Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront

The room was clean and comfortable, with crisp sheets, a clean bathroom, plenty of desk space and a nice partial sea view. Breakfast was very good, and they offered us a late checkout at noon. Check-in and checkout were both easy. Fiona at reception was friendly and helpful, gave us excellent service, and even upgraded us for free. The hotel’s in a great spot, with plenty of paid parking nearby.

Parking was a bit tricky because the spaces are small, though we managed to find one of the empty spots. Check the timing on the 24-hour parking charge: it starts from the hotel’s 4pm check-in time, not from when you personally check in. We only found that out at checkout. The welcome was friendly, the room was comfortable, and there was a nice range of herbal teas. Breakfast had a fantastic spread of fruit, cereal and English breakfast options. We also loved the pancakes, which were made to order.

The seafront location is excellent, but the cold made the stay miserable. The heating system and air conditioning seemed broken. The controls in every bedroom showed a service image, while cold air blew straight onto the bed. Oil and electric radiators had been plugged in around the hotel, apparently in an attempt to warm the rooms. I slept fully dressed under the blanket and still woke shivering every 20 minutes. By morning, the cold air had left me with a sore throat that felt like I’d swallowed a razor blade. We booked several rooms and had the same problem in all of them. We won’t use Holiday Inn’s again. Restaurant service was poor as well. We waited nearly an hour for starters, even though there were only two other people in the restaurant. The starters were very good, but I had to ask three times for our drinks. After that, the mains took another hour to arrive. The food was pretty good, but when I went to pay, I stood at the bar for almost 15 minutes before anyone came to help.

The breakfast was superb, with more than you could ask for, and the parking was safe. Both were big factors for me when choosing the hotel. Laura and her team took great care of us, and we had a fantastic room overlooking the sea. The hospitality and customer service were number one. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your stay.