The Kelvin Guest House

The location is a major plus: Morrison and Sealife are 5 mins away on foot, while British airways i360, Royal pavillion, Brighton Arts Museum and the Dome are 15 mins away. The Zipline, Brighton Palace pier and the long pebble beach are about 10 mins away. The beach isn’t sandy as I’d expected, but the pebbles are still fun. Parking is awkward, with no space at the property. Sealife parking is expensive, or Brighton and Hove councils parking is at least 10 minutes away and safer and relatively cheaper. We booked 4 rooms for one night. They were all well ventilated, non-smoking, small but cosy, and pretty much what we expected. The rooms are set up for TWO adults. The bathrooms had the necessary hardware and enough towels, though the floors were a bit noisy. Getting a child’s buggy around was difficult, so we had to fold and lift it, but staff kindly found somewhere to keep it overnight. Room 3 was similar in design and facilities to the others, but a vague smell of cigarette smoke, gas or something else kept distracting us, and we could barely sleep until midnight. It may have been coming from the toilet and kitchen exhaust pipes just outside the window. In the room there was a table with a kettle, tea, coffee and hot chocolate sachets, plus two small packets of cookies. The two ladies serving breakfast were ready to ask about our needs and preferences. We had the full British breakfast. It tasted okay, though the portion was small compared with what I expected from past experience. The place has rainbow shades in support of gay rights and the recent gay parade. If you’re gay, it’s probably the friendliest place in England to be. It’s a good four star BnB guest house/hotel with very good service for a reasonable price, as long as you don’t need parking.

The staff were really kind, even offering me paracetamol, and didn’t make a fuss when I threw up all over the room. I’m still feeling queezy after getting it all out of me this morning, so a tip: avoid 'Daily Catch', the nearest chippie! It’s a great value place in a handy spot, with friendly, professional staff. A good choice for visiting Brighton if you want someone to look after you without spending a fortune. I’d definitely recommend it.

The two young hosts were helpful and friendly when my partner and I stayed here a few years ago. Our room was comfortable and clean, and we had a lovely visit.

Elle was warm and welcoming, and really helpful. The lovely room is a stone’s throw from the pier. We’ll definitely be back. Sharon +Jimmy.