The Mermaid Celebrates 600 years of welcoming Travellers in 2020.
The Mermaid has been welcoming travellers for 600 years. We are open to welcome travellers again .
Reception is open ….please be patient as we are very busy…..we will respond to all enquiries. [email protected] or 01797223065
Our Restaurant is open for bookings on Open Table . Both The Restaurant and The Giants Fireplace Bar will be operating with reduced capacity.We have extended our patio area to provide greater distancing between tables.
Eat Out To Help Out Scheme: The Scheme operates from August 3rd to 31st, on Mondays Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Mermaid is not a member of the scheme.
There will be clearly identified entrance and exit points to the building. There will be table service throughout.
There will be staff with the specific role to meet and greet.
The Cellars date from 1156 and the building was rebuilt in 1420 after The Mermaid and the Town of Rye were burnt to the ground by French Raiders on June 22nd 1377.
Experience a drink in the Giant’s Fireplace Bar and imagine how the Hawkhurst Gang, local smugglers in the 1730s and 1740s, caroused in the bar. Can you see the secret passageway entrance?
Dine in the Linen Fold Panelled Restaurant. Enjoy the ambience of the large restaurant, the cosiness of the Dr Syn dining room or the privacy of the Boardroom for your evening meal, lunch and breakfast.
Due to Covid 19 Regulations our car parking capacity is reduced, as staff will not be able to drive guests’ cars. We recommend guests drop off luggage in reception, then park the car in Rye. We recommend The Market Car Park (Closed Wednesday Night for Thursday Market) which is 5 minutes walk or Strand Quay Car Park which is 2 minutes walk.
Click the link below for the details of all Car Parks in Rye.
Dine in the 2 AA Rosette,Linen Fold Paneled Restaurant, where you can enjoy the ambiance of the large restaurant, the coziness of The Dr Syn Dining Room or the privacy of the Boardroom for your evening meal, lunch and breakfast.
For special occasions we offer a personalized service to help you plan your food and wine to ensure we create never to forget memories. We provide a range of settings for Private Dining and a range of menus.
I always wanted to stay at the Mermaid so was delighted with the special offer just when we needed a treat after months cooped up at home and the cancellation of all the usual summer activities. Apart from the drop-dead gorgeousness of the building the most striking feature of our stay was the excellence of the staff. They were all so cheerful, friendly and helpful although their workload must have increased with all the coronavirus measures to implement. The lady who took my booking immediately offered to reserve one of the very few parking spaces when I said I had a Blue Badge. On arrival the receptionist and the young man who escorted us to our room both told us we should ask any time, day or night, for anything we needed. It was a standard room (no 30) so lacking in original features, but the leaded casement window had a lovely view across to the Downs. There were all the usual amenities (I was given a little sealed bag of toiletries at reception). The TV was small but the bedside tables satisfyingly large. I could have done with more shelving/hooks/towel rails in the bathroom but I appreciated the spacious cubicle and easy to operate shower. We ate both nights in the bar as even the two course option in the restaurant would have been too much. The bar meals were interesting and ample. Bar staff were chatty when they weren’t too busy and clearly took great pride in the Mermaid. Breakfast was not the experience one would have in normal times. There was no buffet and the choices were more limited. As everything was table service the waiting staff were very busy and kept apologising when service was slow, but remained friendly and helpful. We were in no hurry and had all that we wanted.
“A fantastic experience on every level.I have never been more impressed with the Mermaid than I was on my recent stay…and I have stayed there several times. In the light of the difficult virus situation the hotel ran like clockwork …making safety a priority but doing it so carefully that nothing was taken away from the sheer pleasure of staying in such a historic and unique environment. My room was spotless, the breakfast was amazing served by friendly, cheerful and uplifting staff. The service was fast and efficient. From the moment the charming receptionist checked me in to the moment I checked out it was a sheer pleasure to be there. I cannot thank The Mermaid enough for making me feel so relaxed , welcome and safe…..a trip I will never forget and I look forward to returning hopefully in the autumn.Not one thing…it was perfect in each and every way.”
“Lovely characterful location with so much history. Excellent service, very friendly and welcoming. Food was delicious.”
“Fantastic. Highly recommended!A very warm and welcome hotel. Great value, great history. Staff are exceptional and professional, especially with the new guidelines. The room was stunning, clean and comfortable. The breakfast was outstanding, I cannot fault the stay at all. I left a device in my room upon departure and the staff have offered to send this through post for me which is extremely kind. The Mermaid Inn has gone above and beyond. I will not hesitate coming back, the sooner the better!”
Restaurant at The Mermaid: My visit was the first outing my sister and i had done. Fabulous to return to the Mermaid. It was wonderful to see so many people chatting and laughing. As ever service was slick and friendly. There was a buzz around the Mermaid. Food as usual was lovely and served quickly. We had cod in batter it was delicious and crisp. Desserts as usual were amazing. We will be back in August to celebrate a birthday. All safety measures were in place. Well done to all the staff at the Mermaid who managed to put all measures in place and still create a safe, happy and relaxed dining experience.
