The breeze untangles my blow-dry and encourages my hair to tap my face. I can see the sea — the anticipation is familiar. Brighton may not have Mediterranean beaches and Cornwall countryside, but the seaside city has much to offer. Particularly for a Brighton date night.
My partner and I spent the day mooching around shops and the pier before heading off to the i360 tower for pre-drinks, with dinner at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole.
Here’s why Brighton should be on your date night bucket list.
Why visit Brighton?
The city holds nostalgic charm, taking me back to a 90’s school trip. In the years since, I’ve continued to love the seaside resort. Around an hour from London (with direct trains from Clapham Junction), Brighton & Hove was once a retreat for King George IV. He transformed his Brighton home into a palace — now the magnificent Royal Pavilion.
As well as history and beautiful Regency townhouses, Brighton has many independent shops. You’ll find vintage bargains, quirky, bold homeware and stylish pieces. The ‘Lanes’ around the city also contain endless cafes, bakeries, restaurants and bars.
After exploring, we headed to the beach where we frittered away coins at the Brighton Palace Pier arcade. Other reasons to visit Brighton for a fun date include Sea Life (the world’s oldest aquarium), the promenade, UV mini golf and Sixes Cricket.
Brighton itself is known for being one of the most diverse, creative and inclusive locations in the UK. The eclectic mix of people gives the city character and makes it stand out from other seaside spots.
For a truly romantic date night, end your Brighton trip with the i360 and dinner at DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole. We were fortunate to receive our experience free of charge in exchange for a feature.
This is how it turned out:
Romantic things to do in Brighton: the i360
The Brighton i360 is a glass doughnut that takes you up into the sky — or at least 138 metres — which is slightly taller than the London Eye. Situated next to the historic West Pier, the i360 pod contains a Nyetimber bar with seats and tables to one side.
As you walk round the panoramic pod, you can see the South Downs National Park, the UNESCO Biosphere and possibly the Isle of Wight on a clear day. There are also the beautifully eerie remains of the West Pier which was burned down in 2003.
Because I’m not the most comfortable at heights, I worried the lift to the top would make me queasy. Luckily, you couldn’t feel the movement and it didn’t seem like you were that high. The pod was not overly crowded which meant plenty of space to wander around and enjoy a glass of champagne. My boyfriend and I both enjoyed the experience. There is something special about being up close to the clouds with the skyline in front, the sea below with the city and people getting about their day. It’s a free people watch pass.
My only caution is to use their bathrooms before stepping onto the pod. Once you’re inside, there are no toilets on board.
As a date night, it’s an experience you won’t forget. While we drank champagne, the bar is fully equipped with cocktails, mixers, and soft drinks. The pod played music throughout and the staff were welcoming.
Find out more about Brightoni360.
Metropole Bar at DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole
With the sun down and the wind raging, it felt good to walk across the road to the Metropole Bar. Built in 1890, The Hilton has a charming vintage exterior with a recently refurbished interior. The bar meets the requirements of a date night — its fancy and stylish décor feels romantic, but it’s still casual with large plush chairs to relax on.
The Metropole Bar & Terrace overlooks the seafront. While ideal for watching the sunset, we stayed inside where a DJ played old-school classics. The menu features locally sourced ingredients and hand-crafted cocktails.
After a long day at the beach, we both craved comfort food. The Metropole Bar is ideal for elegantly presented favourites such as pizza, fish and chips, chicken makhani curry, grilled steak and chicken.
For starters, we enjoyed BBQ wings and a charcuterie plate — I love any excuse to eat bread during a meal. After, we had grilled chicken and a cheeseburger for mains. I have no idea how they made chicken have so much flavour. And the chips, they’re the chunky, yummy ones you expect from the seaside.
We both felt too full to eat dessert after champagne, cocktails, and mains. Lately I’ve lost my sweet tooth and prefer savoury foods.
Although the service was slower than expected, the staff were friendly, the food was delicious, and we had a wonderful time.
Find out more about the Hilton Brighton Metropole.
With special thanks to Love Saves The Day PR.
Watch the video on my TikTok and check out some of my other date night reviews.
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