DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole

DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole is a four-star hotel and conference centre on Brighton's seafront in East Sussex, England. The property occupies a prominent historic building designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse, whose other major works include University College London and London's Natural History Museum. The hotel was built in 1890 and has since developed into one of the largest residential conference venues in southern England. The property combines accommodation, meetings and events, food and beverage, and leisure-oriented hotel services. It has 321 guest bedrooms and a substantial conference operation, making it oriented not only toward individual leisure visitors but also toward business meetings, residential conferences, conventions, weddings, and other organized events. Its seafront location gives it a strong leisure and destination-hotel identity, while its scale and conference facilities support larger group business. The building has five lifts. Three serve the tower-block floors, while the two original lifts were manually controlled when installed. Three additional lifts, including a goods lift, were added during the 1970s; all five lifts were supplied by Otis Elevator Company. A two-storey residential-style flat block was added above the hotel during the 1960s or 1970s. The property also has a literary association: the building is referenced in the third section, “The Fire Sermon,” of T. S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land. Before joining Hilton’s operating portfolio, the hotel traded under the Stakis brand and was owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland. Hilton Hotels & Resorts began operating the hotel in 2000. Although the operating identity later moved within Hilton’s brand architecture, the freehold is owned by Topland Group, separating the real-estate owner from the hotel operator and brand company. A major refurbishment completed in 2023 represented a reported investment of £26 million. The work covered all 321 guest rooms, the 1890 restaurant known as At The Met, the hotel bar and terrace, and public areas including the reception and lobby. On 10 May 2023, the property formally changed its operating name from Hilton Brighton Metropole to DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole. The rebranding placed the hotel within Hilton’s DoubleTree portfolio while retaining its established Brighton Metropole identity and historic seafront setting.

The building now known as DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole was constructed in 1890 on Brighton's seafront. Its architect was Alfred Waterhouse, a major Victorian designer also associated with University College London and the Natural History Museum in London. The building's architecture and location established it as a significant element of Brighton's seafront hotel landscape. Over time, the property was expanded and technically modernized. During the 1960s or 1970s, a two-storey flat block was constructed above the hotel for residential use. The addition has the appearance of a period tower-block intervention rather than an original part of the Victorian hotel. The building also acquired a literary connection through its reference in “The Fire Sermon,” the third section of T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land. The hotel historically operated under the Stakis brand. It was subsequently owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland, while Hilton Hotels & Resorts became the operating company in 2000. This arrangement placed the property within Hilton's international hotel platform while preserving a distinction between the operator and the underlying freehold owner. The freehold is now owned by Topland Group. The property has developed into a major conference and events venue as well as a hotel. It is described as the largest residential conference centre in the South of England and contains 321 bedrooms. Its facilities support overnight accommodation alongside meetings, conferences and other organized gatherings. The building's vertical circulation includes five Otis lifts: two original manually controlled lifts and three later additions from the 1970s, including a goods lift. In 2023, the hotel underwent a major refurbishment reported at £26 million. The project included all 321 guest rooms, the At The Met restaurant, the bar and terrace, and the principal public-facing areas, including reception and the lobby. The renovation was completed in stages, with the public areas reported as refurbished through 10 May 2023. On that date, the property changed its name from Hilton Brighton Metropole to DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole, bringing it under Hilton's DoubleTree by Hilton brand. The current property therefore combines a Victorian historic building, a large contemporary conference operation, Topland freehold ownership, and Hilton brand and operating affiliation.

• 2023

  Major refurbishment and DoubleTree rebrand

  [1]DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropoleen.wikipedia.org

  A reported £26 million refurbishment covered the rooms, restaurant, bar, terrace, lobby, reception and other public areas. The hotel officially became DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole on 10 May.

• 2000

  Hilton begins operating the property

  [1]DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropoleen.wikipedia.org

  Hilton Hotels & Resorts began operating the hotel after its earlier association with the Stakis brand.

• 1970

  Additional lifts installed

  [1]DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropoleen.wikipedia.org

  Three additional Otis lifts, including a goods lift, were added during the 1970s alongside the two original lifts.

• 1960

  Later residential addition

  [1]DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropoleen.wikipedia.org

  A two-storey flat block was added above the hotel during the 1960s or 1970s; the precise year is not identified in the reference material.

• 1890

  Hotel building constructed

  [1]DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropoleen.wikipedia.org

  The seafront hotel building was completed in Brighton. It was designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse.

A historic, full-service seafront hotel positioned around four-star accommodation, large-scale conferences and events, and destination hospitality in Brighton.

• Hotel accommodation

  Guest bedrooms

  The property offers 321 guest bedrooms within a historic seafront hotel building. All rooms were included in the major 2023 refurbishment, which formed part of the transition from the Hilton Brighton Metropole identity to the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole brand.

• Business hospitality

  Conference and meeting facilities

  The hotel is a large residential conference centre, combining meeting and event facilities with on-site accommodation. Its scale supports conferences, business gatherings and other organized events that require both venue space and overnight rooms.

• Food and beverage

  At The Met restaurant

  At The Met is the hotel's restaurant, named for the Metropole property identity. The restaurant was included in the 2023 refurbishment alongside the guest rooms and other customer-facing areas.

• Food and beverage · 2023

  Bar and terrace

  The hotel bar and terrace form part of its leisure and social hospitality offer. Both areas were included in the extensive 2023 renovation, which also covered the reception, lobby and wider public spaces.

• 2023

  Repositioning under the DoubleTree by Hilton brandStrategy

  Background

  The hotel undertook a major refurbishment of its accommodation, restaurant, bar, terrace, lobby, reception and other public areas.

  Action taken

  After the refurbishment, the property changed its name from Hilton Brighton Metropole to DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole on 10 May 2023.

  Aftermath

  The property continued operating as a Hilton-affiliated hotel under the DoubleTree by Hilton brand while retaining the Brighton Metropole name.

  Reported refurbishment investment. £26 million (2023 refurbishment)

  Source

• 2000

  Hilton takes over hotel operationsStrategy

  Background

  The property had previously operated under the Stakis brand and had been owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland.

  Action taken

  Hilton Hotels & Resorts began operating the hotel, bringing the property into Hilton's hotel platform.

  Aftermath

  The hotel continued operating as part of Hilton's portfolio while the freehold later became associated with Topland Group.

  Source

1. 1DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropoleen.wikipedia.org