Review: Malmaison Hotel

A haven of quiet luxury.  It was my absolute pleasure to experience a stay at the Malmaison Hotel at Brighton Marina this month.  As a business traveller, this hotel provides everything you could ask for, with free wi fi, 24 hour room service and a same day laundry service, making life much easier whilst away from the office.

I arrived at the modern, dimly lit bar with my guest and we opted for a glass of fizz to start off the evening.  I saw some wonderful cocktails prepared, and remember making a mental note to return for drinks before a night out.  Upon entering the Chez Mal restaurant I was struck by how modern and spacious it was.  Our waiters were all friendly enough and we chose a special menu, which was a promotion of Chateaubriand for two and a bottle of Malbec for £49.  I was a little cynical of that offer, and a remember joking to my colleague that that probably didn’t include sauces or sides.  I had to eat my words when we were presented with what could only be described as a feast, including onion rings, béarnaise sauce and fries, not to mention a rather delicious Malbec.  An absolute bargain and I will, if my diary allows, definitely return just for this deal alone.  The food itself was mouth-watering, prepared to a very high standard in both cooking and presentation.  The steak was cooked faultlessly and the side dishes all arranged carefully for a perfectly instagrammable shot!  I would not hesitate in bringing any business contacts here.  All the clients I observed in the restaurant were well taken care of and attended to, despite that there was a private party and the staff were clearly busy.  We could not manage a dessert so enjoyed the last of the wine.  We left with our bellies full and our cheeks red and will be returning soon.

I adjourned to my room which was a double sea view room.  I have to say that a business traveller must have designed or at least had a major input in these rooms.  It was so easy to settle into.  Although I had no bath, the shower was immense and the luxury toiletries helped.  The hotel itself, and especially the room was modernly designed and well decorated with clean, modern lines, large retro lamps and an indulgent view to the Marina which was divine, both at night and again in the morning.  The bed was large, clean and crisp and made for a cosy, peaceful night’s sleep.

Plug sockets galore, a desk to work on, a coffee machine in-room and an array of sweet treats displayed in a basket in case hunger strikes made it very easy to get to work in the morning.  The best part is that check out is not till 12pm which allows for a lie in, breakfast and some time to get work done in the peace and quiet of your own room.  For me, the balcony and an unusually hot February day made this experience even better.  In the summer these Marina-facing rooms will, I have no doubt will be much sought after.

I went to the restaurant for breakfast rather than having room service and I’m glad I did.  The breakfast room, towards the back of the restaurant, is almost right on the Marina with a large outdoor section which I imagine will become immensely popular in the summer, and a great venue to host a corporate event.  I indulged in a long lazy breakfast despite my workload.  It would have been a waste not to enjoy the temptation of gazing out to the sea in the sunshine, knowing I had plenty of time before check out and everything I could need was in my room.  The breakfast was again fresh, with a lively and lovely waiter who helped me choose from the options and knew when to leave me alone in my thoughts which shows his professionalism.  I could have stayed for hours but I had work to do and after filling up on the delicious food and coffee I headed back to my room to get some work done.

I haven’t once cancelled plans for a hotel review yet, but I enjoyed the atmosphere of the Malmaison so much,  that after my afternoon meeting was cancelled, I decided to work from there for the rest of the day.  After checking out I headed to the large reception area, near to the bar.  There are many plug sockets and serene surroundings which made for a very productive afternoon.  I would be happy to head there to work and enjoy the view on any sunny day and I suspect they will be seeing a lot more of me.

So, for the business community this is without doubt a very welcome addition to Brighton.  The two things we want most is an environment where we can work uninterrupted and a space where we can eat/sleep/relax.  We want to be able to switch between the two very quickly and this hotel is the one place designed for exactly that.  A thoroughly enjoyable experience at a very reasonable cost.  I would suggest that once word spreads, the summer and indeed the Christmas months are going to be very busy at the Malmaison.  I would highly recommend booking this if you are looking for a place to stay in Brighton.