Antique-lovers heaven for Easter in Lewes

With Easter less than two weeks away and spring in the air – the blossom is out and the sun has some warmth in it again – now’s the time to book a break away to take advantage of that long Bank Holiday. Short Stay Lewes properties still have some availability, so check out our lovely places.

All Short Stay Lewes bed and breakfasts and studios make perfect bases for visiting East Sussex and particularly the popular antique shops that are in abundance in

. It’s easy to spend the whole day in this historic town just wandering round all these. Imagine strolling through the cobbled streets, checking out the shop windows. If you are on the hunt for something particular, what’s more exciting that the anticipation of finding something exquisite – the perfect piece for your living room or a painting for your hall wall? You’ll find everything from trinkets and objects d’art to antique furniture, even pieces that have been restored. Deal done, you can stop for a coffee – there is lots of choice of cafes for a drink – or try out one of Lewes’ many eateries for lunch.

You might need another day just to take in all the sites. Near the top of the High Street, there’s the castle to visit. In Southover, there’s Anne of Cleves’ house as well as the beautiful Southover Grange Gardens, which are worth walking through or taking some time out to sit and relax.

With more days to relax and enjoy your break, there’s plenty to do outside of Lewes. You can easily fill another day just in Brighton with a trip to the Lanes, a visit to Brighton Pavilion and seeing the area from above by going up the new British Airways i360 observation tower on the seafront. A ramble on the South Downs and a walk at the Cuckmere Valley are great ways to enjoy the Sussex countryside and there are lots of National Trust properties in the area too to keep you busy.

All in all, four days over Easter in Sussex can be as packed or as relaxing as you want. Just make sure you find somewhere lovely to use as your base – and with the fabulous accommodation options available at Short Stay Lewes, that is easily sorted!

The best Lewes places to stay

Two of Short Stay Lewes’ bed and breakfasts are rated number one in their categories on TripAdvisor.

Berkeley House comes top of the Lewes hotels, while White Lodge takes the number-one slot for bed and breakfasts and inns. In fact, five of Short Stay Lewes’ properties are in the Top Ten of the latter, so it’s no wonder you can easily find fabulous accommodation on our website.

With Easter just a few weeks away, if you are thinking about a break, now’s the time to get booking one of our unique and special places to stay in Sussex, such The Blacksmith’s Arms, Beechwood, Murrell’s and The Corner House, all four of which are also in TripAdvisor’s Top Ten b & bs for the Lewes area. And it’s so easy reserving your room through Short Stay Lewes – you can check availability and book straight away. Then all you need to do is look forward to your trip . . . and maybe a bit of packing!

There are even studios and self-catering options among Short Stay Lewes properties for those who want a bit more space or to do their own thing. No 11, Hill Road Studios and the new Little Norlington Barn, can all accommodate you on that basis.

You certainly won’t be short of things to do over Easter in East Sussex. Apart from walks, visiting some of the local National Trust properties or checking out the buzz of Brighton, there are events organised especially for holiday weekend, such as a Cadbury’s Egg Hunt at Bateman’s garden in Burwash. Perfect for keeping chocolate fiends happy, you can check out the details at nationaltrust.org. uk or call 01435 882302. There’s a chocolate bunny in it for all.

Rooms with a Castle View

Murrells bed and breakfast in Lewes has views of the castle from its garden and from the front, so you know that you are bang in the town.

Tony and Nicky Murrell have been open for bed and breakfast since the beginning of 2015. ‘I have always enjoyed meeting people and networking when I had a “proper job” – this allows me to do just that, chat with new people,’ says Tony about why he loves having guests.

Murrells has two spacious bedrooms. One is a double room with a king-sized bed; the other a twin/double room, which can be made up as a super-king bed or two singles.

The modern townhouse is within five or six minutes of the town centre on foot. ‘Yet we are in a very quiet street,’ explains Tony. ‘We have our own off-street parking, which is almost unheard of in the centre of town,’ he adds. And what else sets Murrells apart? ‘Our garden is a little 10-metre square of tropical paradise, with lovely views of the 1,000-year-old castle and the South Downs.’

Breakfast is served in the open-plan kitchen/diner. Part of the couple’s enjoyment of doing bed and breakfast is great feedback. ‘I really like it when people make great comments about my homemade bread and the preserves that Nicky makes, and we get lovely comments about our little tropical/Mediterranean garden.’ Smiling, Tony throws in another benefit of having guests: ‘Doing this also brings a little income in, which pays for my motorcycles and holidays!’

Once visitors have stepped out of the door, there is plenty to see not far away. In Lewes, Tony recommends visiting The Castle and Anne of Cleves house. ‘While, out of town, we have Monk’s House at Rodmell, Charleston Farmhouse, famous for the Bloomsbury Group, which is near Firle and well worth a visit. Cuckmere Haven, towards Eastbourne, is great for walking along the cliffs and a picnic.’