WHY WE LOVE:
THE STAR
We love The Star because it feels genuinely rooted in Alfriston rather than simply placed beside it. Behind its historic frontage is a warm, intimate hotel where a day on the South Downs, along the coast, or among Sussex vineyards ends with a fireside drink, a thoughtful meal, and the quiet ease of a small country retreat.
The hotel’s art and design are part of its personality. Olga Polizzi’s interiors pair contemporary pieces, local antiques, English wallpapers, layered fabrics, books, and unusual collected objects. Look closely and you will find details made by local and British artisans—from Amanda Lawrence’s black-and-white Elizabethan floor in the dining room to Gabriella Shaw’s English-made tableware, decorated with leaves from native treeS.
Overview
The Star
Alfriston, East Sussex
The Star is a characterful 29-bedroom luxury hotel in the heart of Alfriston, one of Sussex’s most atmospheric medieval villages. Restored by Olga and Alex Polizzi, the hotel blends a historic 15th-century inn frontage and ancient beamed bar with beautifully renewed bedrooms, a library, restaurant, and a courtyard at the center of hotel life.
Set at the foot of the South Downs, The Star is a wonderfully placed base for the quieter pleasures of East Sussex: country walks, coastal drives, village wandering, vineyard visits, and time at the Seven Sisters. The hotel is also approximately two hours from London, making it an especially natural pause between city life and the countryside.
Your Sussex Accommodation
The Olga Suite
Your stay at The Star is based in an Olga Suite, subject to availability at the time of reservation. Individually designed by Olga Polizzi, the suite reflects the hotel’s distinctive blend of historic character, English craftsmanship, and collected, residential style.
It is a beautiful place to settle into the quieter rhythm of East Sussex—beginning the morning slowly in Alfriston, returning from walks on the South Downs or visits along the coast, and enjoying the warmth and ease of this intimate country-house hotel.
RESTAURANT & BAR
The Restaurant
At The Star, meals are part of the rhythm of a Sussex stay. Begin slowly over breakfast, return after a walk on the Downs or along the coast, and settle in for an unhurried dinner shaped by the season and the rich produce of the surrounding countryside.
The Bar
The Star’s ancient beamed bar opens directly onto Alfriston’s High Street and is one of the hotel’s most characterful places to pause. Come in after a day outdoors for a local glass of wine, a classic drink, or a relaxed fireside moment before dinner.
Afternoon Tea
For a gentler Sussex afternoon, enjoy tea and homemade treats in the hotel’s inviting surroundings. It is a lovely way to pause between a morning of exploring and an evening at leisure.
WELLNESS
Wildsmith Treatments Take a restorative pause with a Wildsmith treatment at The Star, a quiet moment of care after travel, countryside walks, or a day along the Sussex coast. Your journey includes [insert your exact inclusion: one treatment / treatment credit / 60-minute treatment], arranged in advance according to availability and your preferences. Treatment menus, exact timings, and availability are confirmed with the hotel at the time of reservation.
