History of The Royal York Hotel

The Royal York Hotel is the new name for the Royal York Hotel in Brighton.

We have one of the most fascinating histories of any Brighton hotel.

Originally built in 1771 as houses, the building was converted into a hotel in 1819, and was named Royal York after the Regent's brother, Frederick, Duke of York.

In 1829, the Duke and Duchess of Clarence, later to become King William IV and Queen Adelaide, disembarked from The Admiralty Yacht to stay at the Royal York. The suite of rooms on the first floor overlooking The Steine were given to the Royal couple for their stay and consisted of a bedroom for the Duke (now the William Suite), a bedroom for the Duchess (now the Adelaide suite) and a reception room (now the Clarence Suite).

Fashionable nineteenth century Brighton hotels such as the Royal York were designed for guests who rented a suite of rooms.  The idea of communal dining rooms and sitting areas did not evolve until the end of the century.  The apartments in the Royal York were elegantly furnished and were very popular with the aristocratic set who came to Brighton and to the Court at The Pavilion.

Amongst the famous people of the time who frequented the Royal York were the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and the Duke and Duchess of Argyll who stayed at the hotel after attending the Brighton races in 1822.  Later in the same year, the Marquess of Salisbury dined there, as did the speaker of the House of Commons, Henry Manners-Sutton.  On one occasion The Duke of York sent a piece of a large sturgeon fish from The Pavilion over to the Royal York Hotel for the Russian Ambassador to enjoy. 

Charles Dickens, William Thackeray and William Harrison Ainsworth were also all visitors. There is a reference to the hotel in Thackeray's Vanity Fair.  Benjamin Disraeli was a guest at the Royal York, as was his great adversary William Gladstone,

In 1901 the hotel was brought by the charismatic Harry Preston, who extended the building and modernised the hotel dramatically.  He was a famous bantam-weight amateur boxer and was friends with many of the great sportsmen of his day, such as W. G. Grace.  As a result, many of these famous friends became regular guests at The Royal York.  Other celebrities of the time also stayed at the hotel, including Wilbur Wright soon after his first flight as did many of the biggest names in theatre and entertainment such as Sir Henry Wood.  In 1910, Mr Lloyd George entertained friends at the Royal York, as it was renowned for its excellent food and wine.

In 1929 the hotel was sold to the forerunner of Brighton and Hove City Council, and was used as offices until the council vacated the building in 2003. It was bought by Imperial Property Company in 2006.

The current owners have undertaken an extensive refurbishment of the building, and are proud to have restored this historic and beautiful hotel.  Their aim has been to bring back the fun, colour and vibrancy of the Regency period when the hotel first opened.  This is particularly apparent in the William and Adelaide suites, as well as in the restaurant.  They have also recreated the eclectic elegance and comfort of the Victorian era, and the bar and lounge areas pay tribute to the novelists and statesmen of the time.  The more relaxed glamour of the Edwardian days can be seen in the bedrooms and is a trend running through the whole hotel.

The Royal York is delighted to have opened its doors as a hotel again after nearly 80 years, and perhaps the statesmen, novelists, inventors, sports heroes and celebrities of tomorrow will come and enjoy our hospitality as their forebears did during the past two hundred years.....