Paskins Townhouse

The room was pleasant and the shower was good and very clean. The location was good too. We’d booked a twin room but were given a double, and managed with it, though we would have preferred the room we’d booked. The mattress was far too hard, and I didn’t get much sleep because I was so uncomfortable.

I stayed at the beautiful Paskins Town House for two nights recently, in two different rooms. It’s tucked into a side street in Kemptown, fairly quiet for the area, and still just a short walk from the beach, St James Street and Brighton city centre. The staff were calm, easy to deal with and no trouble at all. I find the negative reviews about them strange. The decor is full of weird and wonderful things, in a quirky style that I found fun and very Brighton. The rooms are a decent size, clean, cosy and comfortable. Room 8 lets you connect to the TV and play YouTube or whatever. I watched Prince's Sign of the Times Tour while getting ready for bed, which was cool. Room 9 didn’t have that option, but it had a heater and fan, and the windows open. There was a strange sticker on the windows about pigeons trying to sneak in. I didn’t see any, though I was hoping for a little Snow White type visitor or two. Maybe next time I’ll bring bird seed. I didn’t notice much noise from other rooms, and everyone seemed respectful. I slept cosy and well both nights, and especially liked the soft, good-quality pillows. I included a photo of their unusual squishiness, but don’t worry, it was probably just posed for a joke. I’d definitely stay again, hopefully soon. It’s easy to nip out for whatever mischief you fancy, then come back for a good sleep. There are plenty of late-night snacks and drinks around. My favourites are tangfastics and squashies with strawberry water, feel free to copy my order.

It’s about a 10 minute walk to the beach, and another 10 minutes to shops, bars and restaurants. A great base for spending the day at the beach and the evening at a restaurant or pub. The staff were lovely and so helpful. I’d happily stay again.

The noise was bad both inside and out, and we ended up taking sleeping pills. The room wasn’t serviced during our stay either: no fresh towels, the beds weren’t made, and the tea and coffee weren’t topped up. Cleanliness was disappointing, and the decor that must once have been lovely now looks tatty and shabby. We booked a couple of days as a birthday treat for my daughter and me. We’d stayed a few times over the years and always enjoyed it, especially the exceptional breakfasts, but we hadn’t realised breakfast was no longer offered. They emailed suggestions for two nearby places with a money-off deal. The link for one said the website was no longer functional, and the other place was temporarily closed. Nobody replied to our email about it, so we had to find somewhere ourselves. We used to praise this place and recommend it, and it was the only place we stayed in Brighton. It now feels like nobody cares about the business or its customers. Sadly, we won’t be back.