Accommodation in Brighton

[burnside]

All,

A good friend of mine is looking to escape the smoke and go to Brighton. Any recommendations on flats / rooms to rent. Any areas to avoid?

Thanks.

Ben

[haberdashery]

All,

A good friend of mine is looking to escape the smoke and go to Brighton. Any recommendations on flats / rooms to rent. Any areas to avoid?

Thanks.

Ben

I find a lot of the hotels there quite tired and dirty, even the Hilton.

Recently we visited and stayed in a property from Air BNB, it was a boat in the harbour at Shoreham (done up to an incredibly high standard).

Wouldn’t stay in a hotel in Brighton again, would definitely recommend Air BNB. In addition I would not stay in Brighton itself again. I loved the Shoreham/Southwick area which is so chilled out but only a 10 min drive to the centre of Brighton.

Hope this helps!

[burnside]

Thanks for the info. I think she’s looking for something a little more long term.

[M4tt]

Lived there for twenty odd years - avoid Moulsecoomb and Whitehawk, but the area directly above the marina, especially Arundel road is nice. Poet's corner is ok if you don't mind students. Stay away from the seafront until you get to the far end of Hove, past the leisure centre. The area behind the Upper Lewes road is fairly normal but again, students. Hollingbury is ok but variable. Southwick is nice, but a bit far out. I'd say the pick is the area from Warleigh road and London road down to the park which can be very pleasant. All in all, you are better off in Hove.

Avoid basements at all costs. Off street parking is gold dust and congestion can get out of hand at this time of year.

[burnside]

Thanks, that’s a very good guide.

[Captain Morgan]

M4tt makes a lot of good points.

Ten years ago when we (Mrs Captain and me, not M4tt and me ) were looking for a weekend retreat property we wanted something on the coast 2hrs max from London, we'd spend many weekend traveling the coast looking for likely spots, starting on the Norfolk coast and ending up in Bournemouth.

When we found a area we liked we'd go back and stay a weekend to try and get the feel, if that worked we tried a week if posable, in reality there were only two areas that got the weeks treatment.

We ended up in a small village between Worthing and Littlehampton so the same stretch of Sussex coast as Brighton.

Apologies for the long run in but if you friend is looking for an 'escape' from London Brighton might not be the place, the congestion, pace and bustle there might be too close to London to make much difference. (Our experience, for us it didn't even warrant a weekend trial)

There are many places on the same stretch of coast that have good access links into Brighton for a 'fix' of urban living without being in the thick of it all the time.

Perhaps take a look at Shorham-on-sea or Worthing as options, if nothing more it might confirm Brighton is really the place she wants to be?

Either way I recommend trying to Air B&B as close to any desired areas to get a feel for staying there on a full time basis

[Dave+63]

If she’s looking further afield and wants completely different to London, she could look around East Dean; a small town stick in the fifties or a little further inland is Alfriston; a small village full of tea shops and antiques.

The pace of life in either of these places is, well let’s call it, sedate!

[M4tt]

M4tt makes a lot of good points.

Ten years ago when we (Mrs Captain and me, not M4tt and me ) were looking for a weekend retreat property we wanted something on the coast 2hrs max from London, we'd spend many weekend traveling the coast looking for likely spots, starting on the Norfolk coast and ending up in Bournemouth.

When we found a area we liked we'd go back and stay a weekend to try and get the feel, if that worked we tried a week if posable, in reality there were only two areas that got the weeks treatment.

We ended up in a small village between Worthing and Littlehampton so the same stretch of Sussex coast as Brighton.

Apologies for the long run in but if you friend is looking for an 'escape' from London Brighton might not be the place, the congestion, pace and bustle there might be too close to London to make much difference. (Our experience, for us it didn't even warrant a weekend trial)

There are many places on the same stretch of coast that have good access links into Brighton for a 'fix' of urban living without being in the thick of it all the time.

Perhaps take a look at Shorham-on-sea or Worthing as options, if nothing more it might confirm Brighton is really the place she wants to be?

Either way I recommend trying to Air B&B as close to any desired areas to get a feel for staying there on a full time basis

If you take this sound advice then I'd recommend driving around Lancing and Sompting very carefully - there are some areas that are close to inner city rough but others that are very pleasant. The point is that the rough areas absolutely destroy the value of the nice areas - as such you can get a place that is quite as nice as Rottingdean but quarter of a million quid less. With careful planning you can find places that have the entire downs as their back garden...

The area was traditionally where fruit was grown as it's all south facing on a mild incline and a complete sun trap all year around. That's where I would go if I were moving back that way.