Hotel Review: Harbour Hotel

Luxury is at the heart of this hotel and right now this is the place to be in Brighton. For the business user, I genuinely cannot think of a more excellent venue in Brighton.

With the launch of the new Harby’s Restaurant, I was invited as a guest to review it. I have visited the on-trend bar before, so was interested to see how the hotel, spa and restaurant compared.

Check in was a breeze and I was directed to a fantastic corner suite with a sea view with an unhindered view of the West Pier that felt poetic and poignant. The room itself had all the usual mod cons but with one or two particular extras which really made a difference. Firstly, the White Company toiletries were in abundance and really gave a feel that there was no expense spared in the preparations for guests. The Nespresso machine, white fluffy robes and deep bath were also very welcome indeed and allowed for immediate relaxation. The best finishing touch was free gin and sherry in the room in a sumptuously laid out drinks tray by the window.

After changing, my guest and I went down to the spa which is an underground area consisting of many different coves containing private little areas which make for a refreshingly new spa experience. The usual sauna and steam rooms are there, but the addition of Scandinavian hot tubs, a hydrotherapy pool, and a gym really does mean that guests can enjoy a relaxing time. There are also a number of small rooms set aside with deep set beds and magazines which makes it very easy to lose several hours within the spa. Finally a heated swimming pool which was a personal favourite of mine added the finishing touch to a spa experience which doesn’t just rival but unquestionably outdoes all of the other hotel spas offered along the sea front. I would definitely return for the spa alone.

After a quick shower and a short spot of work using the free Wi Fi, my guest and I went down to dinner in the newly named Harby’s Restaurant. The décor is very playful and up market although the menu is more swayed towards a diner/bar experience rather than fine dining. Initially I was not overwhelmingly excited by the menu but, what they do, they do very well indeed. We were served by a cheery and friendly waiter named Javier who managed a perfectly honed skill of approaching and disappearing at just the right moments. He was a welcome addition to the whole experience and they are lucky to have him.

The mixologist at the bar was able to whip my guest up a personally tailored “mocktail” and I chose a chilled Picpoul to accompany my food. I chose the monkfish with Prosecco tempura which was mouth-wateringly tasty. My guest had flat iron chicken with Adobo chilli.
“For our business readers there is a gorgeous private lounge space at the back of the restaurant named The Snug.”

The portion sizes were immense and the food was delicious. The restaurant was busy enough but easy to converse and tables set wide enough apart for a comfortably private conversation.

Javier also managed to persuade us into a dessert and we chose to share the S’mores and Chocolate Brownies which was a huge portion and even between us we could not finish. We left perfectly full and very chilled out.

For our business readers there is a gorgeous private lounge space at the back of the restaurant named The Snug. A colourful and private space for up to 30 people, there is the possibility to create a bespoke set menu, or platter style options for business events.

On that note, there are also great options for business events here. There are two large bright rooms which can be hired for private business events and hold up to 160 guests. The hotel will set them up according to your needs and the boardroom / theatre style set-ups appear to me to be perfect for business meetings or presentations. This would be a genuine recommendation as a hotel for any business owners looking to organise such an event in a great location with excellent facilities.

The room itself had everything to encourage a sound night’s sleep. After a deep bath and a cheeky (free) gin nightcap, I settled into the pristine Egyptian cotton sheets and had the best night’s sleep I’d had in a long time. I have to commend the hotel on managing to virtually sound proof the hotel from the busy road outside.

I simply had to indulge in another early morning dip in the pool, then headed down for breakfast for a fuss free, quick and efficient service. It is exactly how I prefer breakfast to be, especially given I had a long work day ahead and needed to re-fuel and get moving. The staff were brilliant at picking that up. There was the usual breakfast buffet with fresh fruit and cereal. Our hot food came very quickly and was served with rich fresh coffee and certainly set us up for the day. The staff are a real credit to this hotel. Without exception everyone I came across was friendly and accommodating.

I would not hesitate in recommending this hotel to our readers. In fact I would positively encourage anyone to enjoy this experience for business or work purposes. This wonderful hotel offers luxury at affordable prices. I left feeling like I had spent a few days abroad when in fact it was only a matter of hours. A truly rejuvenating experience.