Holywell Retreat Beach
Holywell Retreat Beach
Holywell Retreat Beach
4.5
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4.5
77 reviews
Excellent
51
Very good
22
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Marian W
Eastbourne, UK3 contributions
Apr 2021
There is absolutely no doubt at all that the service, coffee and Eccles cakes are the best in Town. If you feel a little down visiting Holywell for a coffee will immediately lift your spirits and put that spring back in your step. We love it and we have visited lots of different places, this is most certainly the best. Thank you to all the staff who make it such a joy to visit.
Written 3 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard
East Sussex, UK25 contributions
Apr 2023
Our friend from Germany was in Eastbourne and always loves going to the seafront. It was her first introduction to Holywell café and we went there two days running.
The tea and scones were delicious and the service from the lovely youngsters was A1. We are so lucky to have this heavenly spot at the end of the seafront walk where not a lot of people go. We also rediscovered the Holywell which has been "renovated", a short walk along the beach a little further on from the café.
Holywell café is a little oasis, which we love, they still have the best Eccles cake in the world!!!
The tea and scones were delicious and the service from the lovely youngsters was A1. We are so lucky to have this heavenly spot at the end of the seafront walk where not a lot of people go. We also rediscovered the Holywell which has been "renovated", a short walk along the beach a little further on from the café.
Holywell café is a little oasis, which we love, they still have the best Eccles cake in the world!!!
Written 5 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve_of_N21
London, UK3,388 contributions
Jun 2023
Before anyone else makes an idiot of themselves by mistaking an expanse of sand for a café, like the two reviewers below, there is indeed a café adjacent to this beach which is called the Holywell Tea Chalet and has its own Trip Advisor listing under restaurants. This listing for things to do in Eastbourne is for the beach at Holywell.
Situated at the far southwest end of the Eastbourne Parade walkway, this is the quieter and more gentile end of Eastbourne. There is the beach but there is also the sunken and largely hidden Italian garden, and the larger public Helen Garden, both of which are worth a visit if you are at this end of town. The access to the beach from the Dukes Drive above is by a gradual enough winding pathway and easy to get down to the beach, but what goes down must come up. The alternative approach of walking here along the promenade from Eastbourne Pier on the other hand is completely flat.
I cannot comment on the nearby café as the other advantage of this end of Eastbourne is that you are close to The Meads, with its two fine food led pubs, The Pilot Inn and the Ship Inn. I can personally recommend both of these however.
Situated at the far southwest end of the Eastbourne Parade walkway, this is the quieter and more gentile end of Eastbourne. There is the beach but there is also the sunken and largely hidden Italian garden, and the larger public Helen Garden, both of which are worth a visit if you are at this end of town. The access to the beach from the Dukes Drive above is by a gradual enough winding pathway and easy to get down to the beach, but what goes down must come up. The alternative approach of walking here along the promenade from Eastbourne Pier on the other hand is completely flat.
I cannot comment on the nearby café as the other advantage of this end of Eastbourne is that you are close to The Meads, with its two fine food led pubs, The Pilot Inn and the Ship Inn. I can personally recommend both of these however.
Written 19 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel In Hope
London, UK4 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Pros
- Particularly at the western end the water was crystal clear
- Super close to Eastbourne town itself
- Quieter than the main beach areas
Cons
- Getting down to the beach: the final steps down from the path leading down from behind St Bede’s School are dangerous if you have a toddler under 4 - you will have to carry them the last 70 steps or so, down properly steep stairs/steps. I wouldn’t do it again if I could choose not to (I.e. carrying a child). Take the longer route down to the beach via the Cafe.
- locals will know this but don’t expect to be rockpooling unless you are close to low tide.
We were glad we...
- Visited this end of the beach, as you get a little sense of an older perhaps lost part of the town (the Cafe building has a wonderful pre-war feel to it even now, in the best sense)
- Got to appreciate the beautiful water
In hindsight...
- We wouldn’t have taken the steps down with small children!
Overall
- A fun outing
- Particularly at the western end the water was crystal clear
- Super close to Eastbourne town itself
- Quieter than the main beach areas
Cons
- Getting down to the beach: the final steps down from the path leading down from behind St Bede’s School are dangerous if you have a toddler under 4 - you will have to carry them the last 70 steps or so, down properly steep stairs/steps. I wouldn’t do it again if I could choose not to (I.e. carrying a child). Take the longer route down to the beach via the Cafe.
- locals will know this but don’t expect to be rockpooling unless you are close to low tide.
We were glad we...
- Visited this end of the beach, as you get a little sense of an older perhaps lost part of the town (the Cafe building has a wonderful pre-war feel to it even now, in the best sense)
- Got to appreciate the beautiful water
In hindsight...
- We wouldn’t have taken the steps down with small children!
Overall
- A fun outing
Written 8 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sightingsarah
Lendava, Slovenia1,676 contributions
Mar 2019
Another lovely pebble beach to explore. This one has a nice backdrop for some cool pictures. It's a nice place to explore.
Written 25 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lordcharles
Schwaig bei Nuernberg, Germany60 contributions
Sept 2019
Walk along the cyclist free promenade from Eastbourne for a change of scenery and quietness all around. Only the gulls and the beating of the waves and once again lots of seating possibilities.
Written 21 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SIMON R
London, UK80 contributions
Aug 2019
Its a nice sheltered walk from Eastbourne with plenty of benches to stop off. Its very steep once u get to Holywell as this leads up to Beachy Head start.The little train stops there from town if u dont fancy walking. Nice cafe there to cool off.once u get to Helen gardens its beginning of beachy head so u can get a glimpse once u climb the hill. its another steep mile to reach the main section. Its 1.5mile each way from town if u like walking.
Written 29 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gerrygstockport
Stockport, UK73 contributions
Jul 2019
We walked along the lower promenade to it. The cafe is very good. Holywell is the terminus of the land train so could be useful
Written 28 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sheepygold
london5,503 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
This beach is right at the far Western end of the promenade. I have found more sand here in the past and it is much quieter than near the pier. The Dotto land train departs from here once an hour. The cafe is very nice but the toilets here are not. You can walk further West along the beach towards Beachy Head but check the tides on the information board to avoid being cut off.
Written 27 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mark p
Eastbourne, UK19 contributions
Jan 2018 • Family
This is a lovely part of the Eastbourne seafront, which is always surprisingly quiet. In front of the zig-zagging path/road up to the splendid Italian Gardens that host the open air theatre productions in the balmy summer months. This is the beech huts and single café near the beech end. It always seems a bit special to us and is the favoured end when we go out as a young family. (It's also the end where the beech cleaners get organised from.) And where, from time to time I see the occasional lizard soaking up the rays.
If you can I would walk the four miles or so along the promenade so you pass the beeched fishing boats, the Redoubt fortress, the Pier and the bandstand and then wander into the café for a hot or cold beverage and snack. The Dotto train will carry you there and back but you don't soak up the sense of time and place sitting, and you wont feel you have deserved your tasty treat in quite the same way.
If you can I would walk the four miles or so along the promenade so you pass the beeched fishing boats, the Redoubt fortress, the Pier and the bandstand and then wander into the café for a hot or cold beverage and snack. The Dotto train will carry you there and back but you don't soak up the sense of time and place sitting, and you wont feel you have deserved your tasty treat in quite the same way.
Written 23 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is Meads area of Eastbourne a good place to stay?
Written 10 January 2018
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