What about the da Vinci?

I note that the Lonely Planet Guide has decided to replace the da Vinci Hotel with the Big Sleep in its latest (2011) publication. Describing the Big Sleep as BN21's "coolest kip", it describes the hotel's "gobsmacking rooms with big-print wallpaper, retro furnishings and curtains that look as though they might have been grazing on Beachy Head a few hours prior". Of course, I have to point out that Trip Advisor's reviewers are not entirely in agreement with the sentiments of author David Else but we are all entitled to our opinions.

My opinion is that if you want to buy a copy of the guide then you save yourself a few pennies and buy the 2009 version!!!

Banksey in Polegate

Considerable excitement locally that world famous graffiti artist, Banksey, might have visited Polegate and left a stencil of a young man in a cowboy hat on a road sign at Polegate crossroads. Personally, I am not convinced that Banksey would travel all this way to graffiti a road sign in Polegate but I suppose that it gives the locals something to talk about.

Old Eastbourne

Just found a fascinating website which details the history of Eastbourne complete with interesting photographs. My favourite is the Cavendish hotel before they added that monstrous concrete addition to the right hand side. You can view the website at http://www.eastbournelive.org.uk/6.html.

Environmentally unfriendly

In a desperate attempt to further reduce our own carbon footprint, we have spent considerable sums of money replacing our older style toilets with the new dual flush variety. These latest toilets use a lot less water – 6 litres of water compared with 9 litres of water for the conventional version. Unfortunately Dyno Rod, who have been doing a roaring trade as a result of our decision, tells us that 6 litres is not enough to flush away the waste thus causing blockages throughout the pipes. We have had to adjust all of our new toilets accordingly and resite our waste pipes to overcome the problem. We have even been advised to stop using the more expensive toilet paper because it does nor disintegrate as quickly. Our attempt at being more environmentally friendly has cost us just under £4000 and we are now using as much water as we were before. Worse still our guests are now being denied the luxury of Andrex quilted toilet paper....a bum deal all around!!!

Brighton Rock

Interesting to note that the new film release of Brighton Rock was actually filmed in Eastbourne rather than Brighton. You only have to compare the sea front at Brighton to the sea front at Brighton to appreciate exactly why. Compare our three tier promenade. renowned floral gardens and blue domed bandstand with their tatty shops, NCP car park and burnt down pier to appreciate why more and more visitors are coming to spend their holiday time in Eastbourne.

A trailer for the film featuring many views of Eastbourne can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoGHiBsrJKk

Feedback from customers

Just found an interesting website which compiles comments from various review websites. Information can be found at www.hotelscombined.com. The hotel fares well with positive comments about helpful and polite staff, convenient location, large rooms, comfortable beds and good food. A few negative comments about bathrooms but these have all now been upgraded.

Meanwhile Frank has been doing his own analysis of the feedback statistics and it seems that we get the best ratings from couples and single men. Our worst ratings are invariably from single women....heaven only knows why we are not delivering for this group but it is an interesting statistic and one which we will need to investigate.

It never rains but pours

Just when you think that things couldn’t get worse...they get worse. The hotel is closed over Christmas to refurbish the last rooms when both water tanks flood the new rooms upstairs. The water damage is extensive including ceilings, floors and furniture. The new rooms are put on hold while we return these to their original splendour. Our financial planning goes to the wall and the new rooms will just have to wait. As they say, it never rains but pours....and certainly it pours a lot here.

STOP PRESS Both water tanks are mended and the top rooms are open for business.