Eric Boucher - 2009-02-23

This boutique hotel came about as a joint venture between New York designer Karim Rashid and Andy Thrasyvoulou, CEO and director of the myhotel group.

 

Together they have created a place of complete psychedelia 'where Freddie Mercury might have met the Maharishi' - the Transcendental Meditation guru of the 1960's, who attracted disciples such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Clint Eastwood, David Lynch and other rock stars.

The aesthetics of the building are strongly imbued with this creed - a kind of 2001 A Space Odyssey meets the artwork of the album Magical Mystery Tour.

 

Orange, mauve and fuchsia carpets contrast sharply with immaculate white walls. The hotel was conceived according to the philosophy of feng shui. Curves and rounded forms predominate. The curved walls of the 80 rooms are supposed to focus creative energy, encourage serenity and stimulate creativity. Apparently these curves go right down to the depths of the foundations. Some of the suites are noteworthy having been designed and decorated by Brighton's artists.

 

 The declared ambition of myhotel Brighton is "to celebrate the digital and spiritual era of the new global society" and so one finds rooms equipped with cutting edge designer furniture, a completely integrated audio system (compatible with mp3 players), a DVD player and flat-screen television. A complimentary wifi internet connection is available throughout the hotel.

One of the most emblematic services of the myhotel concept is called "mypreferences." Upon reservation the customer is given a form requesting the kind of pillow they would like or the type of music they want to hear on arriving in their room.

 

Merkaba lounge bar serves Italian cuisine and is open 7 days a week from 11am to 4am in the morning.

 

The only downside - the hotel is not by the sea and the glass walls turn the rooms into roadside aquariums.

 

17 Jubilee Street, Brighton, BN1 1GE

Tel: (0)1273 900300

Website: www.myhotels.com

Double rooms from £140