The Best Guesthouses in Brighton, England

Housed in the former Brighton Belle nightclub – the favourite of a young Norman Cook (also known as Fatboy Slim) – this handsome Regency town house is minutes from the famed Brighton Beach Bandstand and venerable local pubs such as the Lion and Lobster. Owner Lola O’Keefe comes from a long line of B&B owners and knows how to make a stay special with little baskets of sweets, complimentary tea and cake and L’Occitane toiletries. Breakfasts include fresh fruit, yoghurts and a full English with organic bacon.

Throw open the shutters: mornings are a joy at this prime seafront guest house overlooking Palace Pier, where all but one of the rooms face the ocean. Breakfast can be either buffet or à la carte; choose from syrup-lashed blueberry pancakes, avocado toast with crispy bacon or fresh fruit salad. Rooms contain guides on the best Brighton attractions, and manager Steve and owner David fulfil requests for in-room drinks or flowers.

With its Bollywood movie posters, clock-clad walls and zebra-print chintz, this central Kemptown hangout is an Aladdin’s cave of retro nostalgia. This transformation of a once-conventional B&B is the work of owners Paul and Tony, who are constantly on hand to provide a restaurant or bar recommendation. They’ve also furnished your room with sticks of Brighton rock, tea and biscuits. Opt for the Snooze BLT at breakfast – a hot toastie loaded with crispy bacon, tomatoes and rocket.

This 10-room B&B near Brighton Flea Market dazzles with its whitewashed Victorian facade. Husband-and-wife team Sean and Kathryn run a smooth operation, providing a generous supply of in-room snacks including KitKats and biscotti. Breakfast is served on the outdoor patio – weather permitting – and includes salmon, wild mushrooms and an English breakfast of local provenance. Wind down at night with a DVD in your room or hit the bars and LGBTQ clubs of surrounding Kemptown.

The Basque coast comes to Brighton in this French-themed guesthouse in Kemptown. Named for the attractive Regency square onto which it faces, it’s a short stroll from the beach, Palace Pier and Brighton Museum. In summer 2020, Biarritz-born owner Herve Guyat oversaw a complete overhaul of the rooms, which now ooze Gallic class, with sweeping arches and crisp linen. The bistro chef is also from Biarritz and whips up mackerel rillettes and pork confit with flair.

Spread over four floors of a Georgian townhouse in central Kemptown, this guesthouse is – unsurprisingly – well-placed for a morning meander around Brighton Marina, a picturesque yacht harbour ringed with boutiques and craft shops, reachable via the halfway station of Volk’s Electric Railway. In the light-flooded dining room, owners Barbara and Jon provide fruit, cereal, danish pastries and a full English cooked to order.

This Kemptown B&B is just a few platform-heeled steps from some of the UK’s best-loved LGBTQ venues, including The Queens Arms and Amsterdam Bar. Brightonwave owners Shaun and Martin bring camp kitsch to their guesthouse with a rotating selection of local art; previous works have featured pole dancers and sparkly underwear. Breakfasts range from continental to Marmite on toast. If you’re feeling flush, plump for the basement suite, with a private patio and whirlpool.

Hugging the edge of bohemian Kemptown, this Georgian guesthouse is a cut above. Hosts Wayne and Diego accompany restaurant recommendations with a side of freshly baked cake, while breakfasts involve build-your-own bagels and a full English with tomatoes on the vine. Rooms come in an eclectic range of themes: expect canine-print wallpaper matched with chinoiserie and other curiosities. The Pavilion and the North Laine district are both within a 10-minute stroll.

There are two standout features at this unpretentious guesthouse: the owners, David and Eric. One or both will assist you in getting parked, reserving a top restaurant or even getting free champagne from certain bars – just quote them when you order. Spend extra on a feature room and you’ll get a glowing fairground-themed mural above your bed. Breakfast on vine tomatoes and perfectly poached eggs before taking a stroll to Palace Pier, Victoria Gardens or the antique stores of Kemptown.