Sussex hotel named among the 100 best places to stay in the UK by the Sunday Times

The Grade 2 listed George in Rye, East Sussex, featured in a colour supplement naming the UK’s 100 best hotels, published by the Sunday Times last Sunday.

The George Hotel, in Rye, which has stood in the High Street since 1719, made an incredible come back after being badly damaged by a devastating fire in 2019.

Famous guests at The George have included actor George Clooney, who stayed there while shooting the Monuments Men film in Rye.

The write-up in the Sunday Times stated: “The George has been a central character on Rye’s high street since its days as a 16th century coaching inn. It has a courtyard garden and is a treasure trove of eclectic finds and designer quirks, from the reception desk and its former life as a church alter to the scallop shell lined grotto of the women’s loos. The whole place exudes boutique hotel crossed with pub. Think brass rolltop baths and snug corners lit by ceramic log burners.”

The hotel has a long and distinguished history being the focal meeting point in the town, entertaining three King Georges, The Duke of Wellington and the Mayor of London. It held a banquet to celebrate Napoleon’s defeat.

The hotel was gradually added to up until the Regency period, and comprises a series of interconnecting buildings all surrounding a central courtyard. The ballroom, for example, was built in 1818 as an assembly room for farmers who came to market.

The George incorporates beams from an Elizabethan galley, while the original fireplace can be seen in the Tap. Down the hall, a Gill Parliamentary clock still ticks, dating from the 1700s, while a cupboard resembling a dumb waiter is actually an 18th century wig store.

Owners Alex and Katie Clarke said: "We are so proud of everyone in the team for helping us to make the George one of the 100 best places to stay in the UK."

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