Name: Kempfield House Hotel
Address: 18 Madeira Place, Brighton, Brighton, Brighton, BN2 1TN, United Kingdom
Rating: 8

Smoke-free property

Heating

Express check-in/check-out

All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

No elevators

General

Hairdryer

Flat-screen TV

Shower/Bathtub

Shower

Toiletries

Rooms

Iron and board

Luggage storage

Iron

Services and amenities

Bottled water

Kettle

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Spanish

English

Polish

Languages Spoken

Parking

Location

At the hotel

Room amenities

Volk’s Electric Railway

Visitor Information Centre

Brighton Buddhist Centre

Brighton and Hove Jewish Congregation

Prince Regent Swimming Complex

Brighton Beach

Queens Park

British Airways i360

Regency Square

The Brighton Treasure Hunt Company

Airport Brighton

London Gatwick Airport

Kempfield House Hotel

Brighton

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

11-beds

12-beds

13-beds

14-beds

15-beds

16-beds

17-beds

18-beds

19-beds

2-beds

20-beds

21-beds

22-beds

23-beds

24-beds

25-beds

26-beds

27-beds

28-beds

29-beds

3-beds

30-beds

31-beds

32-beds

33-beds

34-beds

35-beds

36-beds

37-beds

38-beds

39-beds

4-beds

40-beds

5-beds

6-beds

7-beds

8-beds

9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

4-bedrooms

5-bedrooms

6-bedrooms

not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

Awful experience. Visited following completion of the first half of an ultra marathon and needed accommodation overnight before starting day 2. When I went to take a shower at Approx 19:40 there was no hot water, I called the management about this and they said someone would be up immediately to take a look. Ten minutes later no one turned up so I called again and repeated this twice for the same reason, after half an hour someone finally turned up. The man who came to take a look I think was either the owner or employed as a handyman. He ran his hand under the tap to confirm it was cold and asked me what I wanted him to do about it, I said I wanted the hot water to be available and that I was very frustrated with the situation considering the cost (close to £100 for a very small room). The man turned in an instant, he was quite a big person and became very aggressive, he shouted at me not to shout or swear at him (I hadn’t) and that if I didn’t like it to pack my things and go somewhere else. I was scared and intimidated, there was no where else to go (I had checked in the wait) and was fearful I was going to be thrown out at what was now close to 20:30 in the evening. Having no choice but to try to calm the man down he told me he lives next door and has the same issue, the impression I had been given was this was due to the immersion heater not being turned on (likely to cut costs). Eventually some hot water came through (Probably after 30 mins total of both of us running the taps or shower), he (graciously) told me I could shower before he did as he had just woken up from his nap. The hot water lasted 40 seconds before going freezing cold again. I had no choice but to get clean in a cold shower. I had to be up at 5am the next day to do the second part of my run, I checked but there was still no hot water. I was shocked and appalled at the level of hospitality, no guest should made to feel afraid and having hot water should be a basic necessity all have access to. I tried to complain through booking.com and request a partial refund but the hotel refused to engage them. Please avoid this establishment. They do not deserve your business and will leave a very bad taste in your mouth. 

Avoid like the plague

Host was the most rudest, sexist man, Zachariah is unpleasant and was such a bad stay, not a comfy bed and bad atmosphere. Constantly swearing and calling women names and very unprofessional. Abusive tones and insulting to women AVOID AT ALL COSTS

RUDE HOST AVOID

The first impression when approaching the door of Kempfield house is a sign telling you that if you’d like to check in you need to visit the pub two doors down. I got the impression this was also owned by the proprietor and a preferred location to the front desk.

We found Victoria in the pub and she gave us a card with the code and told us our room would be unlocked with the key inside.

The entrance is a little run down with a large bit of wood laying about for some reason or other. As you go up the stairs you start to notice the carpets are badly fitted and coming up at the edges and that it could be a little cleaner and tidier all round. This is where you first start to worry you’ve made a mistake. 

The doors to the rooms on the first floor are in a very narrow hallway, all 3 right next to one another. This feels cramped and gives you concern about noise, but what can you do about the layout of a building? The room itself does not feel clean. My husband cleaned the dirty toilet before I saw it, knowing that it would upset me to see it hadn’t had a proper clean. 

The carpets are in desperate need of a wash or simply need replacing. I wasn’t keen to go barefoot at all. 

The finish of the room is rough and clearly the work of an amateur decorator. The décor is a strange boutique style mishmash without a coherent theme to tie it together. I guess it’s eclectic. It felt tacky, but decor is subjective I guess. 

We were relieved to see a fan in the room as there was only one window and it was a warm day. We then discovered it wasn’t working. 

My husband booked the hotel for my birthday as a surprise and specifically requested a sea view, he was told directly that he would be given the Hanover room with sea view and balcony. We didn’t get that room and by the time we spoke with Victoria to resolve this, it was too late and someone else was in it. She apologised at first and asked if we’d like some free drinks or something. She wasn’t very forthcoming with a resolution. We said we would discuss a partial refund in the morning before checkout as we had a cab coming. Good luck finding anyone in the morning! 

We also asked her twice to replace the broken fan to which she said no problem. This didn’t happen. So eventually my husband went back to the pub to ask again at 11:30pm as the room was so stuffy. He was told that there weren’t any more fans (he took it apart and fixed it himself in the end). At this point Victoria also became truculent regarding the booking mix up and told him he had the room he booked. We have the message stating otherwise. 

He asked where we went for breakfast in the morning and was told “you haven’t booked breakfast” this is listed as free on TripAdvisor but £10 per person on booking.com. Frankly after observing the cleaning standards we were relieved to go elsewhere for our food. 

The four poster bed looks nice enough at a distance, but it’s clearly a very old sad mattress with a topper and very uncomfortable and saggy. The bed squeaks and groans when you move which isn’t very conducive to a good nights sleep. That coupled with the constant sound of someone walking about (they must be training for the next marathon because it was all night!) meant that we didn’t wake up well rested. 

The light fitting in our room, a mock candelabra affair, only had 3 out of 5 working bulbs giving the room a sad yellow glow and an unloved feel. 

The curtains seemed more ornamental than practical and owing to the height of the pole and tab top design, very tough to close. As you tug and tug them you’re fearing the pole coming down. 
Not that it would do you much good as they were very thin and ineffective at blocking out daylight in the morning. 
 
Overall this hotel just falls so short of expectations and the reviews we read.
It’s a bit run down, a bit grubby and run in a disorganised way with poor customer services. This makes it feel like an unprofessional business best avoided.

If I’d been able to get home I would not have stayed the night. It didn’t feel clean and it certainly wasn’t a comfortable, let alone a ‘superior room’, if it was, I pity the poor guests in the other rooms. 

We have since repeated the request for a partial refund and been ignored. 

Positives for this hotel would be the free drinks and snacks in the room. 

If you’re someone who notices the flaws like a dirty carpet and you would be bothered by it, this isn’t the hotel for you. Attention to detail and investment is desperately needed to improve the overall standards of this hotel.

An unhappy experience

Excellent location. Walking distance from the lanes and the city center. Also near the sea and the pier palace. Nice rooms. But noisy, noises from the street and the back rooms are also noisy. No one can assist you if you need anything. The electricity got disconnected in one of our rooms and we tried to reach out to people at hotel but no presence. We then checked out without seeing anyone. Overall value for money is overrated. What you pay is way more than the value you get. Except for the location.

Fair guest house

Stayed over on a Saturday night . Checked in at the pub next door the lady could not have been more helpful and so nice ! Room was lovely , warm with tea coffee making facilities.
Highly recommended and will stay again. Excellent location in the heart of Kemp town

A lovely place in the heart of Kemp town

Excellent location and a friendly and organised greeting on arrival. Stayed in the Regency room. Bed was HUGE and very comfortable. Room and en-suite were both ideal. Not given it a 5 only because the hand basin plinth in the en-suite was loose. Apart from that a great alternative to an expensive hotel 👍

Great overnight stay

Stayed overnight in Room Number 1. Lovely room, spacious and comfortable, courtesy small bottle of wine, nuts, cold drinks tea/coffee making facilities. Lovely couple running the guest house and also St James pub two doors down. The breakfast was served in the pub, full English, cereal, toast, yoghurt £10 per person. We did not expect to park easily but was lucky enough to find a space outside and paid at reception for a £10 permit which lasted 24 hours.  Alternatively we had intended parking at The Lanes car park which would have cost substantially more. 10 min walk to beach_seafront.  All in all a lovely place to stay!

All good!

If I could give minus point, I would. 
We got to the hotel at check in time, before we could be let in the room he told us to give him 5 minutes to fix something and off he went with a drill. We later discovered it was the bathroom door that need fixing, but it was not fixed at all! The door would not close nor would it lock. 
When we call the reception to tell them (we had to call as there was no one at reception despite being 5:30!!) I was shouted at, told that couple don’t care about doors not locking, told that if I didn’t like it I could leave and to find another accommodation! On a Friday evening during Bank Holiday! 

Absolutely disgusting service, abhorrent people skills. And to top it off: 

- terrible uncomfortable bed, with mattress dipping in the middle
- creaky bed
- creaky bathroom door 
-stained/ruined bedsheets 
-dirty carpet and dresser/bedside table 
-screws found on the floor 
-one of the wall plug not working 
-blu tac on the bed

Worst experience ever

We are just home from a 3 night stay at this lovely little B & B. We are frequent visitors to Brighton and have stayed in several of the accommodations on Madeira Place but can honestly say this was the best. Victoria was there to greet us on arrival, checked us and another couple in, arranged parking permits for us at the usual cost of £10 per day and we managed to get parked outside the B&B. We stayed in the JACUZZI room which was at the back of the building which had French doors which lead out into a small garden area. At the moment it does look like a building site but Victoria did say that they will be renovating it for the summer. The room was very large which is unusual for townhouse accommodation in Brighton, was very warm so much so we had to turn the heating down. The room has wooden flooring instead of carpet which gave a clean and cozy feel to the room, but the star was the lovely and very comfy 4 poster bed. The bathroom was also very large and had a jacuzzi bath which was lovely to relax in with a glass of bubbles after being out during the day. The room was spotlessly clean and we couldn't have asked for anything more. We had a fridge which had bottles of water and cans of coke in as well as ample tea coffee and snacks. 
Victoria and Zak own the Saint James pub next door which is one of our favourite pubs in Brighton a cozy local pub with a very relaxed atmosphere which we went to every day. I don't know where all the negative reviews of Kempfield House have come from as our experience was nothing but positive so much so I have booked with Victoria for a stay at New Year in the same room. Thank you Victoria and Zak for your hospitality and we look forward to visiting your lovely B&B again. Oh and must not forget Biscuit the dog... Such a cutie

Just lovely

In short, a great place and I can't wait to return for another visit in future. 

My partner book this accommodation so I arrived without any expectations. The first thing that impressed me was the proximity to the pier. Park on Madeira Drive, by the sea, for around £8 per day (instead of £29-£32 in the town parking) then enjoy the rest of your stay on foot, including walking with your bags to the hotel where the quickest route is up the ramp/steps up from the promenade.

Maderia Place is a charming street full of well-kept properties. The hotel is the oldest building in the street and although already most pleasant, a program of refurbishment is starting. There was no disturbance to us. On entering the room, I was taken back by the size. There is plenty of room and a nice high ceiling. If you like heat, this is the place for you as even in early February it was so much warmer than my home. The decoration is clean and tasteful and the bed was very comfortable for a good night's sleep in a quiet road. The modern shower room was nicely laid out and smart. If you are a perfectionist, simply forget about few minor places where the skirting board could benefit from a small paint touch up. Overall my impressions of the room were very positive and well maintained.

Breakfast was served in the owners' pub a couple of doors along. I chose a full English breakfast. It was to die for and served me well for the rest of the day. There I met the owners and we chatted at length over breakfast. They were charming and engaging and our discussions made the stay even more enjoyable.  

Only after all these good feelings did I find out the price we had paid (in low season) and this makes me even more appreciative of the outstanding comfort and service we received.

Kempfield House Hotel

Main amenities of the hotel

Location

Available rooms

Location

Description of the hotel

What other amenities are there?

Policies

Check-in terms and conditions

Paid on the spot

Payment