"Like a certain ’90s rock band, East and West Sussex have been battling it out ever since splitting up more than five centuries ago. Well, not actually tussling in a War of the Roses way; more an amiable tug-of-war on the village green before bonding over a few local ales. East Sussex has the salty attitude, of course, with Brighton its seaside star, where the Regency-style No. 124 Brighton opened in autumn 2024—the latest from the family-owned GuestHouse group—while in nearby Rottingdean, the clifftop White Horses saddled up over the summer. But it also has a reclusive side, with quiet South Downs villages such as the one that gives The Alfriston its name; the fourth in the Signet Collection (The Mitre, Retreat at Elcot Park) lands in March, complete with a bistro and spa. West Sussex, on the other hand, is a little more artful, with brilliant shows guaranteed at Petworth’s Newlands House Gallery. You can explore its coastline on the recently opened King Charles III England Coast Path from Shoreham-by-Sea to Eastbourne, but it’s inland where the action is. This autumn, the Swann Inn reopens in Fittleworth after being lovingly restored by Angus Davies, formerly of The Hollist Arms in Petworth. With 12 bedrooms and a dining room (girolles on toast, Sutton Hoo chicken, local fizz from the Ambriel estate), along with gardens by House & Garden rising star Elizabeth Tyler, it’s set to be as fashionable in 2025 as it was in its 19th-century heyday when Turner and Constable were regulars. “The area is a hotbed of creatives, with designer Martin Brudnizki, florist Millie Proust, and Mumford & Sons’ Ted Dwane all living nearby,” says an insider. Could West Sussex take the 2025 title of the new Cotswolds? “You never know—we’ve certainly got plenty more vineyards.”"
