Fodor's Expert Review The Oriental

With a casual elegance that typifies Brighton, this Regency-era boutique hotel sits close to the seafront. Rooms are cleverly fitted into the old building, so some have slanted ceilings and tiny bathrooms, but they make up for those deficiencies by having lots of light and soothing decor in shades of taupe or dove gray. There's no restaurant, although breakfast is served and cooked fresh to order. The cool bar downstairs is popular with young locals and can get quite loud, so ask for a room well away from it if you're a light sleeper.