The White Lion Hotel, Aldeburgh

Market Cross Place, Aldeburgh, IP15 5BJ
3 star

An excellent base from which to discover Suffolk's many delights, this charming hotel is situated opposite Aldeburgh’s shingle beach, in an area of outstanding ...

Check In:
Check Out:
 

£ Rooms from £85 (≈ $158) per night
Enter your dates of stay to see rooms to book

8/10 Overall rating

Category Average Rating
8/10 Check-in process
7/10 Your room
7/10 Working order of facilities / equipment
8/10 Order and cleanliness of the hotel
7/10 Performance of staff
8/10 Overall experience
8/10 Overall value for money
  • 5/10 Marilyn (Mature couple) 

    from Rowlands gill , GB on  July 22, 2008

    "Overall, a disappointing experience for the reasons outlined above, despite the kind attention of the hotel staff which went some way towards mitigating our reaction. Your website seriously over-promised versus the reality of our experience. We would not choose to stay at the hotel again unless better rooms were on offer for the price" (108070156)

    Perfect location. Friendly, helpful staff. Excellent breakfast. Pleasant public rooms. Easy parking.

    Double room VERY cramped and in poor decorative order. Very noisy plumbing.Overnight accommodation charge VERY expensive versus other comparable hotels we have stayed in recently, which had much bigger, nicer, better furnished bedrooms for similar or less money. Our room here was barely adequate with a luxury room price tag and we were very disappointed.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful:

  • 8/10 Peter (Mature couple) 

    from Tenterden , GB on  August 10, 2008

    "Very pleased.Great value for money" (107121624)

    Food was very good and reasonably priced.All was clean and tidy throughout.

    Room smaller than anticipated.

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  August 6, 2008

    "Enjoyable " (107111104)

    Good Food and decent bar area

  • 4/10 Anonymous (Group of work colleagues) 

    on  August 1, 2008

    impossible to sleep after 5am due to seagulls

  • 9/10 Andy (Mature couple) 

    from Kent , GB on  July 28, 2008

    Restaurant service excellent - particularly breakfast

  • 9/10 Paul (Mature couple) 

    from West wickham,kent , GB on  July 21, 2008

    "very enjoyable" (108042274)

    Staff , atmosphere, ambience.

    Menu a little limited in the meat department for our tasts on our visit, but food was excellent

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  July 16, 2008

    "We'd come again" (108061499)

    Friendly staff, good setting

    Draught beer cloudy, no local fish on main menu

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  July 1, 2008

    the food was excelent

    a little dissapointed with the resturant staff. they were very young which was not a problem but needed a little more training, this was a 50th birthday celebration and although we were happy with our stay the service at dinner was very poor.

  • 8/10 Norman (Mature couple) 

    from Orpington , GB on  June 23, 2008

    "Overall good, but expesive" (108062517)

    Good bedroom and gereral service

    Guests lounge was tired and needs better and more comfortable chairs. Poached eggs were solid!

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Young couple) 

    on  March 2, 2008

    Location, price.

    Bit tired and tatty.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful:

  • 9/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  June 15, 2008

    "Classic seaside coaching inn with a great view." (99601819)

    good staff very helpfuland pleasant, great breakfast, plenty of choice. Fantastic view and relaxed comfortable hotel.Not good for wheelchairs though as lots of steps.

    bar meals expensive. Creaky floorboards but only to be expected in an old hotel

  • 8/10 Jean (Mature couple) 

    from Daventry , GB on  June 13, 2008

    "pleasant" (97617741)

    staff was helpful/food good.

    windows have single glazing instead of double in standard rooms,cold at night and heating off

  • 10/10 Anonymous (Other) 

    on  June 1, 2008

    "Easy registration. Comfortable. Quiet, but not yet in the holiday season. Easy and quick and accommodating checkout." (97267020)

    Comfortable bed, clean room, excellent bathroom especially good for an easy to use, shower. Telephone in the room. Alarm clock provided. Good dining room. Plenty of roadside parking with limited courtyard parking.

    Ordinary CRT TV (no built in DVD). Well presented food but could be more of it. Parking could be a problem in peak season. Booking names and addresses mixed up, possibly due to last minute room changes. Double bed but no separate arm chairs. No gym, pool etc.

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  May 14, 2008

    "As above" (97558155)

    The hotel was comfortable and clean and the staff friendly courteous and efficient. The location - on the seafront - was beautiful. I would happily stay at the White Lion again.

    -

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Young couple) 

    on  May 8, 2008

    I liked the cleanliness. The breakfast was also good.

    The rate per night seemed a bit too high for a room with a parking view. I didn't like that your website did not say that this hotel was a Best Western. I was looking for something a bit more local and low-key, but still nice.

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Same sex couple) 

    on  May 8, 2008

    "Booking process very convenient - but no display of telephone number? As we were in transit - and may have been delayed - we had no easy means of contacting the Hotel. As we were only on site for barely 10 hours we were not in a position to properly assess the facilities." (97727973)

    Sea view and the breakfast

    Room rather small

  • 7/10 David (Mature couple) 

    from Northampton , GB on  April 27, 2008

    "Overall we had a smashing time. Restaurant was excellent. Room was OK, pity about the bathroom." (97849659)

    Excellent location. Very friendly and helpful staff.

    Room was generally OK, but bathroom was rather sad - chipped bath, cracked tiles, heated towel rail did not work and light over mirror did not work.

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  April 15, 2008

    "Excellent location. Lovely views. Helpful staff." (97721665)

  • 6/10 Andrew (Young couple) 

    from Haywards heath , GB on  April 10, 2008

    "This hotel has a wonderful beach front location and made a good venue for an over night stay. The Stana Stairlift which traverses the main staircase came as a bit of a surprise so we did not use the hotel ammenities but went out to eat looking for a more lively setting." (97547100)

    Its location if fantastic, it is right on the beach and within walking distance of the town centre.

    The were parts of the room i.e. behind the door and under the bed that could have been more thourghly cleaned.

  • 8/10 Jannette (Group of adult friends) 

    from Royston,herts , GB on  March 31, 2008

    sea viewThe standard of food was very good.

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Family with young children) 

    on  March 26, 2008

    "Staff very friendly and helpful and very kiddie friendly waitress was great when our two year year old through a tantrum at breakfast. really enjoyed our stay. Nice building and good location." (97423172)

    Staff helpfullness and Friendly Food Brilliant If you get searoom views excellant

    On Checking in given a room like a dungeon, to small for a cot very cramped and a view of the wall next door. Very dark. complained and got a bigger room corber room with views to sea much better when you have a two and half year old saying he want to see the sea all the time. However they did try to get an extra £45 from me and i argued this down to a £10

  • 7/10 Lisa (Family with young children) 

    from Billericay , GB on  March 12, 2008

    "Very quintessentially english. Very friendly and welcoming staff and they were very accommodating with our small children." (97703018)

  • 7/10 Colin (Mature couple) 

    from Glossop , GB on  March 5, 2008

    "Nice hotel. A bit neglected in places; for example some walls/panelling (eg restaurant main door and panelling between restaurant and kitchen)had not been decorated for some time and some furniture and fittings (eg breakfast buffet counter, panelling around bath in room 29) had seen better days." (97637925)

    Excellent location and excellent restaurant food

    Lots of stairs and long corridors

  • 8/10 Anthony (Mature couple) 

    from Telford , GB on  February 24, 2008

    "When we arrived the room was not available due to not being cleaned as not enough staff. Hotel informed of the above" (97523362)

    Excellent room and restaurant

    Ran out of toilet paper

  • 8/10 Sylvia (Same sex couple) 

    from Nr harleston , GB on  February 21, 2008

    "Although the food was marvelous, one of the desert dish was so small you would have to look hard to find it and at the price of neally five pounds was really miserly. Every thing else was great." (97029871)

    Bed very clean

    The Radiator in bathroom would not work so it was cold in there. but lovely and warm in main room. Staff were more than helpful. I would definately stay again

  • 7/10 Peter (Mature couple) 

    from Wivenhoe , GB on  February 18, 2008

    "pleasant staff,very good meal but room was very poor ie two single beds pushed together,noisy heating,erratic water supply(hot),faulty extractor fan in bathroom,small tv,dirty windows" (97363035)

    not what the website would leave you to believe-we expected much more from the room

  • 9/10 Alison (Group of adult friends) 

    from Holland on sea , GB on  February 5, 2008

    "We found the hotel very clean and comfortable. The staff were excellent and the location of the hotel was also excellent, being directly on the beach and within easy reach of the shops and facilities. We stayed at the hotel for a wedding and the food was extrememly good and the breakfast was excellent. An ideal weekend break with comfortable surroundings and with wonderful walks and places to visit." (97419198)

    very clean and comfortable. breakfast was very good and staff were lovely. excellent location. we stayed for a wedding and you and your staff were wonderful.

    the bathroom was a little tired but very clean and the towels were the best in any hotel we have stayed in!

  • 8/10 John (Mature couple) 

    from Haverhill , GB on  December 11, 2007

    "Very enjoyable overnight stay. Room and hotel staff and breakfast very good, will stay again." (97912250)

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  December 8, 2007

    "The hotel was in a very good location for a quiet break which is what we wanted. The staff were helpful and friendly. Food was excellent. Facilities such as public rooms bars etc also very good. Would stay again" (97302532)

    Clean and comfortable

    We requested a sea view and got a small room at the back

  • 8/10 Michael (Mature couple) 

    from Newcastle staffs , GB on  November 27, 2007

    bed VG, bathroom units VG choice

  • 9/10 William (Mature couple) 

    from Boulder creek , US on  November 23, 2007

    "We were on holiday, and my son and his partner joined us at the hotel for part of our stay. We all had a great time, and found the hotel really pleasant. Our inland-side rooms were a bit smaller than a seaward-side room we saw one morning, but were quite pleasant. The seaward-side room looked outstanding. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. The White Lion is assembled from a collection of older buildings, so it has a variety of levels, often with short flights of stairs between sections. We are fit, so this was not an issue (and part of the charm of the hotel for us), but anyone with mobiility issues should book a room in the original part of the building. where there is a chair lift to the first floor for those with trouble climbing stairs. The restaurant, where we had dinner both nights, is excellent, featuring locally-sourced ingredients in many dishes. The wine list included some very nice wines at moderate prices. The hotel is right across the street from the beach, with fishing boots pulled up on shore and fishermen selling their catch in front of their boats. There are a variety of shops along the high street, a few blocks away, and the beautiful village of Thorpeness (with a great new French-style bistro for lunch) is a short walk to the north along the beach. The beach is mostly shingle, with a bit of exposed hard-packed sand near the waterline. There are wildlife reserves just inalnd, and many byways for walking. The weather was mostly sunny for our November visit, and not too cold or windy." (97105953)

    Good bed, comfortable heating, nice furnishings, large closet, and nice bathroom. The restaurant and bar were both excellent, with pleasant staff. The location, right across from the beach, was ideal. Parking was convenient. Free wireless internet was a plus. The residents' lounge was also nice, complete with a selection of games.

    Some of the furniture (table for tea service) was a tight fit, leading to a bumped shin at night, until we rearranged it. Lighting for reading was adequate, but not ideal. Lamps providing focused light for reading in bed would be a plus.

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Young couple) 

    on  November 16, 2007

    "Enjoyable stay A downside was breakfast on remembrance sunday morning there was clearly inadequate staff to serve a full hotel. We arrived at breakfast at 9.00am, had to wait 20 minutes before getting our order taken. Toast turned up at 9.30, tea/coffee at 9.45 Our breakfast finally turned up at 9.50 By this time our toast was cold and we reordered toast. We finished our breakfast at 10.15, which was presnted well and was very nice These timings are clearly not acceptable" (97612107)

    Good location

    dated decor

  • 7/10 Monica (Mature couple) 

    from Nottingham , GB on  October 27, 2007

    Its position next to the see.

    Number of stairs going up and down.Elderly relative unable to see our room.

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  October 17, 2007

    "My only real criticism is in the Dining Room. My wife and I stayed for 3 nights, and had dinner on these 3 nights (early bookings). The dining-room was never more than half-full on any night, and even less full on 2 of these nights. We both had 2-course dinners, starting with the main course. After giving the order we had to wait a very long time before being served. On one occasion 30 minutes. I complained at the time. Just because a 'Starter' was not ordered one should not have to wait more than 15 minutes. This is not acceptable." (97311449)

    Satisfactory.

    Nothing, except that a light-bulb was not working on being shown to the room. It did not 'blow' on switching on the light. The maid should have tested all lights before new guests occupied the room. A new bulb was soon installed.

  • 10/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  July 8, 2007

    Very friendly and efficient staff.

  • 10/10 Jeremy (Mature couple) 

    from Chislehurst , United Kingdom;GB on  June 23, 2007

    "All very satisfactory. We did not eat at the hotel apart from breakfast which was served speedily." (99437899)

    The sea view. The chair lift. The general atmosphere.

    Nothing.

  • 8/10 Pamela (Group of adult friends) 

    from Hanwell london , GB on  June 7, 2007

    "Have stayed here before so already knew it was good!" (99240311)

    Proximity to beach and town

  • 10/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  May 25, 2007

    "On the whole it was wery good the food was excellent the staff were polite & very helpful. The only thing i can critisize is the parking not enough spaces. It was a most enjoyable stay & would rcomend the hotel to oure friends. Wed like to thank the staff for a nice stay. MAREK" (99047508)

    It was clean tidey vey comfartable. The room facilityes were very good.

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  April 11, 2007

    "We thought the hotel was good, would have liked a double bed. Unfortunately we did not have dinner as was all booked up. Wish we had been told when booking in." (99631794)

    breakfast was very good

    noise from the dining room, we were above the dining room

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  March 23, 2007

    "In general terms the hotel was reasonable and the food was very well prepared. Unfortunately the menu for lunch included a number of items that the dinner menu excluded which was rather restricted. It would have been useful to know in advance that there was to be a function which was taking over much of the public accommodation." (99969024)

    The hotel was in a pleasant area and was reasonably centrally placed. The parking was adequate. The dining room staff were very good, in particular the chief waitress/manager.

    The lack of suitable accommodation in the hotel for guests when functions were being held. The wedding party made it difficult for guests to find a reasonably quite corner in which to sit.

  • 10/10 Laurie (Mature couple) 

    from Norwich , United Kingdom;GB on  February 21, 2007

    "My partner and I had a really enjoyable stay we both said we would return when we had a little more time." (99236056)

    Location was great, plenty of walking in area, food very good. Breakfast particularly good plenty of choice.

  • 6/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  February 19, 2007

    "overall an ok stay. but, when we arrived we were sent to a room that had not been cleaned or had the beds made. when we came back an hour later it had been made up but it was a twin room when we had booked a double. we were given a new room but having just lugged our suitcaes up two flights of stairs without any offer of help i then had to move them again to the new room. when we checked out we were presented with a bill that charged us 100 pounds a night rather than the booking price of 75." (99318854)

  • 5/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  January 30, 2007

    "Room ok but bathroom was poor due to the shower tap not working properly providing inadequate hot water. also extractor fan did not work and the bathroom therefore smelled musty. Pointed out to staff and small refund given." (99638394)

  • 9/10 Neil (Mature couple) 

    from Kenilworth , United Kingdom;GB on  January 11, 2007

    Staff were very friendly, efficient and helpful. Restaurant food was excellent.

  • 9/10 Anonymous (Young couple) 

    on  January 4, 2007

    "The whole stay was overall absolutely first rate, the staff were exceedingly helpful and looked after us really well even though we were quite awkward guests! We stayed for New Year's Eve/New Year's Day, and it was the best New Year's we've ever had. We'd definitely stay in a hotel for New Year's again, really good fun!" (99887913)

    The fantastic friendly staff, the excellent food and service, and the enormous comfortable bed.

    The Tv remote didn't work, even with replacement batteries, and the buttons on the actual tv seemed to be locked, so couldn't change channel or adjust the volume. The shower head could do with descaling. The Foie Gras course with the meal had far too much foie gras and not nearly enough toasted brioche to put it on, which was a shame.

  • 8/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  November 17, 2006

    Clean, comfortable, quiet.

  • 9/10 Claudia (Solo leisure traveller) 

    from Amsterdam , Netherlands;NL on  November 8, 2006

    Wonderful view. Comfortable bed with good sheets. Towels were also thick and white. Not a noisy room, general helpfulness in the hotel.

    Got cigar smoke from the dining room or other function room. I can cope with cigarettes but think guests should smoke cigars, at least, outside.

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Mature couple) 

    on  August 2, 2006

    "Very Good - but didn't realise how noisy the sea gulls would be early in the morning - lucky we brought earplugs." (3304459994)

    Clean & comfortable room, good food

    small & very hot bathroom - the towel rail could not be switched off reception said there was a switch but it couldn't be found.

  • 7/10 Sue (Young couple) 

    from Olney , United Kingdom;GB on  August 1, 2006

    "We found that this hotel was in a great location, with sea views but set back a bit compared to other buildings and was generally of a good standard. There were many stairs as the hotel was probably originally two buildings. The things that disappointed us were that the bathroom was very small and dated (an orange suite!), the car park was tiny so one night we had to leave our car out the front in the public car parking area and the breakfast could have been better - some items not very well cooked (sausage & bacon) whilst others overcooked (eggs and mushrooms) and the portions were not very big." (3305105112)

    Location was very good & in general the Hotel was of a good standard.

    The bathroom was extremely dated (orange suite!) and parking was poor.

  • 7/10 Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 

    on  July 22, 2006

    Good basic clean accommodation with most facilities needed

    The bar staff are slow and not well informed about drinks. I had to go and seek a barman as the bar was left unattended.

The views expressed on this page are the personal opinions of guests and therefore do not necessarily represent the views of Active Hotels, Active Reservations or our distribution partners (About our hotel reviews).

hotel map

Hotels Nearby

Email me great deals & news

Why sign up?