Hillcrest Sports Centre

The leisure centre on the outskirts of Hastings is the sort of place you'd stumble into if you're staying nearby and fancy getting the kids off a rainy afternoon. Hillcrest Sports Centre does the job - indoor swimming pool, gym kit, courts for badminton and squash if you're that way inclined. Nothing fancy, but it works.

You're looking at standard council leisure centre fare here. The pool is decent enough for a few lengths or messing about with the children, though it gets busy during school holidays. There's a gym if you're the type to pack trainers on holiday, and the usual changing facilities you'd expect. Staff are friendly enough when you need them.

The real question is whether it's worth factoring into a Sussex break. Honestly? Only if the weather turns properly grim. If you're based at Winchelsea Sands Holiday Park five miles south, you've got the beach and the Hastings seafront as proper alternatives. The centre's more useful as a backup plan than a destination in itself. Allow an hour or two depending on what you're doing, and check ahead on opening times and prices - they vary seasonally. Best for families needing an indoor option rather than serious sports enthusiasts. It's functional rather than special, but sometimes that's exactly what you need.