Drakes of Brighton

I really enjoyed my stay @ Drakes. This little (independent?) hotel only has 20 rooms, but they work hard to make it feel special. Most rooms have a freestanding bath tub, and they all come with white company toiletries, dressing gowns and slippers. Attention to detail is high, and sweet toothers like me even get a few pieces of Brighton rock thrown in.
Our room was quiet, which was great, but unfortunately lacked the sea view. From the positioning of the hotel (a really great location just minutes from the pier), if you did get a sea view room, it would be bloody lovely. Bed was comfortable, room was quite small but well lit. Staff were friendly, and I love that you check in at the bar. It made me think, why does anyone have a normal reception desk, when you can have a bar check-​in and nab a cheeky margarita whilst you pick up your key card?! Said bar is open ²⁴⁄₇ so of course it made sense to pick up a late night drink at 2am. Just because.
I would recommend Drakes to friends travelling down to Brighton. It was a fun place to stay, with a central location and a friendly vibe. As a bonus, you’ll get extremely fit here walking up the copious amount of stairs, ain’t no lift in this joint. Probably a good idea to balance out the excessive number of cocktails you’re likely to consume.

Drakes of Brighton is a grand hotel in the heart of Brighton. Here for a stay, I cannot recommend this spot more.
This place is really beautiful, small, really wonderful. The staff is friendly, the place is really intimate. There’s no elevator so be ready to climb some stairs if you’re getting up to the top floors (there is a small one for suitcases). The bed is large, the lighting is fantastic (you can control it from the doorway or your bed). The bathroom’s a little strange as the door is opaque glass so you can kinda see what’s going on in there if you’re sharing it with someone (that wasn’t so well thought out), but beyond that, a beautiful hideaway spot.
It’s right across the street from the water, right down the road from the pier, right down the road from the cultural centre. So a great place to be located.
My only issue was with the room. We booked through Hotel Tonight, a discount hotel app that books last minute rooms cheaper. It’s been shown again and again that if you book through a discount site or app, they will give you the worse rooms, and that’s just what happened here. All the way up to floor four in the room with windows facing out to the back of buildings. Ah well, the room was still pretty.
I had a lovely time and would come back again.

If you’re looking for understated boutique chic, look no further.
I’ve stayed here a couple of times and each time has been such a treat. The bed is massive with a load of cushy cotton pillows to sink into. The rooms have huge free standing baths in them which could easily fit three of you! If it was your lucky night… But seriously, if you run it deep, you’ll have to hold onto the sides from fear of going under!
A disco wetroom! If I wasn’t such a safety loser I’d have did my TIIING. The doors are made of glass which is glazed but still pretty see through which could be slightly unromantic in certain situations…
The staff are fab, can’t do more for you and still not at all over the top.
Digital radio come iPod speakers to whack on some tunes for a boogie in ya new plush room!
They also have a load of DVDs to choose from that you can borrow which is a cute, personal touch.
No fridge for storing fizz or treats :(
The cocktails are delish but pricey. MAKE SURE YOU BOOK INTO THE RESTAURANT! Again, pricey but well worth the monies.
It’s right on the seafront so you can ask for a sea view. Pretty much smack bang amongst all the bars and clubs, restaurants and shops. This is definitely Brighton’s best hotel. The price-​tag reflects it!

I stayed here recently with my boyfriend on a brief stopover in his hometown of Brighton. I was a bit taken aback when the cab pulled up, as it’s a small hotel that you would miss if you blinked. But once you get inside, it’s a very beautiful, elegant place to stay with a pretty good location. It’s about a 5 minute walk to Brighton Pier, and maybe 10 minute walk to the lanes. The check-​in times are pretty strict, although early (2 pm), but I was able to sit in their lobby bar area and have some tea while I waited for my room. Lovely hotel, look forward to staying there again when visiting the in-​laws…

The smartest address in Brighton. Drakes was one of the first proper boutique hotels to open in Brighton. They were also one of the first to fit free-​standing baths in the guest rooms. I love the consistency of their design. It is followed through out the hotel.
The converted town house is ideally located in the classier part of Brighton — away from the chain pubs and stag/​hen nights. Sea facing rooms all have views of the Palace Pier and ferris wheel.
Even the largest rooms have very small bathrooms. And ‘wardrobes’ are just rails fitted to the walls behind a retractable partition screen.
The bar area is compact, with tables very close together.
Breakfast was delicious. We had it as room service and also in the restaurant in the basement. We tried to book dinner there, but the place had no space available. But the kitchens also serve room service, which was actually a much nicer way to have dinner.
There is no lift, which means a multi staircase hike to the rooms on the higher floors.
Some of the staff we encountered were a bit young and clueless.
They operated a slightly hit and miss parking facility on the forecourt at the front. It was done on a first come — first served basis.
The hotel has recently put it’s prices up, which isn’t great for an impromptu weekend away.
It seems obvious, but the best rooms are those with sea views, however, these are also the noisiest.

Drakes Hotel is one of many places in Brighton playing the luxury game. Doing so with ease it offers rooms that strike a delicate balance between indulgence and homeliness. Each room is nice enough to make you feel special but not so extravagant that you couldn’t imagine living in such a place. I’d call it aspirational design. The prices reflect the quality, as you won’t find anything under £100 per night, however, it’s not like you’re likely to be disappointed. They also offer a range of additional services including in-​room massages or even a personal shopper who’ll take you round Brighton. The cocktail bar and restaurant are perhaps the biggest attractions but the former is only open to residents.

This hotel is literally top of the range in Brighton and room rates start at £100 (midweek) to reflect this but boy the standard is top notch. I have included pictures of the best room which is a staggering £325 on the weekends! Now I begin to see why no-​one had reviewed this thus far.
The restaurant attached has been awarded the best food in Brighton so the all round package is evident. In January it is £70 per person for a 2 course meal, breakfast and a room for the night which is the best deal I have ever, ever heard and one which you should definitely take full advantage of.
Room massages and personal shoppers are a couple of the extra services you can have whilst here and with all the activities they have set up with other companies so that you get a cheaper price, everything is set up for you here. This in my opinion has to be the best hotel in Brighton and Hove!