Archive for May, 2010

Brighton’s Palace Pier beach has been awarded the top standard in the Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide!

Palace Pier beach gets top ranking!

We’ve always known it is a great place to swim and chill. So it’s little surprise that the MCS report was so flattering when it came to checking out our favourite hangout. So here are some of the quotes from the MCS report:

Water grade 2010: Highest UK standard for bathing quality (recommended for the last three years!).

Meets European water quality standards

Things to do: Swimming, surfing, seafront promenade walks, kite flying, many summer festivals.

Local Facilities: food, toilets, disabled toilets, shops, litter bins.

Wildlife & Walks: Coastal walks include the famous Seven Sisters path along the south coast.

Litter: Beaches cleaned daily.

“Highly popular shingle and sand beach serving one of Britain’s most famous seaside resorts. Local attractions include the refurbished pier, fun fairs, arcades and local shopping.”

The beach was also praised for having plentiful parking.

No excuse then, get those bags packed and get ready for a great beach bank holiday weekend!

Check out the discounts we have, or call the hotel to book.

Fancy a flutter?

There’s the beach, the lanes, the lawns, the shops, the pubs and the clubs, and the parks too. But just when you thought you knew all Brighton has on offer, there’s always something new to try.

Above the city, at the top of Elm Grove, is Brighton racecourse. If you never thought a day at the races would set your pulse racing, read on: With plenty on for the family and children, you just might find a day at the gee-gees is the bee’s knees!

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Stay safe in the sun

We all love sitting with the family on Brighton beach. It’s safe, it’s clean and it’s so much fun. But take care, at times it gets a lot hotter than you might think and before you know it, it’s lobster time!

With the massive bank holiday approaching and loads of people visiting the city – some with families, others with stag and hen parties – it’s time for some expert sun protection advice.

Follow these simple guidelines and you’ll go home happy and rested, not battered and knackered!

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The Cribs: Johnny Marr is second from left

It has just been announced that Johnny Marr, the legendary guitarist who was Morrissey’s side-kick in The Smiths, is set to grace a Brighton stage during the city’s The Great Escape festival.

Marr, whose jangly playing style inspired thousands of teenagers to put down their air guitars and pick up real ones, is now plying his trade with British indie group The Cribs – who will be appearing at the Corn Exchange this Thursday, May 13^th.

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Brighton Royal Pavilion

You’d be surprised just how many people live in Brighton with their families and kids, and never visit the Pavilion. It took us five years to make the trip, and it was well worth it.

The Pavilion is one of the most iconic of Brighton landmarks; along with both piers, it is one of Brighton’s defining pieces of architecture.

If you’re worried it’s going to be a boring history lecture in a dusty old room, don’t be. I was enchanted on my first visit; it’s a fascinating place.

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It’s not often you can just walk into a stranger’s house, have a good nosey round and help yourself to a picture or some jewellery.

Well, in Brighton you can because it’s the Artists’ Open Houses Festival. Visitors to the city can wander around and pop into nearly 250 venues and look at original art, even grab themselves a cuppa while they are at it.

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Visitors to Brighton this weekend will probably already know that the city has changed British politics, forever. Yes, true to form Brighton has shown its progressive power and voted in the country’s first Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas.

Even if politics is not your thing, you can’t help but notice the efforts being made in the town to consider the environment.

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Set just south of Western Road, on the way to Hove is the Sanctuary Café. And what a sanctuary it is. Opposite, in a back lane is a yoga and therapeutic massage centre, and inside is food of the finest flavours.

Sanctuary Cafe

With dedicated organic fare, the team at Sanctuary prepare most of the food on-site; this includes cakes and snacks, which are top notch (several vegan and gluten free options) – definitely one for the Top Café’s list.

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With so many of us choosing to come to Brighton for a day on the beach, lets look at one book that you need to pick up before you settle in the sun.

This is not a novel for the children. But for those of you on the lookout for a dark thriller, something to cast a sinister shadow over the streets, it’s a great read.

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Should the weather take a turn for the worse families can still enjoy the sea when they come to Brighton, they can visit the city’s Sea Life centre.

Set back from the Palace Pier, the underground showcase of natural wonders includes 57 seperate displays, all guaranteed to captivate.

In any single visit you are likely to see more than 150 species, including giant turtles and even sharks. So when someone says you get sharks in Brighton, this is what they are talking about!

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