Brighton is England’s best-known seaside resort, with a long seafront promenade, a pier full of rides and a royal palace with domes and minarets. Behind the beach, you’ll find narrow lanes lined with jewellery shops, streets packed with small shops and cafés, and a big LGBTQ+ scene.
The city isn’t big, but the area you choose still changes your trip. Do you want the sea right outside, to stay close to the train or to have peace and quiet in the evening? Here are the five areas I’d choose between, with good hotels in several price ranges.
Contents
The Best Areas in Brighton
- The Lanes & Palace Pier - best area for first-time visitors
- Regency Square & the Seafront - best area for sea views and classic hotels
- North Laine & the Station - best area for cafés, shopping and easy arrival by train
- Kemptown - best area for LGBTQ+ travellers and small boutique hotels
- Hove - best area for a quiet stay and families
Below, I’ll take you through the areas one by one, with a map, practical facts and three hotels in each, from the expensive treat to the cheap place to sleep.
1. The Lanes & Palace Pier - best area for first-time visitors 🎡
- 📍 Distance from the centre: You’ll be staying right in the centre, around 200 metres from the Royal Pavilion and around 600 metres from Palace Pier.
- 🚶 Transport: You can walk to most things. It’s just under 800 metres from Brighton station, so allow a 10 to 15-minute walk.
- ✈️ Time from Gatwick: The train from Gatwick to Brighton takes around 30 minutes, and then you’ll have a 10 to 15-minute walk.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. Weekends and the summer months are usually the most expensive.
- 👮 Safety: Generally safe, but it’s crowded and there’s a lot of partying at weekends. Keep an eye on your belongings in the crowds.
The Lanes is my first choice if it’s your first trip to Brighton. The area is a dense maze of narrow lanes between North Street and the sea, where jewellery shops, cafés, pubs and small restaurants sit side by side. You can walk down to the beach in a few minutes.
The city’s most famous building is just around the corner too. The Royal Pavilion was built for George, Prince of Wales, who later became King George IV, and it was the architect John Nash who gave the palace the domes and minarets you see today. It’s only a couple of hundred metres from The Lanes.
On the beach, you’ll find Palace Pier, with rides and amusement arcades out over the water. Opening times vary, so check Brighton Palace Pier’s own website before you head out there in the evening.
The drawback is the noise. On Fridays and Saturdays, it can be lively around the bars near the beach until late into the night, so I’d ask for a room away from the street if you’re a light sleeper. Prices are also higher than in North Laine and Kemptown on popular weekends.
For a weekend, I’d plan the days so that you see the Royal Pavilion in the morning, have lunch in the lanes and walk along the seafront towards the pier when the sun is low. Everything is so close that you can get back to the hotel and change before dinner.
The Lanes is perfect for exactly that kind of short break. You can fit a lot into two days without spending time on transport.
Places to Stay in and around The Lanes
Hotel du Vin & Bistro Brighton - stylish hotel with a bistro in the middle of The Lanes
Hotel du Vin is on Ship Street, around 200 metres from the heart of The Lanes and very close to the seafront. There’s a bistro, a bar, air conditioning and a 24-hour reception, and the rooms range from classic doubles to suites.
I’d choose it for a couple’s weekend where you’re happy to have dinner at the hotel. The building has character, and the rooms vary in size, so choose a deluxe category or a suite if you want plenty of space.
One guest highlights the room and the bar on Booking.com: “Lovely great size room with a bath tub, bar area and cocktails were lovely.”
See photos and book Hotel du Vin & Bistro Brighton here.
Leonardo Royal Hotel Brighton Waterfront - mid-range hotel with an indoor pool by the beach
Leonardo Royal is on Kings Road facing the sea, around 200 metres from The Lanes and around 450 metres from Palace Pier. The hotel has an indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room, a gym, a restaurant and a bar.
It’s an obvious choice for families or anyone who’d like a pool when the weather lets you down. It’s a big hotel, so don’t expect the same personal atmosphere as in a small boutique hotel.
Another guest was pleasantly surprised by the room: “Room was very good. Larger than we expected and with a very nice view.”
See photos and book Leonardo Royal Hotel Brighton Waterfront here.
Legends Hotel - cheaper choice with a bar and sea views near the pier
Legends is on Marine Parade facing the beach, around 400 metres from Palace Pier. There’s a bar with a terrace overlooking the sea, and some rooms have full or partial sea views.
The hotel suits you if you want to stay cheaply near the pier and like a bit of life in the evening. There’s a nightclub with a DJ at weekends, and the sound can reach the rooms, so ask for a high floor if you want an early night.
One guest review on Booking.com reads: “Very nicely decorated and appointed room, with good facilities.”
See photos and book Legends Hotel here.
2. Regency Square & the Seafront - best area for sea views and classic hotels 🌊
- 📍 Distance from the centre: Around 700 metres to The Lanes and around 500 metres to the Clock Tower and the shopping streets.
- 🚶 Transport: Walk along the seafront into the centre. It’s just under 1 km to Brighton station.
- ✈️ Time from Gatwick: Around 30 minutes by train to Brighton, then a walk of around 15 minutes or a short taxi ride.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. There are simple hotels here as well as the city’s classic five-star hotel.
- 👮 Safety: The seafront is well lit and busy. Regency Square itself is a park, so stick to the streets around it late in the evening.
Regency Square is my suggestion if a sea view matters to you. The long square is surrounded by Regency houses and opens onto the beach and the seafront, and from here, you can walk along the water to The Lanes in around ten minutes.
Right in front of the square stands Brighton i360, a 162-metre observation tower where a glass pod takes you up above the city and the coast. It’s a good first activity, because you get an overview of the whole of Brighton and Hove in one go.
Here, you’ll find some of the city’s classic hotels along Kings Road, and several of them have rooms looking straight out over the English Channel. The hotels on the square itself are in older townhouses, while the big hotels sit on the front row facing the water.
See hotels near Regency Square here.
The drawback is the traffic on Kings Road. A room facing the sea gives you the great view, but also more noise from the road, and a sea view usually costs extra. If you’re a light sleeper, I’d choose a room on a high floor or at the back.
The area suits a couple who want to take long walks along the water morning and evening. On the other hand, it’s a little further to North Laine and the station than from The Lanes, so with heavy luggage, I’d take a taxi for the last stretch.
In summer, the seafront in front of the square is full of life, while out of season it can be windy and quiet. That doesn’t matter much, because you’re still close to the restaurants around the Clock Tower, and the view over the sea is lovely in all weathers.
Places to Stay by Regency Square & the Seafront
The Grand Brighton - five-star classic with a spa facing the sea
The Grand is on Kings Road with its front facing the sea, around 230 metres from Regency Square. It’s a five-star hotel with a restaurant, a cocktail bar, a gym and a spa area with a hydrotherapy pool, a sauna and a steam room, among other things.
I’d choose it for a special occasion where the hotel is part of the experience. Be aware that there are also rooms facing inland, so a sea view and a balcony mean choosing the right category, for example a junior suite.
One guest praises the breakfast on Booking.com: “Great breakfast with extensive choice.”
See photos and book The Grand Brighton here.
Hotel Pelirocco - quirky themed hotel right on Regency Square
Pelirocco is on Regency Square itself, around 200 metres from the seafront. The rooms are individually decorated with themes from pop culture, glamour and music, and there’s a bar, a lift and the option of a massage.
It’s my pick if you want to stay somewhere with personality and not just a nice hotel room. The decor is deliberately wild, so choose another hotel if you prefer a neutral, calm style.
One guest describes the hotel like this: “Lovely quirky hotel, perfect location.”
See photos and book Hotel Pelirocco here.
West Beach Hotel Brighton - simple budget choice on the seafront
West Beach is on Kings Road facing the beach, around 100 metres from Regency Square. All the private rooms have their own bathroom with a shower, some have sea views, and there’s a shared lounge, a snack bar and a lift.
The hotel suits you if you want to stay cheaply with the sea just across the road. There are dormitories too, and the atmosphere is more relaxed guest house than classic hotel.
One guest writes honestly on Booking.com: “More like a guesthouse than hotel. Great location and pleasant staff.”
See photos and book West Beach Hotel Brighton here.
3. North Laine & the Station - best area for cafés, shopping and easy arrival by train 🚆
- 📍 Distance from the centre: Around 600 metres to The Lanes and around 1.1 km to Palace Pier.
- 🚆 Transport: Brighton station is on the northern edge, with trains to Gatwick and London. The city’s buses cover the rest of Brighton and Hove.
- ✈️ Time from Gatwick: Around 30 minutes by train, and then you can walk to most hotels in 5 to 10 minutes.
- 💰 Price range: €€. Lots of chain hotels and aparthotels, which are often cheaper than by the sea.
- 👮 Safety: Busy and safe during the day. There are lots of people coming and going around the station late in the evening, so stick to the well-lit main streets.
North Laine is the area between the station and The Lanes, and it’s my choice if you’re arriving by train or love cafés and small shops. The streets are full of independent shops, places to eat and bars, and they feel more local than the lanes closer to the sea.
The practical side is the biggest advantage. According to Gatwick Airport, the train to Brighton takes around 30 minutes, and from the platform, you’re at your hotel in a few minutes. If you’re heading further around the city, Brighton & Hove Buses has an app with tickets, a journey planner and live times.
See hotels in North Laine here.
The drawback is that you won’t get a sea view, and the hotels closest to the station are in a more modern and impersonal neighbourhood. It’s around 1.1 km from North Laine to Palace Pier, so a trip to the beach means a walk of almost half an hour there and back.
The area is also a smart choice if Brighton is part of a bigger trip. If you’re combining it with London, you can use my guide to where to stay in London, and if you’re flying into Gatwick, I’ve rounded up the options for getting from Gatwick to central London.
On Saturdays, the streets are often full of shoppers. If you’d like to see the neighbourhood when it’s calmer, have a morning coffee at one of the cafés before the shops open, and save the busiest streets for the afternoon.
I’d choose North Laine for a short trip with plenty of food, coffee and shopping and a budget that’s better spent out in the city than on the room. It’s also where you’ll be closest to the train on the day you head home.
Places to Stay in North Laine & near the Station
Q Square by Supercity Aparthotels - aparthotel with a kitchen near the Clock Tower
Q Square is on Queen Square, around 100 metres from the Clock Tower and around 500 metres from Brighton station. The apartments have a kitchenette and their own bathroom, and there’s a gym, a laundry service, a 24-hour reception and an underground car park.
It’s my most expensive suggestion in the area, and it suits you if you’re staying a few days and like making your own breakfast. It’s an aparthotel, so you won’t get the same restaurant and bar as at a classic hotel.
The location gets praise in one review on Booking.com: “Excellent central location. Great room with everything you could need.”
See photos and book Q Square by Supercity Aparthotels here.
Leonardo Hotel Brighton - modern mid-range hotel a few minutes from the station
Leonardo Hotel Brighton is on Stroudley Road, just under 300 metres from Brighton station. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, air conditioning, a lift and a 24-hour reception.
I’d choose it for a trip by train where you want to wheel your suitcase to the room quickly. The neighbourhood around the hotel is new and practical rather than charming, and it’s around 1 km to The Lanes.
One guest review on Booking.com says: “Room had a fridge which I didn’t expect. Really clean and well appointed.”
See photos and book Leonardo Hotel Brighton here.
ibis Brighton City Centre Station - budget choice around 100 metres from the station
The ibis is on Queens Road, around 100 metres from the station and around 250 metres from North Laine. The rooms are soundproofed and have air conditioning, and the hotel has a bar and a restaurant serving breakfast.
It’s a simple, cheap choice if location matters most. The bathrooms are compact, so it’s best for a couple of nights when you’ll be out for most of the day anyway.
One guest highlights the cleanliness on Booking.com: “The room was spotless and everything was in perfect order.”
See photos and book ibis Brighton City Centre Station here.
4. Kemptown - best area for LGBTQ+ travellers and small boutique hotels 🌈
- 📍 Distance from the centre: Around 700 to 800 metres to The Lanes from the hotels in the western part of Kemptown.
- 🚶 Transport: You can walk to the centre and Palace Pier. It’s around 1.2 to 1.3 km to Brighton station, so take a bus or a taxi if you have heavy luggage.
- ✈️ Time from Gatwick: Allow around 50 to 60 minutes in total: around 30 minutes by train to Brighton, then a bus, a taxi or a 15 to 20-minute walk.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. Lots of small B&Bs and guest houses, plus a few boutique hotels facing the sea.
- 👮 Safety: Lively around the bars in the evening, while the side streets are quieter. Use the usual common sense on your way home.
Kemptown lies east of Palace Pier towards Brighton Marina, and Visit Brighton calls the area the heart of the city’s LGBTQIA+ community. Here, vintage shops, independent bookshops and small cafés mix with lively nightlife.
I’d choose Kemptown if you’d like to stay somewhere a little more local and still be able to walk to the pier and The Lanes. Tall, white townhouses line Marine Parade facing the sea, and the streets behind them are home to many of the city’s small B&Bs and guest houses.
Kemptown often gives you more hotel for your money than The Lanes, especially if you choose a guest house on one of the side streets. On the other hand, the small places often have no restaurant, bar or 24-hour reception, and many rooms are in old houses with steep stairs and no lift.
If you’re travelling with a pushchair or find stairs difficult, check the access before you book. That also applies to the most expensive hotel below, where every room is reached by stairs.
For a first trip, I’d choose a hotel in the western part of Kemptown, close to Old Steine and the pier. The further east you go, the quieter and more residential the neighbourhood becomes, and the walk into The Lanes gets longer accordingly. That’s an advantage if you want to sleep well, but a drawback if you want to walk back and forth a lot.
Kemptown is also a good choice for a longer trip, when you’d like a neighbourhood with its own cafés and pubs to come back to in the evening after a long day by the sea or in The Lanes.
Places to Stay in Kemptown
Drakes Hotel - boutique hotel with freestanding baths and sea views
Drakes is on Marine Parade facing the sea, around 450 metres from Palace Pier. The rooms have air conditioning, and many of them have a freestanding bath with a view over the water. There’s a cocktail bar, room service and a 24-hour reception.
It’s my treat choice in Kemptown and an obvious hotel for a romantic weekend. The hotel has no lift, so ask for a low floor if stairs are a problem.
Guests mention the bath too: “Lovely room with a free-standing bath and a beautiful view.”
See photos and book Drakes Hotel here.
Blanch House - colourful adults-only boutique hotel
Blanch House is on Atlingworth Street, a side street between St James’s Street and the sea, around 600 metres from Palace Pier. The hotel is for adults only and has a lounge bar, a continental breakfast and rooms with tea and coffee.
I’d choose it for a couple who want to stay somewhere with a bit of personality without paying for a sea view. The rooms are all different, so read the description of each category if you want a bath or air conditioning.
One guest highlights the decor on Booking.com: “The room decor was fun, nice to stay somewhere a bit different.”
See photos and book Blanch House here.
Upper Rock Brighton Guest House - simple, well-kept guest house on a side street
Upper Rock is on Upper Rock Gardens in Kemptown, around 650 metres from Palace Pier. The rooms have their own bathroom with a shower, a fridge, a kettle and a TV, and there’s free Wi-Fi.
It’s my budget suggestion in Kemptown if you mainly need a clean, quiet place to sleep. It’s a small guest house rather than a hotel, so it’s best if you’ll spend your days out in the city.
A previous guest writes: “Loved how clean and tidy the room was, very quiet, excellent shower, lovely towels, comfortable bed.”
See photos and book Upper Rock Brighton Guest House here.
5. Hove - best area for a quiet stay and families 🏖️
- 📍 Distance from the centre: Around 1.7 km from Hove Lawns to The Lanes and around 2 km to Palace Pier.
- 🚆 Transport: Hove station is around 1.3 km north of the seafront. City buses connect Hove with central Brighton.
- ✈️ Time from Gatwick: Around half an hour by train to Hove, then a short taxi ride or a 15 to 20-minute walk to the seafront.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. Fewer hotels than in Brighton and more holiday apartments.
- 👮 Safety: Quiet and safe. There’s less going on in the evening, and the walk home from Brighton feels long.
Hove begins around the old West Pier, and according to Visit Brighton, it’s the light, cream-coloured crescents and squares facing the sea that give the area its character. The atmosphere is calmer than in Brighton.
Hove Lawns lie along the seafront. According to Brighton & Hove City Council’s description of Hove Lawns, the lawns were laid out together with the houses behind them, and they were where fashionable society promenaded well into the 20th century. Today, they’re open to everyone and perfect for a stroll, a picnic or a run.
Getting there is easy. According to Thameslink, the train from Gatwick to Hove takes around half an hour, and from there, it’s just over a kilometre down to the water.
I’d choose Hove for a family holiday or a longer trip where you want to sleep well and use Brighton for days out. Several of the hotels here are pubs with rooms or smaller places rather than big chain hotels.
If you have children with you, it helps that the seafront promenade in Hove is wide and usually less crowded than by the pier. Visit Brighton also mentions Hove Lagoon by the beach as a spot for water sports and skateboarding, if you fancy an active day.
The drawback is the distance. It’s around 2 km to Palace Pier, so you’ll either walk a lot or take the bus, and in the evening, there are far fewer restaurants and bars than in The Lanes. If you want to be in the thick of things, Hove is the wrong choice. On the other hand, you get more peace and space, and that’s exactly the point.
Places to Stay in Hove
The Southern Belle - boutique hotel and pub on the border with Brighton
The Southern Belle is on Waterloo Street in the eastern part of Hove, around 500 metres from both Hove Lawns and Regency Square. There’s a pub, a cocktail lounge and a restaurant, and the rooms have super king-size beds and large smart TVs.
It’s my most expensive suggestion in Hove and a good choice if you want food and atmosphere under the same roof. Most rooms are 15 to 18 square metres, so choose a deluxe category if you want the most space. It isn’t a classic luxury hotel with a spa.
One guest is full of praise: “This is an absolute gem of a boutique hotel. Big beautiful room with comfy bed.”
See photos and book The Southern Belle here.
Bow Street Runner - cosy rooms above a traditional pub
Bow Street Runner is on Brunswick Street West, around 400 metres from Hove Lawns. The rooms are above a traditional pub and have their own shower, a fridge and tea and coffee, and a light continental breakfast is served in the room.
I’d choose it for a quiet trip for two where you want to stay close to the sea without staying in a big hotel. The rooms can only be reached by stairs, and there are no ground-floor rooms.
One guest praises the breakfast and the fridge: “Very clean room, lovely staff, fridge in the room and nice continental breakfast.”
See photos and book Bow Street Runner here.
Best Western Princes Marine Hotel - budget choice with parking by the beach
Princes Marine is on Kingsway in the western part of Hove, facing the beach and around 1.3 km from Hove station. The hotel has free parking, a lift, a bar and a breakfast buffet, and some rooms have sea views.
It’s my suggestion for families and anyone arriving by car. You’ll be a long way from central Brighton, around 3 km from The Lanes, so plan on the bus or the car when you head into town.
One guest who arrived by car writes on Booking.com: “Lovely big room and glad we were able to park at the hotel which made it much less stressful.”
See photos and book Best Western Princes Marine Hotel here.
Where should you avoid staying in Brighton?
I wouldn’t stay high up on the hills north of the station on a first trip. The hotels can look cheap, but you’ll end up with long walks up and down every day and a long way to the sea. Also watch out for hotels with Brighton in their name that are actually near Gatwick or in the neighbouring towns along the coast. Always check the map.
Brighton Marina is good for a family day out, but it’s some way east of the centre, so I wouldn’t stay there on a short trip without a car. If you’re a light sleeper, avoid rooms directly above bars and nightclubs in The Lanes and Kemptown at weekends.
If it’s your first trip, choose The Lanes. If you want to wake up with the sea outside your window, Regency Square and the seafront are the right place, and if you’re arriving by train or on a tight budget, North Laine is the most practical.
Kemptown suits you if you want small hotels, bars and a neighbourhood with its own atmosphere, while Hove is my choice for families and a quieter holiday with long walks along the water.
If you have a few extra days, Brighton works well as a base for excursions around the region, so choose the area that suits both your evenings and the long days out.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
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• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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