Brighton on a budget

Hotel stay was a gift from Red Letter Days. 

All opinions are my own.

Brighton is a firm favourite in our household. On our second stay, we went with the idea that we won't book anything specific to do, more wander around the shops and see where the days take us. We stayed at the Ibis hotel right next to Brighton Station. 

Features include:
- cheaper parking at the RCP parking lot which is a 5 minute walk away
- on a street with a great amount of pub and takeaway options
- turn left at the door and walk straight until you hit the beach
- a stones throw away from the North Laine

The hotel itself is great on a budget. We booked through Red Letter Days, meaning you get a deal for a certain amount of nights, and perfect for gifting at Christmas. The hotel has a bar with room service, luggage room and a breakfast option if required. The rooms themselves are simple, with a double bed, TV, tea/coffee making facilities, desk and wardrobe space and an ensuite. Its's not, of course, the height of luxury, but if you're out exploring the city, it's got everything you need.

Continued below...

Let's chat food and drink. With nothing planned, we explored the Laines and ended up in a number of pubs and restaurants. We arrived on Friday and went straight to Si Signore. A proper Italian. We first came here with one of my friends a year ago, as it was her family's favourite place in the city, and now it's mine. We walked back to the hotel after and stopped by The Queen's Head pub just over the road. It's quaint, with loud music and a young vibe. Saturday morning saw my first visit to The Breakfast Club. Definitely not a budget friendly place, but somewhere I've always wanted to try. We arrived just in time before a queue formed behind us. A well known chain, with prices and wait times to match. It was fine and somewhere I would only go when away on a city break. Staff were friendly and seemed happy to be there on a sunny Saturday morning. I do think that you could find somewhere cheaper however with food quality to rival. Afterwards, we headed straight for the pier, with two arcades and a few funfair rides, along side a large cafe in the middle and a couple of shops. 

After a few hours of walking, we sat down outside of the Prince Albert pub. The pub is bigger inside than it looks, with seating outside also. We stopped for a drink, and decided to head to the Brighton Toy Museum just opposite. After a quick pop back to the hotel for a rest, we wandered around looking for somewhere to grab some dinner. We decided to stick to what we knew, and went back to Si Signore, welcomed back as if we were locals.
Tips for Brighton on a budget:
- don't try to pack too much into the day. After breakfast, a wander and stopping for a drink, the time seems to run away, so don't spend too much of it inside. 
- if you do fancy doing an activity, booking in advance will probably be cheaper.
- there are so many pubs to grab some food, that you won't feel the need to splash on expensive restaurants.
- Parking in Brighton isn't the cheapest, so try to find train deals before you set off.
- The Ibis hotel is a great choice for a central location, with everything a short walk away. 
Once again we had a lovely little weekend away in Brighton. What's your favourite thing to do in the city?