us to the hotel. Everyone was very kind and supportive. The staff, as always, were efficient in every detail, as well as pleasant and helpful. We were especially charmed by Sean and Patrick in the pub and by Sam, whose love of the place is contagious. The meals were uniformly excellent. All in all, the Mermaid never disappoints; but this time, with special needs, we were especially grateful to be staying there and feeling we were among friends. We have been there as a young couple, then with children, also with aged parents, and now as seniors ourselves. On every occasion, we have been treated with great kindness and have always found the staff willing to help with any requirements. In short, we love the place and people there.

We would like to thank you all so much for making our stay so special.
In particular to the chef for attending to my wife's dietary requirements which included making a tasty gluten free loaf (not easy to achieve) an ensuring that there was plenty of flexibility in the cooking process which left far more choice than is usual when we eat out.

We also thank you for the thoughtfulness in accommodating the youngest member of our party by providing the monitor, cot and high chair.

We always feel that the Mermaid is a special place with your friendliness and attention to detail, which all in all makes it a wonderful relaxing place to be.

The Mermaid is somewhere I have wanted to stay for a long time - so I was really excited to actually be going there, Its a lovely hotel, quirky and very atmospheric. We stayed in the Nutcracker - room 5 - which is a family room with a very comfortable double bed and a single bed in one part, separated from the bathroom and another twin bedded room but a short, low beamed corridor. It's at the top of the building and the views over the rooftops of Rye are beautiful. The rooms was quiet, cosy and warm with wonderfully uneven floors and walls. It's high vaulted but some of the beams and the corridor between the two rooms are very low - I thought it was lovely but my other half who is over 6 ft tall wasn't quite so enthusiastic.

We ate in the restaurant and the special offer of £20.00 per person for the table d'hote dinner was very good - and the meal and service was everything we expected. The bar is perfect for a pre-dinner drink (there is an huge fireplace and real fire at one end) but the prices are expensive - £4.50 for pint of real ale.

All in all it was a good stay. All the staff are lovely - helpful and friendly. Parking is easy and the hotel is right in the centre of the gorgeous old town of Rye.

On the negative side. The decor is just a little tired - especially in the bathrooms. It's a beautiful building - but in some places (bathrooms especially) it feels like it's had its heyday in the 1980's and not quite moved on from that,

I would go back (and after having a look at Doctor Symes bedchamber would love to stay in that room - it's was very atmospheric but also warm and inviting).

The Mermaid is an ideal spot for a cold winter's night - the open fire in the bar makes that part feel quite magical. No ghosts to report but an intruiging building with lots of character and atmosphere.

We were able to book the room for £140 (which I think was a special offer) - I perhaps would not have been so happy if I had paid over £200 - but at that price, plus the special offer for dinner, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Mermaid.

We have wanted to stay at The Mermaid for years since we had a dinner there which was really fantastic. Anyway, this weekend we did it. The hotel is one of a kind. Do not go there if you need air-con a fitness suite and a pool because they were not part of what happened in the 14th Century! The room we had (Fleur de Lys) was lovely with windows on two walls and a four poster bed. The bed was very comfortable and we felt like royalty! The service was helpful, friendly and unobtrusive, and although we did not rate the dinner as 5 out of 5 (see seperate review) everything else about the hotel was a lovely experience. To stay in such an old and beautiful building was very exciting, and that is what you pay top prices for - and you are paying top prices. I look forward to another excuse to splash out and go back.