A new boutique hostel for Brighton

“My wife’s birthday falls in that strange no man’s land between December and January where everyone is already away for Christmas, has spent all of their money on presents or is all partied out. It means her birthday is always eclipsed. But this year I had a plan to change that.

In the summer, she had (not so quietly) been hinting at a weekend away in Brighton. And being the kind, loving husband she’d always dreamt of, I decided to make it happen for her birthday. I started by trawling through the internet, but after about 10 minutes I’d already seen too many options; cheap but not so cheerful B&Bs and well-over-budget hotels.

The king sized bed, the roll top bath and sea views …

I needed some expert advice, so I called my mate who used to live in Sussex. He mentioned that YHA had just opened a brand new boutique hostel in Brighton. My first reaction was; ‘a youth hostel?’ All I could think about were communal rooms, shared bathrooms and having to cook my own breakfast. But he swore by it, saying he had stayed in them all over England and Wales, from a castle in the Forest of Dean to a Shepherd’s Bothy at the foot of Snowdon – just for your information, a Shepherd’s Bothy is a shelter that shepherds use while tending their flocks.

Don’t worry, he had to explain that to me too.

And because it would be my head and marriage on the line and not his, I had to do a little research of my own into YHA Brighton.

In no time, I had found that not only is it right in the heart of the city, (literally a two minute walk from the pier, beach and Brighton Wheel) but also that it’s a recently refurbished Grade II listed Georgian townhouse. It sounded perfect. Plus, it had a café bar and free Wi-Fi. That would keep my kids happy (the Wi-Fi, not the bar!).

They offered a variety of rooms too. I, obviously, wanted it to be special for my wife and score as many brownie points as possible, so I ruled out booking beds in a dorm room. Although, I’ll keep it in mind for the future for me and my mates.

The premium room sounded lovely. The king sized bed, the roll top bath and the sea views. It’s a shame it didn’t sleep four as my wife would have loved it, but I’ll definitely put that on the back burner for a time without our kids.

In the end, I booked one night in the en-suite family room with a double bed and bunk beds, perfect for my son and daughter to clamber around on. All this for a tidy £75. (Almost as cheap as the train tickets.)

My wife was completely blown away by the place, I don’t think she thought I was capable of finding such a perfect present! I really have outdone myself. Of course, now Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I have to work out what to get her.

Back to the internet it is. Might have to give my mate another call …”
YHA Brighton, your new boutique hostel yha.org.uk/brighton