Don’t you love it when you check in to a hotel and you’re offered an upgrade? The “Brightonwave”:https://www.brightonwave.com/ went one better, offering an upgrade to the garden room by text beforehand. Having quickly checked out their 8 rooms online, it was a resounding ‘yes please’. However, I understood their reason for checking as the room had a bath rather than shower: but who cares when it’s a double ended whirlpool job.
The garden room (8) was relatively large with a 6’ double bed and crisp, white cotton sheets. Beside lights were operated by touch and there were small tables with plug points for charging my phone overnight (I know I shouldn’t, but I do). The beige carpet was partly covered with a large rug which resembled Brighton’s pebbled beach and there was a huge dramatic art work on the wall. The room was extremely well equipped. Not only was there a kettle for tea making, there was an easy to operate Magimix coffee machine and pint of fresh milk in the fridge. Instead of ‘hotel biscuits’ we could select our favourite mini chocolate bars (Mars, Milky Way, Maltesers etc) and there was a large TV with a varied selection of DVDs available in the lounge. The hairdryer was effective and plugged in next to a full-length mirror and a small cupboard had shelves and hanging space with white waffle robes and towelling slippers. The helpful room guide, with lots of tourist information and restaurant recommendations, told us that whilst our room had bottled water and tumblers, wine glasses, champagne flutes and ice were available in the kitchen which we could help ourselves to. A unit which provided heat or air conditioning depending on the time of year and there were two arm chairs and wall plug points just where you wanted them.
French windows led out onto a small private garden complete with table and chairs for four, pot plants, a mirrored water feature and fairy lights in the evening. It was enchanting, and we used it for morning coffee, relaxing and reviving after an exhausting day of sightseeing and for pre-dinner drinks.
The narrow, but long bathroom had great lighting, electric shaving point, the whizzy bath, two heated towels rails and huge white towels, hand towels and flannels. Gilchrist and Soames toiletries were provided in eco-friendly large plastic bottles.
The small breakfast room had informal seating at one end, with lots of for-sale art on the walls and tables set at the other end. We helped ourselves to cereals, juice, yoghurts, fruit, toast etc before ordering a cooked breakfast from the “menu”:https://www.brightonwave.com/breakfast.php. We tried various dishes, full English, scrambled egg with salmon and mushrooms on toast. Although a bacon buttie wasn’t mentioned, they were more than happy to rustle one up: this was probably an easy request compared to an American guest who wanted her eggs scrambled ‘extra dry’ and served on the side with a pancake, without the fruit and powdered sugar! A framed certificate in the hall shows a Visit England “Breakfast Award”:http://www.visitenglandassessmentservices.com/our-awards/ and it’s easy to see why, as everything was good quality and freshly cooked.
There was lots more tourist information over the old fireplace in the lounge and daily newspapers were available with tea and coffee to help yourself to during the day. A couple of ironing boards were available if you arrived a little creased, along with a printer.
The location was also excellent, up a narrow quiet street leading up from the sea. It was literally only a few minutes’ walk to nearby shops, restaurants and the sights. We travelled by train (£6 by taxi from the station), but suspect parking may be an issue because of the central location.
No matter how many stars a place has, we often find small niggles and wish the management would sleep in the rooms to see how it feels for customers. We could find no fault with the Brightonwave and can only assume that Richard and Simon, who have been running the place for 10 years, must have tested every room.
Note: the garden room is accessed by a narrow flight of stairs down to the basement.
