Beloved by George IV, artists, students, the gay scene and just about everyone else, Brighton is a delightful place to spend a few days. It has that seaside feel, but plenty of easy-going, cosmopolitan style to go with it. You can eat fish and chips for lunch, and Japanese for dinner. Or buy a tribal shawl in one shop and a stick of rock in the next. There's nowhere else quite like it.
Central hotels in Brighton tend to be concentrated around the Russell Square area, still only a short distance from the sea front, and the slightly larger and grander Regency Square, whose hotels offer many rooms with wonderful sea views. On the seafront itself, Kings Road provides many hotels and all of them are popular - booking early is especially important for a fashionable seafront location. Further out from the city centre, about fifteen minutes' walk, is Kemp Town, which offers a wealth of value for money hotels, usually with good sized rooms. And, to avoid the hustle and bustle of Brighton itself, consider also staying in Hove, a more tranquil alternative to hotels in Brighton itself.
Upon visiting Brighton, the famous Lanes are perhaps the first place most people want to explore. Twisting through the town behind the beach, there's an intimate atmosphere and it's easy to imagine that you have stumbled across a well-kept secret. You never know what's around the next corner - perhaps a shop selling kites or designer hats next door to surf 'n mountain clothes or antique jewellery. Cafés and bars snuggle in-between, with tables tucked along the wall on the tiny pavements, continental style.
| It has that seaside feel, but plenty of easy-going, cosmopolitan style to go with it... |
Emerge from the lanes, and just around the corner you'll find the magnificent Brighton Pavilion. A mix of exotic Far East architecture and eccentric British whims, it was built as the seaside palace of George IV, and nowadays the domes, minarets, Chinese dragons and eclectic colour schemes are just as surprising as they were when it was built 200 years ago. Now head down to the seafront, where you can hardly miss the Brighton Pier. Stride along the boardwalk to rediscover your childhood, gambling on the penny falls, driving a dodgem and dipping and diving over the sea on a small scale roller coaster.
Afterwards, you could hire a pair of in-line skates to roller blade along the new seafront promenade, explore the Artists Quarter where driftwood mirrors and wrought iron beds are made in one-off studios, or visit the fishing museum, where a volunteer fisherman might tell you about the history of the local fishing industry.
Whatever you choose to do, we know you'll be enchanted by the quirky charms of this alternative seaside town.
