No.124 by Guesthouse, Brighton

Worth getting out of bed for

No.124 must be lucky, because the hotel won the lottery of locations in Brighton. Walk outside and you’ll see the dizzying shaft of the i360 tower and its shiny doughnut that ferries visitors up and down it; and the skeleton of the West Pier. Cross the road and go down some steps and there they are: the (pebbly) beach and the sea. Amble along and you’ll find various attractions: live performers at Brighton Music Hall, the Upside Down House, cricket batting-cages, basketball and volleyball courts. Further along is the Palace Pier with classic fairground rides and arcades for time/money wasting; pirate-themed mini golf, a zipline, Volks Electric Railway, and the curious Brighton Flint Grotto. Further into the city, the Royal Pavilion shows that the Victorians did have a sense of humour (when it came to OTT decor anyways); the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery close by is an offshoot. Further along, the bustling Lanes are home to indie shops, the Theatre Royal and Komedia for a variety of live shows. Or have a more meditative time following the Undercliff Walk; watching starling murmurations over the West Pier when in season (October to March); or seeing what niche, vintage or foreign film is being screened at White Wall Cinema.

Local restaurants

Usually we’re right to be suspicious of restaurants whose locations seem to be too good, but the Salt Room (a few doors down from the hotel) is no tourist lure. From lobster butter on homemade sourdough to start, to skate with pork belly or thick steaks for two, to the seaside sweets for dessert, it’s a buoyant experience. The same group also own Burnt Orange (Med and Middle Eastern small plates), Tutto (modern Italian) and the Coal Shed (flame cooking) – all worth a visit in their own right. 

For more sea-fare-ing Riddle & Finns have a pavilion just above the beach and traditional English’s have all the classics (plus Bloody Mary oyster shots). Palmito are big on flavour (the lamb with Nutbourne tomatoes and house ricotta is a must), and you’ll quickly fill a table with Halisco’s tacos and empanadas. Vegetarians and vegans, book early for Terre à Terre – it’s immensely popular, for good reason.

Local cafés

For brunches of crab and avo Benedict, ‘posh’ bacon butties with cheesy hash browns and poached-pear granola, washed down with passionfruit mimosas, head to Lucky Beach, or get Lost in the Lanes for herb and salmon rosti, French toast with lemon mascarpone and peach jam, and bottomless Bellinis on Sundays. In Kemptown Café Rust’s sourdough bread makes a fine base for Welsh rarebit, Benedicts and more; and for seafood snacking and rolls filled with lobster or crab, hit the Brighton Shellfish & Oyster Bar, a humble hut beside the beach.

Local bars

The bar at Smith stablemate the Artist Residence Brighton is delightfully laidback with a stash of board games and sea views. Add a bit of virtue to a sinful night out at Gung Ho!, which serves sustainable cocktails with foraged fixings. Dead Wax Social on the North Laine is serious both about the soundtrack and getting you good and buzzed – there’s a packed events calendar. Wine lovers, head for Valley Gardens where there’s both L’Atelier du Vin and the Wine Cellar.