Local time Brighton

Currency

£

Getting around Brighton

Public transport

Brighton is a pretty compact city and, certainly for those visiting the attractions of the city centre and the seafront, the best way to get around is by foot. Still, bus travel in Brighton and Hove is easy and convenient thanks to a well-developed network of routes and frequent services run by Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company (tel: +44 1273 886 200; www.buses.co.uk).

A network of bus lines provides excellent links across the central areas, with plenty of bus stops and buses running every few minutes during daytime. You can pay for single journeys or buy a one-day or seven-day SAVER ticket. Multi-trip tickets for 10, 20 or 30 journeys are also available.

Taxis

Taxis in Brighton are generally white with a turquoise bonnet and boot. There are several taxi ranks in the city centre and a main one at Brighton railway station. You can hail cabs on the streets as well. Brighton & Hove City Cabs (tel: +44 1273 205 205), Brighton & Hove Radio Cabs (tel: +44 1273 204 060) and Streamline Taxis (tel: +44 1273 202 020) are some of Brighton’s most reliable taxi companies.

Driving

Parking in Brighton can be a pain. If you do need to park in the city centre, see www.journeyon.co.uk for the location of the city’s main car parks.

Drivers also have the option of all-day pay and display parking on Madeira Drive and the Kingsway in Hove.

Brighton is ring-fenced by a one-way system that can make driving around the centre pretty frustrating – especially for those a little unsure of their bearings. As you head into residential areas, parked cars lining narrow streets mean roads can get congested, especially at weekends and peak times.

If you drive an electric-powered vehicle, there are various charge points in Brighton and Hove. One is Bartholomews, outside 6 Bartholomews BN1 1HG, and another is on Ditchling Road, outside the Caroline of Brunswick pub. See www.journeyon.co.uk for more details.

Car hire

For those who fancy heading out of the city and into the reams of soft Sussex countryside and nearby attractions, there are many car hire companies in Brighton. These include Alamo (tel: +44 800 028 2390; www.alamo.co.uk), Europcar (tel: +44 371 384 3480; www.europcar.co.uk) and Hertz (tel: +44 843 309 3010; www.hertz.co.uk). In general, drivers have to be over 23 to hire a car.

Bicycle hire

You can hire bicycles from Cycle Brighton, 86 Ethel Street (tel: +44 1273 567 733), which also runs guided tours.

To try out Dutch bikes, head to Brighton Cycle Hire (tel: +44 1273 571 555); www.brightoncyclehire.com), the rental section of Amsterdammers Dutch bike shop under Brighton railway station. Choose between The Ruto (a traditional, four-speed bike) and seven-speed Union Via Via, with a looped frame. The shop also hires bikes with seats for children, tandem bikes for families or all adults, and cargo bikes that come with a bench for two children and space for luggage or a third child.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

SEE MORE

Hotel du Vin

Boasting a convenient location between the Lanes conservation area and the beachfront, Hotel du Vin is an elegant Brighton hotel with 49 stylish bedrooms housed in a collection of gothic revival and mock Tudor buildings that dates back to 1695. Next door is the Pub du Vin, where sports heads can catch the latest matches on the big screen and get involved in the local plonk.

Hotel Pelirocco

Self-styled as ‘England’s Most Rock n’ Roll Hotel’, the Pelirocco wears its (tattooed) heart on its sleeve. With unique designs in each room, visitors can count sheep in sleeping quarters such as the Modrephenia (complete with scooter bedside table) and the Pretty Vacant (think: angry teenager’s bedroom with punk posters and guitars). For a naughty weekend away, the Nookii room is your best bet with its peep show shower and adult board games.

Seadragon

Suitable for the budget-conscious, this low-key hostel is set away from the hustle and bustle on a quiet residential side street in Hove. Rooms come with one, two or four beds, with shared facilities on each floor. It has stylish wooden floorboards, warm basement kitchens and a converted coal cellar for a chinwag.

The Grand Hotel

Brighton's most famous hotel and one of the only 5-star establishments in the city the The Grand’s elegant Victorian building enjoys a central seafront position. This extensive hotel has more than 200 lavishly appointed rooms and offers a stylish and luxurious base from which to explore the city. Its afternoon teas are world famous too.

Drakes Hotel

This Georgian townhouse is where the media set stay when they’re in town, with the likes of Sadie Frost and Woody Allen amongst its former guests. The interior combines orientalism and Indochine French design, and it pitches for laidback glamour. The onsite restaurant is fabulous, while the accompanying cocktail bar has an abundance of classics on offer - though mercifully no Sex On The Beach in sight.

The Granville

Styled as Brighton's original boutique hotel, The Granville exudes a thoroughly old school charm. Each of the 24 rooms are individually themed, so visitors can stay in the likes of the Noel Coward Room, with its art deco furniture, or the blue Lace Room with its Jacuzzi bath. Even Thomas Kemp, the local hero behind Kemp Town, has his own four walls.