Grand Brighton Hotel

The Grand Brighton Hotel stands on Brighton’s seafront, a grand Victorian building designed by John Whichcord Jr. and completed in 1864. It replaced the West Battery, an 18th-century coastal fort, and was built for wealthy visitors to the town. The hotel’s Italian-inspired architecture includes advanced engineering, such as the ‘Ascending Omnibus’, the first lift in the UK outside London. Its sea-facing rooms and suites overlook the English Channel, offering sweeping views of the coast.

The hotel became a site of national significance in 1984 when an IRA bomb exploded in room 629 during the Conservative Party conference. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped harm, but five others died, including MP Sir Anthony Berry and Roberta Wakeham, wife of the Chief Whip. Norman Tebbit, a cabinet minister, was left paralysed, yet Thatcher insisted the conference continue the next day. The hotel reopened in 1986 with a flypast by Concorde, marking its resilience.

Inside, the hotel blends historic grandeur with modern comforts. The Cyan restaurant retains its original 155-year-old marble pillars, while the Empress Suite hosts large conferences and weddings. The Napoleon Suite recalls ABBA’s 1974 Eurovision victory celebration, and the Regent Room was once a Victorian library. The hotel’s management has earned industry awards, and its film appearances include Only Fools and Horses and Quadrophenia. Guests today walk the same corridors where history was made.