Qype User (Yankee…)
Yelp
The Hotel du Vin chains, as mentioned in my review of the Birmingham one, are an absolutely ingenuous chain of buildings with a certain charming patina, restored, and turned into gorgeous hotels with unique features.
The Hotel du Vin in Brighton is a prime and divine example of the dedication that the owners take in finding the perfect building in keeping with the area's charm. The sea green hotel, set just back from the sea front, is full of Brightonesque quirky fun and a comfortable old British seaside feel.
Each of the rooms are individually decorated and furnished, and none of them are like the others. The decor of the place is perfectly done, from the old drift wood reception desk, to the long, wide winding staircase.
The bar is really something special, with gorgeous dark wood almost in a Latin American style, with dark brown leather furnishings and plenty of potted foliage.
As with most Hotel du Vin bars, the staff are impeccably friendly, and always know how to mix a stiff cocktail with no fuss. If you're a beer drinker, there are a few beers on tap, but this is no ale house.
Obviously, the specials at a "Wine Hotel" are going to be wines, and they have a gloriously large selection of plummy reds and crisp whites. With several Sommeliers on staff, finding the perfect wine for an early evening treat or to accompany a meal is easy going and fun.
The staff at the Hotel du Vin in Brighton are very friendly, and always helpful and polite.
It's a bit on the higher end for cost, but if you can afford to stay in Brighton in high summer, you won't be too shocked at the prices.
The honeymoon suite is absolutely to die for. The California King-sized bed is the most comfortable I've ever slept in, and the decor is very minimal but spot on (think New England rustic, Martha's Vineyard).
The wet room in the bathroom is very spacious -- five people could shower at a time, but hopefully on your honeymoon, you'll just want your better half in that scenario.
There are two large, porcelain claw-footed tubs, side by side, with room to store the champagne that comes complimentary with the room. With large, soft fluffy towels and 8 large windows, you could do worse than the Honeymoon Suite.
The hotel is a genuinely older building, and though the heating and a/c are in tip top shape, the windows do let in quite a bit of noise, so bring ear plugs if your room is facing the street. Brighton youths are just as noisy as anywhere else!