The Old Ship Hotel

Being Brighton’s oldest hotel, it has a rich history. The Prince Regent has held functions here, Samuel Johnson visited in the 18th century (apparently he got tired of London) and Charles Dickens has also stayed here. It was originally called The Ship but changed its name in 1650 after the New Ship Inn was built nearby.

The 154 spacious hotel rooms all feature comfortable beds, a work desk, a flatscreen television, ironing facilities, tea and coffee making facilities and en suite bathrooms. Around a third of the rooms have sea views and two of the rooms are wheelchair accessible.

This hotel does not have air-conditioning, which is not unusual for a hotel in a building this old but it is out of place in a hotel that is aiming at the higher end of the accommodation market.

Like most older English seaside hotels, the decor tends to be a little dated; however, it is being renovated and some of the older features (like the old lifts) add character to the hotel. The standard of the rooms can vary quite a bit from one room to another, renovated rooms are very nice with the sort of quirky touches that you find in a small boutique hotel but rooms awaiting renovation feel a little tired.

The Wardroom restaurant provides a fine dining experience and there is a wonderful 400-year-old cellar that is available for private dining but there is still some room for improvement. The Mess Deck is the hotel bar, which provides a more casual dining environment and has an outdoor terrace. The hotel also has a lounge area where guests can enjoy afternoon tea.

The hotel also features a fitness centre that is free for guests to use and Wi-Fi wireless internet access is available throughout the hotel.

The Old Ship has an excellent central location facing the seaside. It is directly across the road from the Brighton Fishing Museum and it backs onto The Lanes. Many other central Brighton attractions are less than a 10-minute walk including Brighton Dome, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, the Royal Pavilion, the SEA LIFE Centre and Brighton Palace Pier.