Drakes

Pack your trunks and take a dip in the channel before taking breakfast at Drakes. Afterwards, for a more relaxed and less touristy shopping experience, head for the back lanes, beyond North Street.

A fantastic location in a Brighton that has changed a lot over recent years. However, fret not, if you still hanker for a touch of 'kiss me quick' there is a great little mini golf course opposite the hotel! Stroll further down the seafront and onto the boardwalk, and Jack & Linda Mills Smokehouse is not to be missed. The finest, freshest smoked seafood we'd ever tasted. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for English's of Brighton, at 28 East Street. Resting on its laurels would be a kind epitaph...

We noticed a fish restaurant called Love's on the net, which is close to Drakes, literally five minutes walk on St James Street, which runs behind the hotel. However, it has recently appeared on Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Based on this we thought if it's good enough for Gordon, now it'll be good enough for us! We were certainly not disappointed. The restaurant itself is very bright and modern. We arrived quite early and within an hour the restaurant was full, with a great atmosphere. The food was lovely; we definitely recommend the mussels. We had cocktails and the service was fantastic. Overall, we had a great night in there and felt thoroughly welcomed.

Small but perfectly formed. I have stayed a few times in the single attic room which looks out over the sea. No good for couples as it’s a large single bed, but if you’re flying solo it’s a perfect little haven.

A short walk from the hotel at 11 Black Lion Street is one of Jamie Oliver's new Jamie Italian restaurants (+44 (0)1273 915480). The concept is straight-forward Italian food served in modern surroundings. If the queue outside the door is anything to go by (they don't take bookings) then even after four months of opening, the people of Brighton are still enjoying the place. The food was lovely, the service excellent, with the added bonus of Jamie's friend and mentor Gennaro Contaldo walking the floor, happily signing copies of his books. If you want to see something out of this world and truly spectacular then you must visit Choccywoccydoodah (+44 (0)1273 732232) at 27 Middle Street where you will find the most amazing chocolate creations, such as life-sized chocolate dogs in the window! Well worth a visit, even if you only come away with a small bag of chocolate buttons.