The Zanzibar hotel has been given five stars for Rye hotels too, given it’s proximity to the cinque ports town near by.  And when better to visit than during the Rye Bay scallop festival.  This runs from February 25th until March 4th 2012 and the town will be a throng of sea food lovers!  The brilliant restaurants will be showing off their gourmet talents with up to a million scallops over the course of the week and it really is an event not to be missed!  The Zanzibar is a 15 minute drive to Rye and about the same by train.  Why not combine the two for a couple of days away?  We have good last minute hotel deals for next week so there are no excuses!  Hastings and Rye are a direct train from Charing Cross or London Bridge.  In an hour and half you could be sitting in one of our big sea view suites with a glass of champagne and your first taste of this years huge Rye Bay scallops from our gourmet restaurant – served with grilled haloumi and Kent pear puree – you can’t go wrong!  We hope to see you soon.

 The Zanzibar Hotel aims to make the most of its stunning seafront location and glorious sea views with a stylish yet relaxed dining experience.  The Restaurant combines classic Victorian elegance with contemporary ‘beach chic’. Bold deck-chair stripe upholstery, thick, white-washed drift-wood tables, a gorgeous white baby-grand piano, all set against calm white walls adorned with big decorative mirrors and menu boards showing the morning’s catch of fresh fish. 

The perfect setting has been created in which to enjoy the culinary know-how of the Pier Nine team. Ben Krikorian, the head-chef, is young and hungry. He works with a passion that is evident in the visual presentation and flavour of everything that leaves the kitchen. From mature Sussex fillet steak or Rye scallops with crispy pancetta, to toad in the hole made with award winning Sussex sausages, (not to mention delicious vegetarian options), each dish is produced with love, and delivered by friendly waitresses who are more than happy to recommend a particular wine or just stop for a chat! 

The small but perfectly formed cocktail bar and gorgeous tropical garden complete the experience beautifully. Max O’Rourke, The hotel owner and designer has clearly found another winning formula. Pier Nine is creating a dining sensation not to be missed! People are travelling from hotels in Rye and Hotels in Eastbourne to try out what Hastings at its best has to offer.

speed in time for Christmas and New Year.  The food is contemporary British with a gourmet twist.  The atmosphere is very relaxed and the waiting staff are warm and friendly.We had a good look at other restaurants in Hastings and just decided there were very few places that ticked all the boxes.  You can go to certain places for good food but they are a bit dull atmosphere wise.  Equally you will find places where the atmosphere is good, but they’re lacking on food quality.  At Pier Nine restaurant we’ve feel we’ve managed to cover all the angles.  We have a sea view from one end of the dining room and a beautiful garden at the other.  The early feedback we’re getting is generally very good.  In terms of food, we use suppliers local to the area, and we are in the process of putting together a list of local wines from some of the very best vintners in the South East.

If you’re thinking of coming to Hastings for a night or two, have a look at our ‘hotel dinner, bed & breakfast’ deals.  We have some great special offers on that include complimentary 3 course dinner on the first night of your stay in the hotel.   We are happy to serve the meals in the comfort of your own room too.

Comment: I am not the type of person that writes reviews, as I am suspicious of the people that write them ! But on this occasion I feel compelled to let everyone know what a great stay we had at this hotel. The room was fantastic we had a great view of the ‘supermoon’ shimmering over the sea and the welcome was warm and hospitable. We are awkward customers as we have young children but I needs were looked after in everyway. The breakfast was superb and the meal we had at the restaurant was delicious. Thank you from a normally grumpy Londoner…. .

Owner Max O’Rourke created the Zanzibar International Hotel from humble beginnings and turned it into something creative and unique. Located in a meticulously-renovated Victorian-era town house, the Zanzibar Hotel is like no other luxury hotel in Sussex and is a fabulous place to get away for a few days and nights. Book a romantic getaway with your favourite person for a mid-week or weekend mini vacation. Yes, the rooms are remarkable but there’s a lot more going on at the Zanzibar than simply wonderful rooms. Consider the Zanzibar spa experience. If you schedule ahead you may have a professional masseuse come to your room and treat you and your partner to a relaxing full-body Swedish aromatherapy massage. Or, if you prefer, the Zanzibar will make reservations for you both at the nearby Wellington Centre. Either way, you and your partner will receive a luxurious massage that will delight your senses and relax your entire being.

But let’s get back to the rooms for a minute here. We are especially fond of the Manhattan Suite which is a uber-modern penthouse suite on the top floor of the Zanzibar. With sleek minimalist decor and Art Deco touches plus a magnificent moon window through which to watch the night sky.

If you are in the mood for something more plush you would do well to book the Morocco Room with its rich velvet tones of red and orange and gold. The Morocco Room provides an enormous mezzanine bed and spiral staircase that you will have to see to believe. For a truly serene experience select the Japan Room which includes inscrutable Asian decor and a deep soaking tub that will make all your troubles float away.