A weekend break in Brighton... suggestions please?

[tammybear]

I would like to take dd to Brighton for a weekend. Only be Friday to Monday type thing. It would just be the two of us, and just an excuse to get away for a bit, plus I dont think it's that far from here (or so I keep being told). Ive been told its really nice there, great place to go, but noone can actually offer me any more info than that. So can someone tell me if its a good idea, and where a good place to stay is? What can I do there with dd? I dont wanna spend too much, as I dont have that much, but would like to do this sometime in the summer, preferably July, as its my birthday then as well, so a little treat for me too Thanks. x

anyone?

brighton was the first place we went with DS for a weekend away when he was 3 months. we stayed in a child friendly hotel called 'hotel du vin' but it's pricey so probably not what you want. i found it quite hard to find a budget place that was free and baby friendly at the time - seemed to get very booked up but try an internet search perhaps. brighton was great for a break - there are lots of outdoor places to eat/drink, walks on the pier or beach, playground near the beach, streets with market stalls etc - depends how old your dd is though? it is very close to london - only half an hour or so on train from victoria...

I live in brighton and can thoroughly recommend it There is so much to do.I am not sure about hotels etc as I have never stayed in one but I am sure someone will know.How old is your dd?

whereabouts are you tammybear?
Brighton is fab. How old is your DD?
There is the pier, and the beach of course, there is the sealife centre. If DD is old enough to be into shopping then there is TONS- the highstreet stores as well as the Lanes which are great for wandering around in.
You can go to the Pavilion, and there are cinemas and stuff if you want evening type stuff to do.
Loads of fab restaurants (some yummy vegetarian ones)....
Unfortunately don't know any hotels as I live nearby o have never had to stay there!

dd is 2, and i live in watford and know we have a train that goes straight to brighton from here if i didnt want to drive, but id probably drive just so i can get places easier

I can recommend the premier lodge hotel . The Brighton hotel is right in the centre of things, walking distance to beach, pier etc and IIRC we paid only £70 per room per night.

The room was massive and very nicely done out.

I have a penchant for very expensive luxury hotels and doss houses have never been my thing - I was not expecting the highest of quality for that price and was extremely surprised by how good it was.

The in-house bar restaurant was not great, but with squillions of lovely restaurants and bars on the doorstep we didn't need it at all! Just make sure you take a bottle of champagne in with you - champagne out of toothbrush glasses was a new experience for me

The only downside is that there is no carpark so best to use this hotel if you are coming by train. Its a £4 cab fare from the station!

If its out and out luxury you are looking for then the Grand is nice - but a bit faded IMHO - and it does have a nice leisure complex if some pampering is required!

Tammybear, we just spent the w/e in Brighton, and had a lovely time.
Sorry, I can't remember how old your dd is - but we pottered along the prom, there is an absolutely brilliant children's play area with sand and pool near the west pier, walked along the pier, spent a fortune on children's rides for DS, sat on the beach (we went along to Hove for that) looked in the little Fishing Museum etc.

Look at Lastminute.com for hotels, and then phone the hotel up direct - they will be much cheaper! I have renamed it Lastminute.con after paying 25% more through them that the tariff advertised by the hotel when we actually got there!

We found it hard to feed DS healthily, (let alone cheaply) but the Regency restaurant on the front (West pier)does fantastic cod and chips (really light crispy batter) for about £5-75, and childrens portions of pasta for £2-75. Some of the snack bars on the boardwalk looked v grim. There is a waitrose and tesco on the road one back from the seafront, so you could get picnics for the beach.

Neo Hotel is very cool and a bit more affordable than Hotel Du Vin.

Have fun.

favourite restaurant is Terre a Terre, which is veggie but v popular with meat eaters too

We were in a much scummier hotel!
Kings Hotel on the front.

Hi Tammybear, I used to live in Brighton for ten years so I know loads of things to do. If the weather is nice there is the pier and also paddling pool on the sea front... If you want company I would love to go back again... Doing some research on hotels now... My daughter is 4 and she loved it when I took her last year.

Tammy I have a room which I rent out to students which you are welcome to if the hotels are too expensive quite small but nice and near everything let me know xx

I think the Brightonwave is supposed to be really nice and v reasonable indeed.

We stayed recently at \link{http://www.drakesofbrighton.com/Drakes} which was v nice

Drakes sorry

hey thanks for everyones input. noddyholder, could you tell me more about it please, as i was just thinking today i might not be able to afford it til probably summer now which i now dont wanna do when its most likely to be a lot more busier. moneys quite tight this month after paying xdp off and everything else, and i had wanted to go away this month or next if possible.

I have decided to have a couple of foreign students but the room is not always full.It is quite small and is at the back of our house and has 2 single beds in it.I live near the town centre and a couple of nice parks.I don't want any money but you would have to cook for yourself etc I have a big kitchen so no probs I was only really offering to help you out it isn't quite Drakes standard!Let me know End of this month and last 2 weekends in june would be ok for me

thank you very much noddyholder, ill see how money is, probably be end of june if i do. ill let you know. thanks again