"RATHER GRAND!" Top 5 Page for this destination De Vere Grand Brighton Tip by themajor

The Grand Hotel has - along with the Metropole - been one of Brighton's leading hotels for the many years. It plays host to Prime Ministerial stays during political party conferences and was the scene of a famous IRA bomb attack in 1984 which removed a goodly amount of the hotel's frontage and nearly took Mrs Thatcher with it. Because of it's iced cake appearance it's always had a slight edge on it's rival but recent reports tend to suggest that this particular Grande Dame isn't looking as sprightly as she used to be. People have certainly had excellent stays but some others report a fall from grace and a slow decline from chic to ever so slightly shabby. Luxury is obviously still to be had here but perhaps it needs to try a tad harder in certain departments?

The main dining room is the King's Restaurant which serves both a la carte and fixed price menus. The current price (June 2008) of the latter being £23.50 for two courses and £29 for three. Traditional style dishes on offer include oxtail soup, beef and ale pie, and rhubarb and pear crumble and thick custard. The Victoria Bar and Lounge serves coffee, cream teas, sandwiches and in the evening becomes a cocktail serving piano bar.

After overdoing it at the restaurant you might wish to toddle - or waddle? - along to the hotel's own health Club with it's pool, saiuna, steamroom and array of treatments from facials to body massages. Then again, you could have another cream tea!

Unique Qualities: The sea view couldn't be better...assuming your room has one!

Address: King'S Road, Brighton, East Sussex. BN1 2FW
Comparison: most expensive
Directions: From London and the M25, take the M23 to Brighton and then the A259 Seafront Road. The hotel has 70 parking spaces available to guests at £25 per 24 hours. Yes, they really do charge that much!

Sat Nav Coordinates: Latitude: 50.8215. Longitude: -0.1473
Phone: 01273 224300
Price: US$180 and up
Theme: Hotel
Website: http://www.devere-hotels.com/our-hotels/the-grand-brighton/the-hotel