Brighton doesn't just tolerate difference. It feeds on authenticity like morning coffee. This seaside city has spent generations perfecting the art of radical acceptance, crafting spaces where love stories unfold without subtitles or explanations.
Yet beneath the surface magic lies a crucial truth: sanctuary isn't automatic. The wrong accommodation can leave you feeling like a visitor in your own experience, carefully measuring laughter and second-guessing affection. That's why choosing where to rest your head matters profoundly.
We've mapped Brighton's most affirming accommodations, where each property understands something fundamental: queer hospitality transcends amenities to become affirmation. They've recognised that for many LGBT+ travellers, the hotel room represents the only guaranteed safe space in an uncertain journey.
When you're planning your Brighton escape, remember that where you sleep shapes how you dream. Choose spaces that see you completely, celebrate you consistently, and send you into each day feeling invincible.
Because in Brighton, every sunrise is an invitation to be boldly, brilliantly, unapologetically you.
For the best hotels for LGBT+ travellers in Amsterdam and San Francisco, see our guides.
The best LGBT-friendly hotels in Brighton 2026
At a glance
- Best LGBT-friendly hotel overall: The New Steine Hotel
- Best for luxury and spa treatments: The Queens Hotel and Spa
- Best for historic charm with modern values: The Old Ship Hotel
- Best for deep cultural immersion: The White House hotel
- Best for gay-owned authentic hospitality: Amsterdam Hotel
1. The New Steine Hotel
Best for: Pride weekend stays and year-round queer community immersion
What makes it special: During Pride weekend, the hotel’s terrace transforms into a front-row seat to Brighton's most powerful celebration. You're not just staying near the action, you're genuinely woven into it.
Positioned like a lighthouse on the edge of Kemp Town, the New Steine Hotel is perfectly positioned for Brighton Pride events, though its commitment to queer hospitality extends far beyond festival weekends. This boutique establishment understands that Pride isn't a season, it's a daily practice.
The hotel's location places you within breathing distance of St James's Street, Brighton's pulsing queer artery. Step outside and you're immediately part of the neighbourhood's rhythm: from the morning coffee run where regulars debate last night's drag performances to an afternoon spent browsing at Prowler where conversation flows as freely as recommendations.
Address: 10-11 New Steine, Brighton
Price: From £42
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2. The Queens Hotel
Best for: Couples needing restoration and anyone seeking luxury with soul
What makes it special: The spa element isn't mere amenity. It's recognition that marginalised bodies deserve particular gentleness. After years of hypervigilance in unwelcoming spaces, the luxury of letting your guard down completely feels revolutionary.
Located on the seafront, moments away from gay life and just a six-minute walk from Brighton city centre, the Queens Hotel offers something increasingly rare: space to breathe deeply while remaining connected to the community pulse.
Here, mornings begin with sea views that stretch toward tomorrow while evenings end with the city's queer heartbeat just footsteps away. It's positioning that acknowledges the beautiful duality of queer travel. Sometimes you need the energy of celebration, sometimes you need the restoration of solitude.
Address: 1-3 Kings Road, Brighton
Price: From £62
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3. Hotel Nineteen
Best for: Design lovers who demand substance alongside style
What makes it special: The hotel’s inclusivity predates trends. This is a commitment rooted in conviction, not seasonal rainbow decorations.
One of Brighton's first boutique hotels, Hotel Nineteen sits on Broad Street, and is a short walk to the beach, pier and sights. But this pioneer status extends beyond hospitality trends. It represents early adoption of genuine inclusivity as business practice.
The Courtyard Room serves as metaphor and reality: a protected space within a protected space, where conversations flow without calculation and laughter requires no explanation. Hotel Nineteen understood long before it became trendy that queer travellers aren't seeking tolerance. We're seeking celebration.
Address: 19 Broad Street, Brighton
Price: From £98
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4. Red Brighton Blue hotel
Best for: Night owls and anyone craving authentic queer nightlife access
What makes it special: Proximity breeds possibility. When queer spaces exist within footsteps, spontaneous connections flourish in ways that careful planning can never replicate.
Sitting just two minutes from the gay area around St James's Street, with popular LGBT+ venues like Legends Bar, Charles Street Tap, and Bar Revenge under a five-minute walk, Red Brighton Blue eliminates the geography of closeting.
This proximity isn't coincidence. It's philosophy. The hotel recognises that queer joy often flourishes in concentrated community spaces, where references don't require translation and shared experiences create instant kinship.
Address: 7 Charlotte Street, Brighton
Price: From £55
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5. The White House hotel
Best for: Culture seekers and anyone wanting to dive deep into Brighton's queer history
Ideally situated within walking distance of Brighton's well-known gay area, with venues like Brighton Sauna, the Bulldog and countless other community touchstones nearby, The White House serves as base camp for deeper exploration.
This isn't about convenience. It's about access to authentic queer culture that exists beyond tourist-friendly surfaces. The White House connects guests to Brighton's living queer history, where every street corner holds stories of resistance and celebration.
Address: 6 Bedford Street, Brighton
Price: From £63
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6. The Amsterdam Hotel
Best for: Travellers seeking authenticity and those who appreciate owner-operated hospitality
Why I love it: What makes the Amsterdam Hotel special isn't just its gay-run foundation that welcomes everyone. It's how that philosophy translates into every interaction. Staff don't just check you in, they check in on you. The large, newly decorated rooms feel like sanctuaries where exhausted souls can finally rest without armour.
Positioned directly on Brighton seafront in the heart of vibrant Kemptown, opposite the famous Palace Pier, the Amsterdam Hotel represents something increasingly rare: award-winning accommodation with genuine heart. This isn't corporate hospitality masquerading as inclusion. It's the real thing, created by people who understand that being welcomed isn't the same as being celebrated.
The hotel's seafront position provides more than stunning views – it offers front-row seats to Brighton's daily theatre of acceptance. From your window, watch morning joggers, afternoon lovers, and evening revellers all sharing the same stretch of pebbles without pretence or performance.
Address: 11-12 Marine Parade, Brighton
Price: From £65
Read more: The best Pride celebrations in Europe, from DJs and drag queens in Lisbon to street parties in Stockholm
7. The Old Ship Hotel
Best for: History enthusiasts and those seeking established excellence with inclusive values
Why I love it: Sometimes, the most radical act is simply treating everyone with dignity consistently. The Old Ship has been perfecting this art for generations.
With an excellent seafront location less than a five-minute walk from Kemptown's gay bars and clubs, the Old Ship combines centuries of hospitality tradition with contemporary commitment to inclusion. This isn't a hotel that discovered diversity marketing in recent years. It's an institution that's been quietly welcoming everyone long before it became trendy.
The Old Ship carries stories in its walls. Winston Churchill once brought his own chair here for repeat visits, but today's guests create equally compelling narratives of acceptance and joy. The hotel's positioning near the Lanes places you at Brighton's cultural crossroads, where queer history and contemporary celebration intersect naturally.
The friendly, efficient staff and comfortable rooms consistently earn praise, but it's the hotel's understated approach to inclusivity that resonates most deeply. They don't announce their LGBT+ friendliness with fanfare. They demonstrate it through daily actions and consistent respect.
Address: 32-38 Kings Road, Brighton
Price: From £54
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8. Drakes Hotel
Best for: Design enthusiasts and those seeking refined luxury with genuine warmth
What makes it special: The hotel’s 13 years of consistent gay-friendly hospitality has created something rare: genuine luxury without pretence, where design excellence serves authentic welcome rather than replacing it.
Located right on the seafront overlooking Brighton Pier, Drakes is a 20-bedroom boutique hotel set in a pair of Regency townhouses that have been transformed into something extraordinary. This "handmade" gay-friendly four-star hotel puts an emphasis on design and continues to set the benchmark with its award-winning quality and service after more than a decade of operation.
Guest rooms at Drakes are outfitted in contemporary style with light wood panelling, curved walls and plush bedding. Some have freestanding bath tubs that invite long soaks while watching the sea’s changing colours. The hotel's intimate scale ensures personalised attention without sacrificing sophistication.
The real treat is downstairs at Drakes. Its elegant two AA Rosette restaurant is renowned for serving some of the best food in Brighton, creating a sensory experience that extends far beyond accommodation. The hotel's position directly on the seafront means you're never more than moments away from Brighton's pulse, while being cocooned in refined tranquillity.
What distinguishes Drakes isn't just its architectural beauty or culinary excellence. It's the seamless integration of high-end hospitality with genuine inclusivity. The staff understand that luxury means different things to different people, and true service means anticipating needs without making assumptions.
Address: 43–44 Marine Parade, Brighton
Price: From £113
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Why trust us
Aidy Smith is an award-winning broadcaster, TV presenter, journalist and inclusivity spokesperson. Having begun his writing journey with The Independent back in 2017, he is frequently seen covering our wine and spirits guides for IndyBest with everything from gin and tequila and champagne and chardonnay. Having a keen eye for food and drink travel as the presenter of Amazon Prime’s award-winning The Three Drinkers series, Aidy also shares his top tips for the best hotels and destinations to quench your thirst for some gourmet exploration. As of 2025 Aidy donned a new hat, working with The Independent as a LGBT+ and neurodivergence travel specialist. Being the only global TV presenter with Tourette syndrome and a proud inclusivity advocate, he’ll be offering wisdom and inspiration to help his community get the very best out of their travel experiences. He can be heard on BBC Radio London, where he has a permanent food and drink segment called Thirsty Thursdays and you can also follow his drinks discovery page on Instagram at @Sypped or his neurodivergence advocacy channels on TikTok or Instagram at @DisLabeled.
FAQs
When is the best time of year to visit Brighton?
The summer months are the best time to visit this seaside city.
What percentage of Brighton are LGBT+?
The council says that around 11 per cent of the city (over 25,000) identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. It does not have a statistic on the transgender community in Brighton.
What is the best LGBT+ nightlife in Brighton?
Kemptown has plenty of LGBT+ nightlife venues, especially on St James’s Street and St George’s Road. The Marine Tavern and Revenge are among some of the most popular bars and clubs.
When is Brighton Pride?
Brighton Pride typically takes place in the first week of August.
