Royal Albion Hotel

You'll walk past this imposing Victorian pile on Old Steine countless times - it's right there between the pier and the Lanes, occupying one of Brighton's most coveted spots. The dining room trades heavily on those sea views and the building's undeniable grandeur, but that's where the positives largely end. The food feels like an afterthought, with tired hotel restaurant fare that wouldn't impress even the most jet-lagged tourist. Service swings between indifferent and actively poor, and given the prime real estate this place sits on, it feels like a massive wasted opportunity. You're paying for the location and the faded grandeur, but there are infinitely better options within a two-minute walk in any direction.