Some consider it an extended suburb of London. In fact, a colourful past and free-spirited present mean Brighton offers fresh ideas to event organisers. In this segment, we take a look at the best hotels and restaurants.
Hotels
Options are ‘fresh and glittering’ – just like the sea air that captivated Brighton Rock author Graham Greene 80 years ago
Artists did once stay at
Artist Residence (01273 324302) – with free board in exchange for doing the decorating. On handsome Regency Square, this double-townhouse hotel has 24 rooms, the terrific Set restaurant, a boardroom and a ping-pong room.
It’s a chain, of course, but not every
Malmaison (01273 679799) has just completed a £5m refurb, or has a private dining room with marina views. Next door to the PDR, there’s a lounge with its own terrace where you can invite up to 100 over for a barbecue.
The old lady of Brighton hotels,
The Grand (01273 224300) is getting herself a very fetching new outfit. External lighting will soon accentuate her Victorian façade, while indoors, 13 meeting rooms and event spaces exude old-school refinement – and some of them come with seafront balconies.
Restaurants
You could play it safe with one of the London natives that have branched out here, but this trio of independents are all far more interesting
Great British Menu 2017 winner Michael Bremner’s tiny
64 Degrees has been called Brighton’s best restaurant. His second place,
Murmur (01273 711900), has just opened in one of the seafront Arches for casual all-day dining, and has a 40-cover terrace.
A smart new opening that’s shaken up the narrow Lanes of the city centre,
Pascere (01273 917949) serves some exquisite small plates. Don’t miss the crab tart with seafood custard. On the first floor, up to 18 can be seated around an open kitchen.
Over in Hove,
The Little Fish Market (01273 722213) is the city’s only restaurant with three AA rosettes. Its set menu changes every few weeks, but is always ingredients-led and fish-focused. Best of all, chef-owner Duncan Ray (ex-Fat Duck) will almost certainly be in the kitchen himself, and its 20 covers can be hired exclusively.
Ready for another area focus? To the north!