Cool, arty, lively, beachside Brighton is a great weekend destination, but has enough going on to last a lot longer. The town’s nightlife is famous, as are its restaurants, and is its pier, and shopping in The Lanes. Brighton also has the i360 Tower — a moving lookout akin to the London Eye — an aquarium, and a lot of opportunity to play mini-golf. This East Sussex spot is picturesque, and edges right up against the South Downs National Park. What Brighton doesn’t have too much of is really great accommodation, which is why you definitely need our recommendations for the best places to stay in Brighton — whether you’re looking for a luxury hotel, a room with a sea view, a hotel with convenient parking, a boutique hotel for a romantic interlude, a family friendly bucket and spade beach break, or a cosy B&B.

Brighton is colourful, friendly and welcoming to everyone, so don’t be surprised to see some vibrant fashion choices, and unique busking. The thriving arts community often spills out into the street, and there are all sorts of parades, festivals and events. Brighton is also close enough to London to benefit from creative neighbours, and deep pockets, or suffer from London prices, depending on how you see it! And the best places to stay in Brighton reflect this. Meaning you might be wise to expect London prices and hope to be pleasantly surprised. The Brighton Festival in May is the second largest arts festival in Great Britain, and Brighton Pride rivals London for the UK’s largest celebration.

The Best Places to Stay in Brighton

For Sea Views

• The Grand Hotel, Brighton is a grand and glorious Victorian hotel right on the Brighton’s seafront. Its 200-odd rooms and suites, rising up seven floors, share a grand elegance and classic hotel style. We like the rooms on the front of the hotel, with the private balconies and sea views, and, if your budget will allow, the grand suites on the top floors, with their high ceilings and spacious living areas. This is a proper old grande dame hotel, with a piano bar, and afternoon tea lounge. There’s also a very impressive ESPA spa, a gym, and two good restaurants.
• Malmaison, Brighton is our pick in the marina, with marina views, and a stylish sundeck overlooking the water. The marina is a 15 minute bus ride from Brighton’s main action, or a stroll — mostly — along the waterfront. There are 73 rooms and suites, decorated with confident, rock-star details, and all come with coffee makers, comfortable mattresses, fine cotton sheets, black-out blinds, and unfussy bathrooms. The bar and restaurant add to the feeling of city style, but by the water.

For a Special Occasion

• drakes is one of Brighton’s original converted townhouse boutique hotels, with 20 fabulous rooms and suites. Some of the rooms have bay windows with incredible water views, some have free-standing baths, some have circular beds, and some of them are just stylishly decorated and special-feeling — all have been carefully designed. On the ground floor is a 24 hour cocktail bar, and in the basement there’s the excellent Dilsk restaurant for relaxed fine dining. Wonderful service everywhere.

For a Mini-Break

• The Brighton Harbour Hotel is a grand, white, Georgian-built property right on Brighton’s seafront. This is a lively location, close to The Lanes and many of Brighton’s bars and restaurants, as well as directly opposite the sea. Of course, we highly recommend booking a room with sea views if possible. And there are 79 rooms and suites to choose from, all of them light and airy, and simply decorated with the focus on bold printed fabrics against white walls and wood flooring. There’s a cocktail bar downstairs, and a popular restaurant, so the atmosphere can be lively inside too. For those looking for a spot of relaxation there’s a huge underground spa, with pool, hot tubs and extensive range of treatments.
• Arty and stylish, the Artist Residence Brighton is a great pick for those with a taste for grown up industrial style, and contemporary art. Its 23 rooms and suites are hung with works picked up in local galleries, and decorated with vintage finds, antiques and retro treasures. The Regency Square location is close to the sea and the action, without being right on top of it; and it’s a pleasant stroll from loads of great shopping and dining opportunities. Romantic, but also cool, and family friendly — one of the suites has bunk beds. And all of the rooms have Nespresso machines and Roberts radios. Great restaurant and cocktail bar too.
• Brighton’s Hotel du Vin is as dependable here as its sister establishments all over the UK: there’s a super cool, and very well stocked wine bar, a friendly French brasserie, and 37 breezily decorated rooms and suites. and The Loft Suites have their own telescopes. Expect plenty of leather and driftwood, huge showers and pleasing details.

For Romantics

• The Claremont, Brighton is a small hotel in Brighton’s quieter neighbour, Hove, though it’s close enough to walk to the lively lights of Brighton. Its 11 rooms and suites are all spacious, but otherwise individually styled, with a good riff on classic romance, as well as some more minimalistic designs. The largest rooms have four-poster beds. We also like the large garden, where you can have breakfast if the weather is good.
• The Square is an adults only pick close to the lively heart of Brighton, set just back from the beach, on a grassy square. The B&B’s ten rooms and suites are decorated with romance in mind — think grey and red colour combinations, satin throws, dim lights, damask fabrics and in-room baths. Breakfast has the air of a fancy brunch.
• Paskins is a quirky Kemptown B&B, warmly hosted, and confidently decorated. Its 19 rooms and suites are individually designed, so opt for an antique four-poster bed with damask drapes, if you fancy, or for something with Art Deco flair if that’s more your jazz. Breakfast is sourced just as carefully as the decorations have been. Some of the suites are suitable for families, and pets are welcomed on request.

For Fun

• Feng shui-friendly and a great location make Myhotel a comfortable choice for a short break. The restaurant and bar are popular with local Brighton cool kids, as well as with guests, and the hotel is close to The Lanes, the beach and nightspots. Kids, and cool kids, will like the space-age looking curved beds, the huge karmic artworks, and the ice cream.
• Snooze is a vibrantly chic pick in Kemptown, with eight individually, and brightly decorated rooms and suites. This is the place for you if you really like fur, 70s style, Bollywood bright or retro seaside decor — because it’s all here in one room or another! Snooze has been converted from a classic townhouse, and boasts a similarly confidently decorated breakfast room on the ground floor. Expect a hearty breakfast and plenty of clever kitsch.
• Hotel Pelirocco calls itself a rock and roll boutique hotel, and has decorated accordingly, with rooms themed for acts, styles and movements, and a general air of cool. This is a memorable choice, whichever room you pick — and there’s a good range. You’re close to everything and everywhere, and you can start the party right here in the hotel — at the nightclub, or listening to DJ sets in the bar.

For Foodies

• The Ginger Pig is a chic pub-with-rooms, which is more along the lines of a friendly restaurant or cocktail bar with rooms. The stylish decor downstairs in the pub carries up to the 11 rooms and suites above: all of it has flashes of industrial cool, with a simple, polished minimalism and contemporary art in every room. We like the crisp, white linen, and the luxurious bathrooms.

For Great Value

• Blanch House is a charming Kemptown townhouse turned 12 room hotel, with individually decorated rooms and suites, and lots of nice, personal touches. Nice touches include the welcome tray of homemade biscuits, the comfortable beds, and the fancy toiletries. The intimate dining room has an extensive cocktail menu, and breakfast is the perfect set up for the day — or antidote to an overly-fun night! If you’re looking for something special, try the Snowstorm Room, with its many snow globes.
• Many of Brighton’s hotels have gone for big, bold decor, but The Charm has kept it elegant and understated, offering 25 pastel-coloured rooms and suites, with just a few unfussy accents. The Kemptown location puts The Charm close enough to the action to make it convenient for going out of an evening, without having to wake up in the thick of things. And while there’s no restaurant, they do offer breakfast, and you’re surrounded by dining potential. Perfect for an affordable mini-break.
• The Oriental is a nine room B&B converted from a townhouse just metres from the seafront, close to Brighton’s doughnut. Its nine rooms are all uniquely decorated, with retro pieces and pops of tropical colour — our favourite rooms have huge Regency-style sash windows. There’s a little bar and a dining room where breakfasts are served.
• Sea Spray is a 15 room hotel in Kemptown, with simple, colourful decor and a friendly atmosphere. The owners and designers of Sea Spray have gone for comfort — in the form of high quality mattresses, and luxury linens. The breakfast room is light and airy, and they can arrange supers to be brought across from a nearby restaurant. Though there are lots and lots of great options just outside the hotel’s door.

Best B&Bs

• 27 Brighton is a stylish B&B in a great location, just five minutes from Brighton’s seafront, between Kemptown and The Lanes. There are only five rooms, all of them uniquely decorated, but all with crisp, white linen, a feature wall, and place to sit to enjoy your Nespresso machine coffee. Friendly and owner managed.
• When you book a room in a B&B called A Room with a View, you’re expecting something special, and we think the wonderful views of Brighton’s pier are something special. There are nine light, airy rooms, all of them decorated in neutral, creamy shades, and on the ground floor there’s a breakfast room decorated in Scandinavian style pale wood, plus a comfy lounge.
• Una is another Georgian townhouse B&B conversion, with 19 rooms and suites named after rivers. Each is different, so check them all out before choosing your favourite. The breakfasts are very good, and there’s a cosy bar — perfect for planning, or reflecting on dinner.

Prefer a Private Apartment or Cottage?

• If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Want to fly to Brighton?

• Brighton’s closest international airport is Gatwick Airport — it sits between London and Brighton. From Gatwick it’s about half an hour in a taxi to Brighton, or about 40 minutes by rail. Heathrow is also fairly convenient about an hour away by taxi, or two hours by train via central London. If you are coming via central London, you can catch a train from Victoria Station, and it will take around an hour. You can arrive in East Sussex by sea, docking at Newhaven, which is just to the east of Brighton. The ferries here cross from Dieppe, France.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• This is the UK, so expect changeable weather whatever the season. Brighton is popular in summer, of course, when the average maximum temperatures are around 20°C. But it’s also beautiful in spring and autumn — if you don’t mind a chill and a bit of a shower or two. Winter is wonderful if you like things to be ‘bracing’.

Still not sure where to stay?

• Expand your search to include all of the best places to stay in East Sussex
• Refine your search by the type of accommodation you’re looking for, and peruse just the most romantic hotels in East Sussex or the best Pubs-with-Rooms
• You might also want to consider the best places to stay in Eastbourne which is just along the coast, or even Hastings
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

Weather

Monthly Weather in Brighton