Location
Address: The Waterfront, Brighton Marina, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 5WA
City/Region: Brighton, United Kingdom.
Proximity to Attractions:
- Brighton Marina: Directly adjacent to the hotel. A vibrant area featuring a range of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options, including cinema and bowling.
- Brighton Beach: Approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) away. The famous pebble beach is perfect for sunbathing and seaside activities.
- Royal Pavilion: About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away. A stunning former royal palace known for its unique architecture and beautiful gardens.
- Brighton Pier: Around 1.7 miles (2.7 km) away. An iconic amusement pier with rides, arcade games, and seaside fun.
- The Lanes: Approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away. A historic area filled with charming shops, cafés, and restaurants.
- The hotel’s location at the marina offers a unique blend of seaside charm and vibrant city life, making it an ideal base for exploration.
Location Overview:
The Malmaison Hotel is situated in the picturesque Brighton Marina, offering stunning water views and a relaxing atmosphere. This prime waterfront location allows guests easy access to various local attractions, restaurants, and leisure activities.
There are a few restaurants and cafes close to the hotel. There’s a Pizza Hut and MacDonalds nearby for a quick bite. Also nearby are the Cineworld Cinema, Hollywood Bowl and an Asda supermarket.
Parking:
The Brighton Marina car park is just a few minutes walk from the hotel which is free for guests staying at Malmaison. There is a walk bridge situated on level 6 which takes you directly from the car park to the hotel.
First Impressions
Arrival Experience:
The hotel’s entrance located on the ground floor is not manned. There’s a lift to take to the 2nd floor where the hotel reception is located. Easy enough to find. Once in the reception area, it was clean with no issues identified. The Check-in Desk was easy to locate and the process was simple and easy enough. The staff were friendly and checked us in with no problems. Everything was explained as expected.
The hotel offers guests the option to not have the rooms cleaned in exchange for a free drink each. We declined.
Ambience:
The atmosphere and interior design of the hotel’s common areas were good overall. Everything was well signposted and easy to find. The room hallways were clean and felt calm. Good lighting and is signposted well.
Accommodation
Room Type: “De Mar” Signature Suite
View: View from the room overlooking Brighton Marina. Check out a quick video of the view below.
Size and Layout:
The De Mar Suite was well spaced out with separate areas for sleeping, sitting and eating. There was a section where the bed was located, a separate area which housed a corner sofa for relaxing and then a table which you can use to eat. All in all, the room was ell spaced out and felt like a very good size.
Comfort:
The quality of the bed was very good. The linens were clean and tidy upon arrival, and the overall comfort level was good. There were 2 pillows per person which were good quality. Plug sockets, lighting controls etc were all perfectly located within easy reach. The only downside we found was the bedside table surfaces were quite small.
Noise levels in the room was an issue. The walls between the bedrooms do let in noise. We could hear guests in the next room while they were conversing normally. They were not shouting but general conversations could be heard. Coughing/sneezing were audible. General noise from the hotel corridor also could be heard in the room. The issue here is, that we felt unable to use the TV at an enjoyable sound level as we were worried the nearby rooms would be able to hear it. This in itself is something we feel the hotel should be aware of. We did not complain to reception as the nearby guests were not making an unacceptable amount of noise. They were merely having usual conversations.
Cleanliness:
The cleanliness of the room, bathroom, and common areas were all good. The hotel is not a new building but has been kept well and is in good overall condition.
Housekeeping was good. The beds were clean and made up ready for our arrival.
Amenities:
The range and quality of the in-room amenities such as Wi-Fi, television, kettle etc. were good. Everything you generally need was available. There were sufficient plug sockets and the light switches were placed conveniently.
Staff:
The Reception staff were friendly and helpful.
Value for Money
Pricing:
We paid approximately £184 per night. We chose the Suite. Cheaper rooms are available starting from around £90. We feel the hotel offers fair value for money. Its not cheap but it is fair.
There are other hotels nearby with similar prices so we would probably give those a try in future.
Would We Go Back?
Yes, we would. The value for money was fair and it is a decent hotel overall in a good location.
