Brighton has been a royal favourite since Regency times. Then when The Grand, a seven-storey luxury hotel, opened its doors in 1864, Brighton had its very own Palace by the Sea.
The Grand’s Italianate-Victorian architecture was state-of-the-art and boasted water powered ‘vertical omnibuses’ which were the only lifts in the country beyond London. The interior had a regal opulence that rivalled the oriental extravagance of the Royal Pavilion party-pad.
Then the tallest building in Brighton, The Grand had been built with 3.5 million bricks and 30 square miles of flooring, while lacey wrought iron balconies decorated the grandiose façade.
Hotel
A team of bowler-hatted doormen, dressed in bold chequered trousers, are a service statement. Luggage is whisked away, my car valet-parked, a Brighton map provided.
On opening, the hotel had 300 rooms but over time expectations on space and facilities have changed. Today there are 201 rooms and suites with a gym and spa about to reopen as the next phase of development.
Scan the Grand Moments QR codes for the hotel’s packed history. Learn how, in the 1930s, an Indian Maharaja and his entourage took over the entire first floor for the birth of his princely son. When the Ministry of Defence requisitioned the Grand for the Second World War, nets were strung across the stairwell to prevent drunken Australian Airmen falling to their death.
Featuring on the big screen in the cult movie Quadrophenia with Sting as the hotel’s bellboy, The Grand also starred on the small screen in the 1992 Only Fools and Horses Christmas Special. And Abba celebrated at The Grand after they had won the 1974 Eurovision Contest.
Room
A chaise longue strategically positioned by the bay windows, with curtains as tall and hefty as ship’s sails, reminds guests that they have checked in for The Grand’s location. There are views to the neon-lit Palace Pier and to the skeletal storm-battered remains of the West Pier, making for probably the best photo in Brighton when framed by the setting sun.
Long ago The Grand chucked out the chintz for a light Med-meets-the-Hamptons aura. White New England clapperboard features alongside creams in a light natural palette while images of Brighton provide nautical touches. Between the long bathroom, featuring a powerful rain shower, and the bedroom, which has a deep podium-mounted bath, there is the whimsical touch of a window with louvred shutters straight from the Côte d’Azur.
When temperatures soar along England’s bucket-and-spade south coast there is both discretely silent air-conditioning and an Art-Deco-stylised airplane propellor of a ceiling fan. And the bed, an irresistible confection of Egyptian cotton restful whites, is so large that it stretches beyond king size.
Food and drink
An aquamarine mini-box of seaside inspired ‘99 flake’ chocolates with raspberry sauce announces The Grand’s creative culinary credentials. Neil Gooding, executive chef, has used Noche chocolate to create a sumptuous in-room welcome gift.
Bars, backed with long-spirits-laden shelves, are gloriously, glamorously decadent, featuring gleaming mirror heavens for champagne, cocktail, mocktail and wine aficionados.
There is a regal have-what-you-want-when-you-want generosity to the all day dining in the Cyan restaurant. Create your own banquet from the many small plates available. Though inevitably there is a strong leaning towards freshly sourced seafood.
Breakfast is served in the indigo-walled Albert Suite, an area so large that in another life it could have been a Regency ballroom with its chandeliers and classical cornices. But this is the place to stay in Brighton and there are plenty of guests eager for breakfast. Waiters provide tea and coffee whilst guests help themselves from the buffet to whatever they consider to be the traditional English breakfast. Then going multi-cultural they graze from a bakery selection that could have arrived straight from a Parisian boulangerie.
Afternoon tea
In the awards for best afternoon teas, The Grand’s tea-by-the-sea is a serial winner. Conservatory-styled and filled with lush tropical plants, the Victoria Terrace is a temple to the art of the afternoon tea.
Such is the demand – people travel from afar for the three tiers of savoury, scone and sweet perfection – that there are three servings: noon, 2pm and 4pm. The Grand has an ability to adapt tradition to contemporary taste. Choose from The Grand Afternoon Tea or vegan or gluten-free. For lighter appetites the Terrace Tea focuses on scones. As well as a range of teas and coffees, you can also opt for champagne or locally distilled Brighton Gin.
To do
Since Victorian times, Brighton has been southerners’ favourite escape to the sea. A wander through the narrow cobbled lanes, once home to Brighton’s fishermen, displays Brighton’s quirky character in the art galleries and independent shops. The monarchy set the tone with the oriental onion-domed grandeur of the Royal Pavilion, still Brighton’s must-visit attraction.
Steadily, the attractions became more sophisticated than donkeys, Punch-and-Judy and end-of-the-pier-shows. Brighton, ‘never normal’ as the slogan promises, has become a destination for the arts, clubs, comedy, flea market, music, theatre and water sports. But where does the annual naked bike ride fit into those classifications?
In a nutshell
A sea-view suite at The Grand is the place to stay in Brighton. Effortlessly the hotel blends its opulent heritage with cool contemporary luxury.
Factbox
The winter rate for a suite is from £320 inclusive of breakfast.
Address: 97 – 99 Kings Road, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 2FW
Phone: 01273 224300
Website: grandbrighton.co.uk
