It's a shame that you can't give half marks because we would have given The Grand 3 1/2 marks. There is no denying that the building is impressive. However, the rooms are past there best and in serious need of some TLC.

We arrived near midnight, after attending a wedding at another Brighton hotel. I would like to say that our first impression of the staff was as impressive as those the building but unfortunately it wasn't. We were greeted at reception by a surly man, who seemed unimpressed with our arrival. After a swift and abrupt check in we made our way to our room. We stayed in room 101. The room was a fair size. There is definitely a need for a freshening up of the rooms. Wallpaper was peeling in places and in the bathroom the flooring was coming away from the wall. The bed however was AMAZING, both huge and incedibly comfy. I would have expected a well stocked mini from a 5* hotel, alas there was not one. The Grand can be commended on an excellent breakfast. The staff were courteous and efficient. The breakfast itself was vast and there was something to suit anyone's tastes.
Our stay was comfortable and functional but you could defnitely not call it luxurious. Not what we expected from a 5* hotel.

This iconic Brighton landmark sadly disappoints. The imposing facade, beautifully restored after the IRA bombed the hotel in the 80s and the breathtaking lobby with its classic staircase are the beginning but also unfortunately the end of the hotel's charm.

We stayed for a wedding and saw inside a number of the rooms. Some were best described as fading grandeur, others just fading. Our good sized room with a king bed and a spectacular sea view was spoilt by peeling wallpaper, stained paint and was uncontrollably hot (no,air conditioning) even in February with the temperature outside at -5 deg C.

Go visit this hotel to see the architecture but dont stay there.

I stayed in The Grand when attending a conference at the Brighton Centre so the location was fantastic with only a 2 minute walk to the venue. The staff were fantastic and really friendly, they all took the time to speak to my 8 year old son and made him feel at home. Another plus was the free wifi and broadband provided in the room. Check-in and check-out were both fast, efficient and friendly.

However, the bedroom was basic and slightly dated. Bathroom was specious but no magnifying mirror. Restaurant was a bit slow at breakfast but was friendly (staff moved fast to clear the table - happened twice when I left the table to pick up some food).

All in all I had an enjoyable stay, however, I am not convinced that it was worth the additional cost.

We went to The Grand as a party of seven for a special occasion on Saturday. Our first disappointment was to be seated in the King's Restaurant as opposed to being in the Victoria lounge, bar and terrace. The atmosphere was soulless and it was clear the restaurant had been greedy in terms of accepting more bookings when it simply would not have been able to accommodate. The King's Restaurant is very tired-looking. Had we been told where we would be seated at the time of booking, we would have gone somewhere else.
We ordered one afternoon tea per person and as we could not eat it all, we asked for take-away - not unreasonable if you are paying £25 or so per person. There were about ten slim sandwiches, six scones and lots of butter-cream and many mini-cakes leftover. Alas, when we got home, we noted that they had decided not to pack the sandwiches and the cream! Given what the name of the hotel is supposed to inspire - we found this level of service very disappointing and we will be taking our custom elsewhere next time.

The only plus side of the experience is the quality of the food itself and the portion. Make sure you eat it all there though...