Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels
Kemptown, Brighton and Hove
Hotel in Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom
Book with PearlWhy go
Drakes Hotel on Brighton's Marine Parade is a design-led boutique property in the Curious Group portfolio, best suited to special occasions and couples who want a seafront setting over hotel-chain scale. Book a sea-facing room or the core value proposition weakens. Availability is generally easy, making it a low-stress booking with a high visual payoff when you get the room category right.
About Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels
Should You Book Drakes Hotel?
Drakes is one of the easier bookings on the Brighton seafront, that accessibility is genuinely good news here. This is a boutique property on Marine Parade in Kemptown, positioned directly on the seafront with views across the English Channel. If you are planning a special occasion weekend in Brighton and want a hotel that feels considered rather than generic, Drakes earns a serious look. The question is whether the room tier you book matches what you are actually paying for.
The Room Question
With a property of this scale in Kemptown, room category selection matters more than at a larger hotel where the standard rooms are uniformly acceptable. Sea-facing rooms on Marine Parade deliver the visual payoff that makes a Brighton seafront stay worth choosing over an inland boutique like Hotel Una or Hotel Nineteen. If you are booking for a celebration or a date night, the incremental cost of a room with a sea view is the single most impactful upgrade you can make. Rooms without the view give up Drakes' core advantage and leave you competing on price with options that have stronger in-house amenities.
For business travel, the Kemptown location is quieter than the centre of Brighton but adds walking time to the conference venues and rail connections clustered around Brighton Station. That trade-off is worth making if your itinerary allows for it, but it is worth flagging before you book.
The Setting and Experience
Drakes sits within the Curious Group of Hotels portfolio, which positions it as a design-led independent rather than a chain property. That framing is relevant for the special occasion traveller: you get a more personal atmosphere than you would at The Grand Brighton, with the trade-off being a smaller footprint and fewer on-site facilities. The Kemptown neighbourhood itself is one of Brighton's more characterful areas, close to the independent restaurant and bar scene that makes Brighton worth visiting beyond the beach. See our full Brighton dining guide and bars guide for what is walkable from the hotel.
Booking is direct and availability is generally good, which means you can afford to be deliberate about timing. Spring and early autumn give you the seafront setting without the peak-summer crowds on the promenade below.
Know Before You Go
- Location: Marine Parade, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1PE
- Booking difficulty: Easy; availability generally good year-round
- Leading timing: Spring or early autumn for seafront views without summer crowds
- Room advice: Prioritise a sea-facing room for the full value proposition
- Getting around: Kemptown is walkable to the seafront and Brighton's independent quarter; allow extra time to reach Brighton Station
- Good for: Couples, special occasions, design-conscious travellers; less suited to those needing central conference access
- Explore more: Full Brighton hotels guide | Brighton experiences
Inside Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels
Planning details
- Location
- Marine Parade, Kemptown, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 1PE, United Kingdom
- Website
- drakeshotel.com
- Phone
- +44 1273 696934
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Drakes presents a quietly assured seaside personality that leans on architecture rather than bravura. Housed in a Georgian townhouse on Marine Parade, the hotel sits amid Regency terraces whose symmetrical facades face the Channel; the writing here is about careful preservation and thoughtful reinterpretation rather than wholesale reinvention. The Kemptown stretch around it feels measured and local — independent galleries and small operators set the tone — so the hotel reads as intimate and characterful rather than part of the tourist churn. It is a boutique address for travellers who appreciate place-making, period detail and a restrained, design-led approach to hospitality.
Best For
This is a stay for travellers who prioritise character and quiet seaside charm over central tourist bustle. Guests who care about architecture, thoughtful design and a boutique, residential atmosphere find Drakes especially rewarding; the Kemptown location suits couples seeking a quieter seaside experience, solo travellers after a contemplative base, and anyone looking for a weekend escape that feels local rather than mainstream. Because the property leans into its Georgian shell and neighbourhood context, it appeals to people who want to experience Brighton’s architectural identity as part of their stay.
Venue details
Ambiance
Elegant and refined with airy, light-filled spaces; sea-facing rooms with double aspect windows in the cocktail bar offering sunset views over the English Channel and Brighton Pier.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Amenities
View
About the Stay
- Rooms
- 20
- Check-in
- 14:00
- Check-out
- 11:00
- Property Style
- Boutique Luxury Townhouse Hotel Blending 19th Century Heritage Architecture with Contemporary Comfort and Personalized Service.
- Design Style
- Classic British Seaside Elegance with Contemporary Touches; Period Features Combined with Modern Amenities Including Monsoon Showers and Luxury Eco Friendly Bath Products.
Planning details
Location
Marine Parade, Kemptown, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 1PE, United Kingdom · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Artist Residence Brighton; Notable alternative
- Harbour Hotel Brighton; Notable alternative
- Hotel Nineteen; Notable alternative
- Hotel Una; Notable alternative
- The Ginger Pig - Restaurant & Rooms; Notable alternative
Hotel context
Against the main alternatives in Brighton, Drakes sits in a clear niche: seafront design boutique with a quieter, more residential feel than the centre. Artist Residence Brighton is the closest stylistic peer, with strong design credentials and a more central location near the Lanes. If being walking distance from Brighton's main dining and nightlife strip matters more than a sea view, Artist Residence is the sharper pick. Drakes wins on the visual and setting front.
Harbour Hotel Brighton offers a spa and pool that Drakes does not, which makes it the stronger option if wellness facilities are part of your brief. Hotel Una and Hotel Nineteen are both solid inland boutique options at similar or lower price points, but neither gives you the seafront position. If the sea view is not a priority, they represent competitive alternatives worth comparing on price before you commit.
The Ginger Pig takes a different angle entirely, leading with its restaurant reputation and offering rooms as an extension of that experience. For a food-first stay, it is worth considering. For a celebration stay built around setting and atmosphere, Drakes with a sea-facing room is the stronger call among Brighton's boutique options.
Explore Brighton and Hove
Around this place
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Unlock the full Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels | No published awards |
| Artist Residence Brighton | 2025 Michelin 1 Key |
| Harbour Hotel Brighton | No published awards |
| Hotel Nineteen | No published awards |
| Hotel Una | No published awards |
| The Ginger Pig - Restaurant & Rooms | No published awards |
A quick look at how Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels measures up.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels good for business travel?
Drakes is a reasonable choice for solo business travellers who want a characterful base over a corporate box, but it is not set up as a conference or meetings hotel. The Kemptown location on Marine Parade is a short distance from Brighton city centre, which adds a few minutes to any commute into the commercial core. If your trip is primarily meeting-heavy and central access is the priority, Harbour Hotel Brighton is closer to the main business district.
Is Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels family-friendly?
Drakes is a boutique seafront property with a design-led feel, it is better suited to couples or adult travellers than families with young children. The room scale at a property of this size in Kemptown means interconnecting or larger family rooms are unlikely to be plentiful. Families wanting Brighton seafront access with more practical room configurations should look at Harbour Hotel Brighton or Hotel Una instead.
Do loyalty programs work at Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels?
Drakes sits within the Curious Group of Hotels portfolio, which operates as an independent group rather than a major chain, so standard loyalty schemes from Marriott, IHG, or Hilton do not apply here. Check directly whether Curious Group runs its own programme before booking if points accumulation matters to your decision. If loyalty benefits are a priority, a branded chain property in Brighton will serve you better.
How is the dining at Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels?
Drakes is positioned as a design-led boutique within the Curious Group, which typically supports on-site dining as part of the hotel experience rather than as a destination restaurant. Specific menu details, cuisine type, chef information are not confirmed in the current data, so treat any claims about the food programme with caution. Kemptown itself has good independent dining options nearby if the on-site offer does not meet your needs.
How does Drakes Hotel | A Curious Group of Hotels compare to nearby hotels?
Drakes competes most directly with Artist Residence Brighton and Hotel Una in the design-led boutique segment, against Harbour Hotel Brighton for guests who want a more amenity-complete package. Its Marine Parade seafront address is a genuine asset that neither Artist Residence nor Hotel Una can match. For pure room quality at a comparable price, the comparison is close enough that room category selection at Drakes matters significantly more than at a larger property.
