O'Rourke Escapes
Luxury Coastal Holiday Houses
Large luxury holiday houses in East Sussex with hot tubs
Some of the UK’s best coastal holiday houses
Stargazing from the roof terrace. Seal spotting from the hot tub. Secret cinema for late nights. Wood burning stove for cosy evenings. Cold water swimming for the brave. Bespoke wellness studio for yoga or pilates. Sprung dance floor for bustin’ moves. Outstanding walks for the mildly adventurous. Pet friendly properties for your furry friends. Private chefs for celebratory dinners (by prior arrangement). Board games for rainy days. Secure car parking for peace of mind. High speed wi-fi for peace and quiet.
Whatever you seek, we strive to deliver.
All our houses have been recognised for their design. All have been curated with your joy in mind. All our properties are near the beach.
All your needs - taken care of.
Choose Your House
Exceptional houses by the sea
Who Stays With Us
Every kind of gathering, celebration and retreat
Our houses are designed for groups who want to be together — really together. Whether it's a landmark birthday, a multi-generational family holiday, a yoga retreat or a corporate team break, we have the right house and the right space for your group.
Milestone Birthdays
40th, 50th, 60th and beyond. Gather your people and celebrate in style by the sea.
Family Gatherings
Multi-generational holidays and reunions with enough space for everyone.
Hen Weekends
Private house, hot tub, sea views. The perfect setting for a memorable hen celebration.
Read our guide →Retreats
Yoga, wellness, dance and creative retreats. Zanzibar House has an exclusive basement studio — yoga space, secret cinema and dance floor.
Friend Reunions
Old friends, long weekends, big dinners. Our houses are made for this.
Corporate Off-Sites
Team retreats with the energy of the coast and the comfort of a luxury house.
Gallery
Cliffhanger House
Gallery
Zanzibar House
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Hastings House
What We Offer
Luxury group stays, without compromise
Coastal Location
All our houses are in St Leonards-on-Sea or Hastings on the East Sussex coast — with sea views, beaches and great local restaurants on the doorstep.
7, 8 & 9 Bedrooms
Choose the house that fits your group. Cliffhanger House has 7 bedrooms (6 ensuite), Zanzibar House has 8 ensuite bedrooms, and Hastings House has 9 ensuite bedrooms — all with large social spaces and dining tables for everyone.
Hot Tubs
All our houses have hot tubs. Cliffhanger House has a hot tub perched high above the sea with panoramic coastal views. Zanzibar House and Hastings House have theirs to the rear — still the perfect way to unwind with your group after a day on the coast.
Dog Friendly
Zanzibar House and Hastings House both welcome dogs — up to two per booking. Bring the whole family to the East Sussex coast.
Boutique Interiors
Beautifully designed spaces with a boutique-hotel feel — relaxed luxury, not formal, and interiors that photograph beautifully for your celebration.
About Us
Meet the O'Rourkes
"Every effort is made to ensure guests arrive to a house that feels calm, welcoming and ready to enjoy."
We're Max and Katie O'Rourke. O'Rourke Escapes carries our family name because every stay is personal to us — these are our houses, and we look after them, and the people who stay in them, ourselves.
Before moving into holiday houses, Max spent several years running an award-winning boutique hotel, where great design, attention to detail and warm, personal hosting were at the heart of everything. That experience still shapes how we run each house today.
For the past six years we've welcomed guests for celebrations, family gatherings, retreats and relaxed weekends by the sea. We know what makes a stay feel easy and special — and what turns a beautiful house into somewhere people want to come back to.
We care deeply about interiors and atmosphere: how spaces flow, the comfort of the beds, the quality of the linens and the small details that quietly lift your stay at Cliffhanger, Zanzibar and Hastings House.
We always respect your privacy, but we live nearby and are on hand throughout your stay — for local tips, practical help, or simply the reassurance that everything is taken care of.
Max & Katie O'RourkeYour hosts
Common Questions
Everything you need to know
Do you have large holiday houses in Sussex with 9 bedrooms?
Yes. Hastings House has 9 ensuite bedrooms and is our largest property — a beautifully restored seaside house in St Leonards-on-Sea designed for large group gatherings, family reunions and celebrations. Visit hastingshouse.co.uk for full details and availability.
Which of your houses has a hot tub with sea views?
All our houses have hot tubs. Cliffhanger House has a hot tub perched high above the sea with panoramic coastal views — it's quite spectacular. Zanzibar House and Hastings House both have hot tubs to the rear of the house.
Does Zanzibar House have a secret cinema and dance floor?
Yes — and there's nowhere else quite like it on the East Sussex coast. Zanzibar House has an exclusive basement studio space which works as a yoga and wellness studio, a secret cinema, a dance floor and a private events space. It's available exclusively to guests staying at the house, so your group has the whole space to yourselves. It makes Zanzibar House exceptional for retreat bookings, hen weekends, birthday celebrations and any group that wants something truly different by the sea.
Are your houses suitable for yoga or wellness retreats?
Zanzibar House is unlike anywhere else on the Sussex coast for retreats. It has 8 ensuite bedrooms, sits directly on the seafront and has an exclusive basement studio space — designed to work as a yoga and wellness studio, a secret cinema, a dance floor and a private events space. It's exclusively for guests of the house, so your group has it entirely to yourselves. Visit zanzibarhouse.co.uk for more details and to check availability.
Where exactly are the houses located?
All our houses are on the East Sussex coast in St Leonards-on-Sea, between Hastings and Brighton — around 65 miles from London and roughly 90 minutes by train from St Pancras or Charing Cross. The town has excellent independent restaurants, direct beach access and a vibrant arts scene.
Are the houses dog friendly?
Zanzibar House and Hastings House both welcome dogs — up to two per booking. So if you're planning a group stay and want to bring your four-legged companions along to the East Sussex coast, both houses have you covered.
What is the best large holiday house in East Sussex for a milestone birthday?
All our houses are designed for milestone birthday celebrations. Cliffhanger House (7 bedrooms, 6 ensuite) suits a more intimate group with its sea views and hot tub. Zanzibar House (8 ensuite bedrooms) offers the drama of a direct seafront setting. Hastings House (9 ensuite bedrooms) is the best choice for a very large group. All have large dining spaces made for celebration dinners.
The Local Area
Discover Hastings & St Leonards
Once a grand Victorian resort, St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings are now enjoying an exciting renaissance. Trendy cafés, independent restaurants, craft beer bars, galleries and boutique shops have transformed the area into one of the most creative and vibrant destinations on the South Coast.
Walk the seafront westward to Bexhill and the stunning Art Deco De La Warr Pavilion, or head east into the atmospheric Hastings Old Town — a maze of cobbled streets, timbered buildings and independent shops once described by Tatler as "the new Notting Hill". On Tuesday evenings, don't miss the legendary folk and sea-shanty session at The Stag Inn.
Beyond the town, Hastings Country Park offers 270 hectares of dramatic sandstone cliffs, ancient woodland and wildlife trails — some of the most striking coastline in all of England. Ride the world's oldest funicular railway to the clifftops for views that stay with you.
Getting Here
St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex
On the East Sussex coast between Hastings and Brighton. Around 65 miles from London — 90 minutes by train. Walk to the beach, independent restaurants and the sea in minutes from each house.
All Within Easy Reach
Close together, one neighbourhood
Our houses are all in St Leonards-on-Sea, close enough to share a celebration across multiple properties — or to visit each other easily during your stay.
Ready to Book?
Choose your house and start planning
Each house has its own website with full details, photos, availability and booking. Click below to visit the house that's right for your group.
and exclusive offers Zanzibar House 8 ensuite bedrooms zanzibarhouse.co.uk Book direct for the best rates
and exclusive offers Hastings House 9 ensuite bedrooms hastingshouse.co.uk Book direct for the best rates
and exclusive offers