Awful, awful awful. The website stated "Brighton guest house experience, best of big hotel service" - what a joke. It is run down - painter's masking tape running along the floor by the skirting boards, decrepit furniture in the truly laughable "bar area" and very dated bathroom which, as opposed to the wording on the website, were not "full size en suite facilities" - unless you are a Borrower. It was a total waste of money. How on earth it was awarded 4 stars I do not know. Terrible furniture was most definitely not of "big hotel" standard and the 'family room' was very small, not "extra large flexible family hotel rooms" as the website states. Unless they meant you had to be flexible to move around it. Dreadful, depressing and totally ruined our weekend.

Friendly and helpful staff, great breakfasts thoughtfully and imaginatively provided (eg. home-made conserves, local Sussex produce with provenance described on the menu), wide choice of food eg. salmon scrambled eggs, vegan - as well as trad English brekkie, of course), clean, warm and cosy room, all the practical furniture you need (including dressing table, padded stool, lots of relaxing sidelighting), generous provision of large dispensing bottles with soap, shampoo, shower gel + moisturiser, (no need to take or buy your own!), generous tea-tray, great shower (hot and powerful). Great view from the window to green square below (also peaceful + quiet), + can see the sea to the side. Marvellous location just off interesting/quirky St James Street, + a stone's throw to the Pier + central Brighton. Best of all it was great value (I got four nights for the price of three)... if you're looking for a b+b that doesn't install fashion-victim wallpaper + double it's prices, this is for you. Yes, it has traditional decor, but I like that (call it retro / original features!!), it is clean and the atmos/staff pleasant + caring. Great for a good-value, unprententious breakaway in fabulous Brighton. Can't think of any 'room for improvement' that wouldn't hike the price up (unecesserily).

Nov 2011. On arrival this hotel was disappointingly dated. We were told we could park outside to drop off luggage but if you do this you block the one way traffic due to cars parked and you need a permit to park in another street, if you can find a space. We struggled in November! The room was a mish mash of furniture which looked as if it had been bought randomly from a second hand shop.Carpet was frayed along the join and had an iron mark on it.. There wasn't one bright light in the room to use when drying hair though there was one in the tiny shower room where you could put on make-up. This shower room had no hook for clothes and nowhere in the shower to put gel, shampoo etc. Shower was good! The heating was timed to come on/off so if you came back in the afternoon, bearing in mind this was November, you had to go under the duvet to get warm! Having a shower was out of the question. The bed/bedding was fine.
The breakfast menu looked extensive at first glance but a closer look revealed that it was mainly details of the sourcing of produce! My sausage on the second day was literally charcoaled as if it had been left on a BBQ far too long. We have never stayed in such a disappointing 4 star rated hotel.
To make matters worse I asked on arrival if we could have a room on a lower floor as I have had had knee problems as there were no lifts and stairs were steep. This wasn't possible which was fine but the 'gentleman' said "All I can suggest madam is that you when you come to breakfast you bring everything you need for the day" and smiled! Insensitive to say the least. This hotel has caused us to lose faith in internet booking as it was nothing like advertised and cause our weekend to be stressful and not relaxing. Lots of noise outside during night with groups of youngsters.

Was welcomed here with open arms after being turned away from Urban House hotel because they made a mistake and cancelled our rooms. Which by the way they then refused to help us find anywhere else, were shockingly rude about it, accused us of cancelling our own room???? and then denied telling us that they had only two hours previously confirmed the booked rooms via the phone (total dump)

Anyways back to the Ambassador....very nice size rooms if you upgrade, ample breakfast and friendly staff. The location was also fantastic.