Hotels near Brighton Centre

The Brighton Centre is on the seafront at Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR. It is owned and operated by Brighton and Hove City Council and, according to the venue, it is a flexible, compact venue that holds conferences from 400 to 4,450 delegates, with up to 5,000 square metres of exhibition space and 27 event spaces. Its position in the middle of the city makes it one of the easier exhibition venues in England to reach without a car.

By train, the venue says Brighton Station is about a 10 minute walk. The route it gives is to head south down Queens Road, cross at the Clock Tower, then follow West Street to the seafront. VisitBrighton says Brighton is the last stop on a line that links directly with London Victoria, Clapham Junction and East Croydon. From London Victoria it can take as little as 48 minutes, from London King's Cross around 1 hour 15 minutes, and from Gatwick Airport approximately 30 minutes by train. VisitBrighton also notes a direct rail link from the Eurostar service at St Pancras. Check the National Rail journey planner for the service pattern on the day of your visit.

By coach, the venue says Pool Valley Coach Station is about a 5 minute walk south to Kings Road, and that National Express coaches terminate there.

By bus, the venue says most lines stop at Churchill Square, roughly a minute's walk from the building.

By taxi, there is a rank outside the back of Brighton Station. The closest rank to the venue is at the bottom of West Street, outside the Odeon.

By road, the venue says to leave the M25 at junction 7 onto the M23 and A23, roughly 45 minutes from the M25. The A27 connects Brighton to the east and west. There is no venue car park, so read the parking section before you drive.

By bike, covered cycle parking is available at the front and the rear of the venue.

For visitors from abroad, the nearest airport that VisitBrighton names is Gatwick, around half an hour from the city. VisitBrighton also says there are regular coach connections from Heathrow and Gatwick.

The venue has two public entrances. The Kings Road entrance at the front is the main entrance, the busiest, and the place where the smoking area is. The venue says queues can be long before doors open. The Russell Road entrance at the back is quieter and is the assisted access entrance. A lift serves the main auditorium and the first floor bars.

The conference brochure describes the building by floor. On the ground floor are the Foyer (about 1,300 square metres, with a wall of glass entrance doors) and Meeting Room 1, which can be split into two, three or four rooms and which the brochure says offers 460 square metres for exhibitions. For large exhibitions, the brochure says the foyer adds a valuable 1,300 square metres, and with Meeting Room 1 the ground floor gives a total of 1,760 square metres.

On the first floor are Auditorium 1 and Auditorium 2. Auditorium 1 is the main hall, with 1,941 square metres of flat floor for exhibitions, and a theatre capacity of 4,450 with the use of the three balconies. It is flanked by the East and West bars and landings, which the brochure says offer space for refreshment breaks, networking and extra exhibition stands. Auditorium 2 is 597 square metres, with a bank of windows with beach front views, and can link to Auditorium 1 through a link room to add continuous floor space.

Upper floors hold syndicate rooms, including Skyline on the third floor (320 square metres) and The Wing syndicate rooms. The conference site says there are 27 event spaces in total, and the brochure and the VisitBrighton guide have previously quoted 23 syndicate or meeting rooms, so ask the venue team for the current room list.

For exhibitors, the brochure gives load in details for Auditorium 1: direct loading access 22.8 metres wide, 5.2 metres high and 13 metres deep, a raised loading deck 1.04 metres high, loading bay doors 6 metres wide and 3.8 metres high, and parking for five 40 foot trucks or equivalent. These come from the venue's brochure, which may be older than the current site, so confirm them with the venue before you plan your build.

The conference site also cites brightonSEO as a case study, with more than 4,000 delegates across two live days, and with eight simultaneous conferences running alongside the ground floor exhibition.

The venue's own wording for public shows is that it hosts music, comedy, theatre, exhibitions and family events, so it may be configured seated or standing, with East and West balconies.

We have not confirmed a last train time from Brighton on an official timetable, so we do not quote one. Last departures vary by destination, by day of the week and by engineering work, and the operators' pages we could try were not available to read. Check National Rail or the operator timetable on the day of your event before you plan a late finish.

What you can plan around is the walk. The venue says Brighton Station is about a 10 minute walk, along Queens Road, the Clock Tower and West Street. Allow extra time if you are carrying exhibition stock, and allow for crowds if you are leaving as an event ends.

The venue also gives some timings that affect your evening. For public shows, doors usually open around 6:30pm and there is an 11:00pm curfew, though times can change and you should check the event page. If you are leaving at the curfew, you will be walking to the station at the same time as the rest of the audience.

The closest taxi rank is at the bottom of West Street, outside the Odeon, and there is another rank outside the back of Brighton Station. Pool Valley Coach Station, about a 5 minute walk from the venue, is the National Express terminal, which is a useful fall back if you are travelling by coach.

If you are staying overnight, a hotel within a short walk of the Brighton Centre or the station removes most of the risk of a missed last train. That is the main reason many exhibitors book a night rather than travelling back late.

The venue states plainly that it does not have a venue car park. Nearby options are listed on VisitBrighton. Anyone planning to drive should therefore plan their parking before they arrive rather than on the day.

The nearest accessible bays are, according to the venue, in the Churchill Square 1 car park on West Street, BN1 2RU, on the ground floor opposite the rear entrance on Russell Road, where charges apply. The same page also refers to bays on West Street and Cannon Place (Zone Z) and to the lowest level of Churchill One, so the wording is not consistent. Confirm the exact location before you travel.

Blue Badge holders can use lay bys at the front and back of the venue to drop off or pick up. The venue discourages parking in them because there is a 3 hour limit.

The Travelodge Brighton Seafront page also names Churchill Square and the Regency Square council car park as nearby paid parking. Prices change, so check the operators' sites for current tariffs and for height limits and opening hours.

If you are driving to an exhibition, think about where your hotel is. A hotel with its own parking may be better value than paying daily rates in the city centre, but a hotel close to the station and seafront lets you leave the car at home. Travelodge lists paid parking nearby. Check with each hotel.

For exhibitors with vehicles, the brochure says Auditorium 1 has loading access with parking for five 40 foot trucks or equivalent, but arrangements for each event are made through the organiser and the venue.

The Brighton Centre sits on the seafront at the bottom of West Street, with Churchill Square shopping centre behind it and the Kings Road seafront in front. Wikipedia describes it as within 200 metres of major hotels, and the VisitBrighton conference guide says the Centre is within easy walking distance of the city's major hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Along Kings Road are seafront hotels, including the Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront at 137 Kings Road (which VisitBrighton's conference guide describes as opposite the British Airways i360) and the area around the Kings Road Arches. VisitBrighton lists several bars and restaurants on this stretch.

The Metropole, now the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole, is also on Kings Road, BN1 2FU.

To the north, towards the station, is the North Street and Queens Road area. The Premier Inn at 144 North Street and the ibis Brighton City Centre Station at 88 to 92 Queens Road sit in this zone, and Travelodge Brighton Seafront is on West Street.

As a rule of thumb, a hotel on the seafront or on West Street puts you closest to the venue, while a hotel on Queens Road puts you closest to the train station, with the venue about a 10 minute walk from the station. For an early exhibition build, that walk matters more than the room.

VisitBrighton says it takes 10 minutes to walk from the station to the seafront hotels, so the whole central area is compact.

Three budget brands have hotels in the central area. Their distances come from the sources we checked, and most listing sites round figures, so use the maps on the hotel sites for the walking route.

Travelodge Brighton Seafront is on West Street, BN1 2RE. Travelodge's own page says Brighton Pier and the beach are about 10 minutes away and names Churchill Square and the Regency Square council car park for paid parking nearby. West Street is the street that runs from the Clock Tower down to the seafront by the Brighton Centre, so it is a direct route to the venue.

Premier Inn Brighton City Centre is at 144 North Street, BN1 1RE according to Momondo, and Kayak lists it 0.4 km from the Brighton Centre. The Premier Inn site was unavailable when we tried it, so check the exact address and walking route there. Whitbread has also announced a second Premier Inn on West Street, to trade as Premier Inn Brighton City Centre (Seafront), with 187 rooms, with an opening date of early 2028, so it does not help for events before then.

ibis Brighton City Centre Station is at 88 to 92 Queens Road, BN1 3XE, and Kayak lists it 0.5 miles from the Brighton Centre. As the name suggests, it is the closest of the three to the train station, so it suits visitors arriving by rail.

For a team on a tight budget, the choice is usually between being near the station (ibis, Queens Road) and being near the seafront (Travelodge, West Street). Event Escapes can book hotels for a team with a company invoice, and a custom quote is available.

The strongest walking option is the Brighton seafront strip. The DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole is on Kings Road, BN1 2FU, the same road as the Brighton Centre (BN1 2GR). Wikipedia says the Brighton Centre sits within 200 metres of major hotels. The VisitBrighton conference guide lists it under its earlier name, Hilton Brighton Metropole, although the guide may be older than the current hotel.

The Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront at 137 Kings Road is described in the same guide as opposite the British Airways i360. Its Bench Bar is listed by VisitBrighton at 137 Kings Road.

The VisitBrighton conference guide also lists Hotel du Vin, which it describes as on the seafront with 49 bedrooms, and the Harbour Hotel, which it describes as just over 50 minutes from central London and 10 minutes' walk from Brighton train station. The guide says Jurys Inn is in the New England Quarter, a two minute walk from Brighton station. The guide is undated and some hotels may have changed brand, so check the current name and location with the hotel.

From the station, the walk to the seafront hotels is about 10 minutes according to VisitBrighton, so any hotel near the station is also within walking distance of the venue.

We do not give exact walking times between individual hotels and the venue, because the venue and hotels do not publish them on the pages we could read. Use a map for the route.

For a higher standard, the seafront hotels are the natural choice. The DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole on Kings Road is the largest, and the VisitBrighton conference guide describes it, under its earlier Hilton name, as a 340 bedroom hotel with 33 function rooms, a sea facing restaurant and an indoor pool.

VisitBrighton's conference guide describes Hotel du Vin as a seafront hotel with 49 bedrooms, the Mercure Brighton Seafront as a short walk from the shops, and the Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront as on the seafront opposite the i360 with 131 bedrooms. These are guide descriptions, not current official listings.

The hotels listed here are all on or close to the seafront. If you want a quieter stay, you may look towards Regency Square or Hove, but we have not verified distances to the venue for these areas.

When choosing, check three things: the room count, the check in time for an early arrival, and whether the hotel can store your exhibition kit before your room is ready. Travelodge, for example, offers luggage storage for a charge, subject to availability.

The venue itself does not allow outside food and drink, except for documented medical needs, and food is available only inside. Venue outlets take card only (Visa or Mastercard, no AMEX), with cash accepted only at merchandise and the cloakroom and information desk. Cafes serve Milk Shed coffee.

Outside the venue, VisitBrighton's food and drink page lists a number of places. On Kings Road and the seafront it lists The Seahorse (The Milkmaid Pavilion, 26 Kings Road, looking out over the West Pier ruins), Riddle and Finns on the Beach (65 Kings Road, seafood), Brighton Music Hall (127 Kings Road Arches, with a heated beach terrace and live music), Bench Bar (137 Kings Road, in the Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront) and Alcotraz (12 to 15 Kings Road, a theatrical cocktail experience).

In The Lanes, it lists Trading Post Coffee Roasters (36 Ship Street), Terre a Terre (71 East Street, vegetarian) and Bagelman (7 Bond Street). It also lists Franco Manca at 1 and 2 Regent Street.

VisitBrighton notes North Laine has independent restaurants and an outdoor market on Upper Gardner Street on Saturdays.

The conference brochure also describes the Brighton Centre's third floor restaurant with full height windows and sea views, and the city's Regency squares and the Royal Pavilion as nearby attractions, but check what is open for your event.

Pick the right door. The Kings Road front entrance is the busiest. The Russell Road back entrance is quieter and is the assisted access entrance. Large bags are redirected to the back entrance for a search or may be refused.

Check the bag policy. Small bags and handbags up to 21 x 30 x 19 cm are allowed. Permitted large bags cannot be kept on your person, storage costs 3 pounds and staff advise where to collect them afterwards. Food, drink, cans, bottles and glow sticks are prohibited, and bags are searched.

Plan for exit queues. Doors usually open at around 6:30pm for public shows with an 11:00pm curfew, so factor that into your onward travel.

Cloakroom and cards. The cloakroom costs 3 pounds per item and is usually in the ground floor foyer. Cash is only accepted at merchandise and the cloakroom and information desk.

Tickets. There is no public box office. Tickets are sold online through Ticketmaster only. The Event Box Office opens 2.5 hours before doors on event days for queries and collections.

Accessibility. Public areas are wheelchair accessible except the East and West Balconies. There are accessible toilets, lifts, viewing platforms, a Changing Places facility on the ground floor and a hearing loop that works through an app on your phone. Assisted performances can be requested at least six weeks ahead.

Contact. The venue's conference team can be reached on 01273 292671 and the general information line is 01273 290131 (a recorded line).

Team travel. Event Escapes can book hotels for a team with a company invoice, and a custom quote is available through the site.