Royal Albion Hotel-Brighton

Built in 1826, Royal Albion Hotel-Brighton is a Regency-style hotel across from the Brighton Pier. From the outside, the property is lovely -- a cream building with white columns, pretty masonry, and wrought-iron railings. Interiors feature a blend of traditional and modern decor that’s dated and tired, and there have been complaints of cleanliness issues. The lobby features red carpeting, modern leather couches, dark-wood furnishings, and a large chandelier. The restaurant is more contemporary, with navy printed carpet, wooden tables, black high-backed chairs, and crown molding, but the buffet stations look worn. The bar has a similar design, but with wooden floors and blue walls. Most guests are vacationing couples, families, and friends who are attracted to the hotel’s location, and while it is a budget property, travelers may not be prepared for the property’s dilapidated state. 

The main thing Royal Albion Hotel-Brighton has going for it is its location. It’s across the street from Brighton Pier and the beach, and directly in the city center. Most attractions are within walking distance, including the Royal Pavilion, a five-minute walk away, and Sea Life aquarium, a 13-minute walk. The Lanes Brighton has many shops and dining options and takes five minutes to reach on foot. There’s a bus stop outside the property for sites farther afield. Brighton City Airport is a 22-minute drive, and getting to London takes about an hour by train. 

The hotel has 219 rooms, some with sea views. Decor is traditional and dated, with antique wooden furniture, floral prints, chandeliers or hanging lights, and wall-to-wall carpeting. Their simple white-tile bathrooms are outfitted with shower/tub combos plus toiletries and hairdryers. Amenities include tube TVs and kettles, but rooms lack safes, air-conditioning, and minibars. Wi-Fi is not available, unless guests can manage to pick up a signal from the free Wi-Fi in the lobby. A lot of the furnishings are faded and tattered, and there have been plenty of reports of cleanliness issues in areas of the rooms and bathrooms as well as noise from other rooms and from outside. 

The hotel's biggest selling point is its location and budget-friendly rates, but it does offer a few on-site features, too. One highlight is the sheer amount of on-site dining options: Jenny’s Restaurant serves quintessentially English favorites such as fish and chips and filet beef to guests and features ocean views. There's also a breakfast buffet in the morning (for a fee), and limited room service is available. For lunch, there’s the Pavilion Bar which offers light bites and drinks on a patio. Rogue Cafe is open in the summers and on Saturdays and serves light lunches and drinks. The hotel also has a single function room for weddings or events, and there's evening entertainment some days of the week. Dogs are welcome on the property for a fee, and Wi-Fi is free in the public areas on the ground floor, but it doesn't usually reach rooms. There's no parking, but there are plenty of parking lots and garages within walking distance.