Often dubbed ‘London by the sea’, Brighton is England’s much-loved hedonistic seaside city. Nestled on a South Coast shingle beach, backed by amusement arcades and Regency-era buildings, Brighton has always danced to its own beat – and that’s something I’ve always admired!
I also love how it’s filled with so many gorgeously unique boutique hotels and there was one in particular that had the kind of reputation that really intrigued me.
I had always wanted to check out the eclectically designed and retro-inspired Snooze Guest House, which had been voted England’s funkiest bed and breakfast, so our videographer and writer Gary Nunn and I took the short trip from London, eager to suck in lungfuls of that salty sea breeze…
A video of my Brighton and Snooze Stay with Drone Footage!
Brighton was an easy day trip from London, only taking an hour by train or a little more by car (traffic and train delays permitting). We found Snooze Guesthouse located in Kemptown, one of the city’s “villages” which had a quirky but still very elegant vibe.
Historically known as the artists’ district, it was a charmingly lively yet laid-back area, boasting an eclectic mix of envy-inducing bow-fronted Georgian townhouses, stylish interior design shops, artisan food stores, vibrant gay bars, and elegant Regency crescents.
Snooze Hotel
Snooze was just as eclectic as the area itself! Housed in one of those much-envied Georgian townhouses, its elegant, pure-white exterior gave no hint of the vibrant visual feast waiting just inside.
The reception/breakfast room was explosion of colourful kitsch—vintage movie and music memorabilia was crisscrossed with bright pop art, retro furniture, and there was even a graffiti-style mural on the ceiling. I was in love – the hotel was seriously eye-catching!
My suite was a spacious loft room with a raised bed adorned in leopard skin print and surrounded by brown beige walls accented with bright pop art.
From the cute Love Heart sweets and Brighton rock left out on the bedside table to the monochrome mosaic bathroom, each detail was perfectly thought out, all with an unmistakable sixties/seventies vibe. Sleeping overnight there to me, felt like being on the set of Boogie Nights or Velvet Goldmine!
The other rooms were equally as unique and splashes of colour awaited me at every which way turn – old lockers converted in wardrobes and retro advertisements and art embellished the bright funky walls.
All the rooms were individually decorated and we were told by the owner that they were frequently redesigned to offer visitors a new and fresh experience each time they stay. They took inspiration from cult films and vintage popular culture—Boogie Nights, Mad Men, Goodfellas, Quadrophenia, the list went on and on!
I even spotted a room that reminded me of Coronation Street’s Vera Duckworth’s front room circa the 1980s, genius!
The next morning, I had a tasty veggie breakfast and fresh tea served in purposely mismatched crockery (retro, of course!) and then ventured out to explore the rest of the city.
I’d visited Brighton many times now, and it’s a place I know I’ll never tire of. Their obvious love of the outlandish, the carnivalesque pier, the warren of alleys and stone-paved streets flanked by independent boutiques and cool eateries, and the bracing salty air offer a welcoming feel of familiarity for me.
After a slow meander through the narrow bohemian backstreets of the North and South Laines, a vegan ice cream from Boho Gelato and a quiet moment in one of the city’s vintage tea rooms, we headed to the pier with Gary’s trusty drone in hand…
Brighton’s kitschy main pier was a true assault on all the senses. I loved how the air was thick with the sweet scent of burnt sugar from candy floss machines, the shrill cries of seagulls overhead, and the sight of the candy-striped helter-skelter and rickety roller coasters teetering atop the sturdy iron girders of the Victorian pier.
Our evening ended with a stroll along the pebbled shore edged by impressively turquoise waves, eventually arriving at the derelict burnt-out West pier just as the sunset.
I watched the nightly dusk ritual of the gentle babble of starlings before they nestled in to roost on the remains of the striking and hauntingly beautiful structure. I loved how Brighton always seemed to soothe my soul…
