When reviewing such a legend as Blanch House, one might turn to the Thesaurus for a little help. The truth is that 'Blanch House' should have it's very own entry. Blanch House would be an adjective that would sit up next to words like Beautiful, Decadent, Ostentatious, Indulgent, Stylish, Sexy, Opulent, Sumptuous, Friendly, Quality. This hotel, bar and restaurant is very special and was one of the first boutique hotels to arrive in Brighton.

Rooms are individually characterised in their design with some rooms offering rich dark soft furnishings, others offering clean-lined sophistication with others injecting some frivolous fun. Features and facilities within the rooms are as you'd expect from a leading boutique hotel - flat screen tv or plasma screens, video or DVD and hi-fi in most rooms. The beds in each room are so inviting that if they had eyelashes they would be batting them at you. Add to that exceptional toiletries from Molton Brown, Blanch House own-label mineral water and handmade chocolates and you begin to see what really sets this hotel apart. But Blanch House isn't just fodder for glossy Sunday supplements (although it's graced quite a few pages in its time). It's the genuine care and thought that has gone into the whole concept. A welcoming home from home, it has been crafted to be enjoyed.

The hotel, restaurant and bar are in the enviable position of being independently successful, so to have them all under one roof is almost too good to be true.

The award-winning bar is an absolute triumph that really can boast the best cocktails in Brighton. A match for many of the plusher London bars, service is friendly and ruthlessly efficient. The fabulous surroundings incite a veritable buzz at weekends that lasts until the early hours. In fact, if we're honest, a peaceful and tranquil stay may be better acquired mid-week as weekend residents tend to create their own Brighton party.

The peach of a restaurant serves up delicious and innovative dishes - a top restaurant without the pretention and for everyone to sample.

In fact, being exclusive in concept but inclusive in practice is a balancing act that Blanch House achieves with ease. One evening you might find celebrities, business executives, arty types, musicians and just plain run-of-the-mill folk all in the same place - the attraction is not selective but makes for a spicy and flavoursome mix. And despite all of this, there is an air of modesty about it all. After all, why blow your own trumpet when everyone else is blowing it for you..?