Lansdowne House: a perfectly relaxing stay on the classy coast

For those of us with classically London, middle-class (and probably middle-aged) dreams of moving to the coast, Lansdowne House in Hove offers a chance to live out the fantasy for a night or two. 

Maybe you can still make the move for real – if you need the right motivation to change jobs or increase your salary, the many great qualities of Lansdowne House are truly inspirational. Even if you remain cynical and grumpy – and wish you'd made the move when property actually was the same price as avocado toast – well, Lansdowne House is so utterly charming, you'll leave rested and happier than you arrived. 

Why stay here?  

While Brighton remains the edgier, funky part of the old "Brighton and Hove" pairing, it's the latter part of the area that's really upped its game in recent years. The culinary offerings are varied and, in many cases, quite exceptional: Palmito recently picked up a Bib Gourmand from Michelin, and Wild Flor features in the Michelin Guide. The architecture is wonderful, and you're never that far from decent coffee.

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In short, it's all a little more relaxed than its 'still-popular-with-hen-parties' neighbour and, dare I say it, generally classier.

Lansdowne House is the guesthouse the area deserves, and probably demands, albeit very politely. Owners Natalie and Tom Sargent met while working at Bonhams, and Tom still works in that sort of field. It shows in the understated style and many charming touches – several of the artworks are actually framed Hermès scarves, for example. 

That fine-art influence is also demonstrated in the overall vision. The building had previously served as a care home and been a multi-roomed B&B, lift and all. It now offers four very spacious guest rooms, a lovely, dog-friendly, two-bedroom self-catering apartment in the basement and a compact garden where breakfast can be served on warmer days. And it's less than a five-minute stroll to the sea.

The rooms  

The most obvious thing about Lansdowne House, and Tom and Natalie's talents, is that it's never a case of style over comfort. While you'll probably find yourself vowing to redecorate, seeking out vintage trays, and flicking through Farrow & Ball catalogues the second you get home (not to mention wondering how you frame a Hermès scarf), it's all done here in the name of a relaxing stay. 

The Regency nature of the house means big windows and high ceilings. The nature of the redesign means a mix of antique and modern furniture, a very comfortable bed, and lovely touches such as a welcoming cuppa and good biscuits. 

Where to eat 

While breakfast is the only meal on offer, it's a lovely one. Natalie and Tom are great supporters of Hove's producers and suppliers and the results are delicious – provided you remember to complete the in-room form the evening before. Croissants are collected first thing from a local bakery, sausages and bacon from a proper local butcher. It's all very simple but, as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

As for lunches and dinners, Hove is festooned with great and varied options. While Sunday night out of season isn't the best time to visit, culinarily speaking, Natalie suggested a number of local options. 

We particularly enjoyed nearby Mekan for good-value Turkish food (in a converted pub) and were also inspired to pick up more of that first-rate viennoiserie for the journey home from the brilliantly named Flour Pot Bakery. I can also heartily recommend Fika for good coffee and its messily enjoyable variations on the fried egg sandwich theme.  

Neil Davey was a guest of Lansdowne House, 45 Lansdowne Place, Hove, East Sussex BN3 1HF, lansdownehousehove.co.uk. Rooms start from £135 per night for bed and breakfast.