Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels

You're walking into something genuinely different the moment you hit Marine Parade—Drakes has that confident, slightly camp energy that makes Brighton actually feel like Brighton. The rooms are unapologetically theatrical (think jewel tones, dramatic wallpapers, proper vintage finds), and they've managed to make luxury feel personal rather than sterile. The restaurant downstairs takes itself seriously without being pretentious, which is harder to pull off than you'd think. It's the kind of place where you'd book for an anniversary or surprise yourself with a night out that costs more than usual but actually feels worth it, especially if you're tired of the usual seafront chains.