Review of Hotel du Vin Brighton, by Jenny Pidgeon

Each boutique hotel in the Hotel du Vin chain is unique and has its own character; their shared features being an obsession with wine and food, followed by supremely comfortable beds.

This Hotel du Vin Brighton misses out on a front sea view, but avoids the bustle of the main strip by being tucked down a side street. The building is unusual looking – a looming gothic house, complete with turrets painted sea green. All traces of eccentric colour coordination disappear when you step inside the reception area, however, and into the warm, friendly atmosphere of this boutique hotel.

Around the corner you will find yourself in Hotel du Vin’s bar area, dominated by huge brown leather sofas which lure you to settle down, tuck in to the plump olives and pistachios on offer and flick through a newspaper or one of the numerous books lining the walls. These are all related in some way or other to wine.

The bar area used to be a nightclub, evidenced by a balcony that runs around the room, with an upstairs gallery. This mezzanine level now houses a billiards table rather than spectators surveying the crowds below, although one wall is painted with a life-size frieze depicting this scene in homage to the room’s previous incarnation.

Each Hotel du Vin has a particular drinks speciality and in Brighton this is fine wine. The extensive wine list has over 600 bottles to choose from, with an impressive range of varieties and prices to suit all tastes. The bar showcases the largest Cruvinet machine in the country which dispenses 12 different red and white wines by the glass, and the sommelier Corinne is always on hand to give advice and recommendations.

The bar manager is given a free reign in selecting his stock, just as the chef dictates what will appear on the menu each night – this is not a group of boutique hotels where you should go from one to the other expecting the experience to be a carbon copy of last time. Far more interestingly, you can rely on the fact that the service, food and wine will be good but always individual and thoughtful.

Do not miss out on eating at the eponymous Bistro. The locals have cottoned on to this fast – the restaurant is often fully booked – so book ahead to guarantee a table. The menu presents one of those impossible dilemmas whereby you want to try every dish on the list. I went for seared scallops with black pudding, followed by freshly caught brill with a sauté of gnocchi, French beans, rocket and pesto. It was delicious and all the dishes are very reasonably priced.

Theres 37 rooms and 3 loft-suites, all named after a different wine. The style is contemporary and comfortable, the focus being on the large bed with huge duvet and numerous over-plump pillows. White walls are offset by brown fittings and the overall feeling is simple and uncluttered.

The seaside theme of the chalet-style rooms around the courtyard is continued in the driftwood bath-supports and whitewashed woodwork. The bathrooms are spacious with free-standing baths and walk-in deluge showers. There is fresh milk in the fridge for making your own coffee (with your own kettle) and a reasonably priced mini-bar stocked with goodies. With DVD and CD players in every room, you need almost never leave – but remember the beach is just one minutes' walk away.