Best hotels in Brighton 2023: From sea views to spa breaks

Anything goes in Brighton – it’s an excellent choice for a seaside break, come rain or come shine. And with its burgeoning restaurant scene luring Londoners to move south, a stay here has become even more appealing.

Of course, no trip to Brighton would be complete without visiting the pier, getting lost in the legendary Lanes – lined with independent shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries – or enjoying panoramic views from the top of the 450ft-high i360 observation tower. Add to this the vibrant night life and LGBT+ scene, and it becomes clear a visit to this seaside spot has much more to offer than your typical bucket-and-spade break.

But where to bed down after exploring everything Brighton has to offer? Want sparkly sea views? Tick. Hip pub with rooms attached? No problem. Quiet glamour or burlesque kitsch? We’ve got them covered. In fact, the choices are as colourful as the city itself, with some (almost) rivalling the lavish interiors of Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, when it comes to bold and eclectic decor. Wherever you choose to stay, you’re bound to have a blast in this trendy city on the south coast.

Neighbourhood: Kemp Town

This is the sort of bolthole you dream of for a romantic getaway: small, perfectly formed, no kids allowed, and a swish champagne bar on the ground floor. Plus, as Brighton’s first-ever boutique hotel, and with years of experience, Blanch House really delivers the glamour.

All of the 12 updated and themed bedrooms across this attractive Georgian townhouse are the stuff of fantasy, featuring oodles of richly coloured velvets, mirrored wallpaper, and a flash of the Jazz Age in furniture and fittings, alongside sumptuous beds and gilded mirrors. If we really had to choose, though, we’d recommend the vibrant Pommery Room or the opulent Art Deco-styled Legacia Room. Vintage glamour at its finest.