Royal Pavilion

Photogenic from the outside and a key building that epitomises Brighton & Hove. Ice skating rink in the winter months outside. Inside is a palace of wonders, inspired by King George’s love of Asia. On the day I visited it was free entry, this only happens once a year. However I donated the £15 entry fee as I felt it was worthwhile.

Despite coming to Brighton for the best part of 3 decades I'd not been here until yesterday. Reasonable entry cost £15 pp. It's sort of hidden away in its own little garden and courtyard very serene just away from the bustle of the street. The background story to how the house was built by George IV and who his regular visitors and guests were is interesting. The manner of decoration is possibly ostentacious and perhaps not to everybody's taste but unique nontheless. The kitchens and waiting staff quarters are possibly the most impressive I've seen in anything like this. I would recommend the audio tour as the information on the exhibits is quite short.

It was very hot in Brighton this week and at venues like this you need staff to be like a well oiled machine. Instead the staff here seem to be made up of retired fussy housewives with an interest in amateur dramatics.

Please, for the love of god, just ask what tickets people want and tell them how much they need to pay. Cut all the other nonsense and dramatics. If you must put on a theatrical, egotistical, mini play to tell people the toilets are broken and to explain the tickets last a year, remember everyone in the ROOM can hear. You don’t need to repeat on a constant loop.

The actual building and exhibits are quite run down and in need of some tlc. Outside all the benches were smashed and it looked like that hadn’t happened recently. Also I could have done without the sales pitch, I’m on holiday, I don’t want to book a business meeting room or get married here.

Absolutely well worth the visit and the queue. We went on Sunday and queued for a while but when we got to the entrance it was free to enter which was a welcome surprise. The guide was brilliant and the rooms were amazing especially the dining and music rooms.

This was the highlight of our trip to Brighton. The increasingly sumptuous decoration of the rooms is a true delight to the eye and must be seen to be believed. The audio guide was easy to access via a smart code at the entrance. During our visit, the Pavilion was quiet affording us plenty of opportunities to savour the visual delights at our leisure and chat to knowledgeable staff.
The weather and time of year was not conducive to spending time in the gardens - we certainly need to visit again outside of winter!
The entrance cost is very moderate with free entry to the carer of a disabled person.

The Prince Regent has never been held in high esteem and the Royal Pavilion could be held as a folly on the grand scale, but to my mind, it highlights his taste in art, furniture and decor and showcases the workmanship of the people who decorated and furnished the palace.
The admission fee of £16 admits you to the Pavilion for a year which is good value if you live nearby. There are stewards in each room who are very informative and friendly, and can usually answer any question about the rooms they are in. If you have a smartphone, you can download a guide otherwise you have to rely on the printed guidebook and/or the room stewards.
The main coridor gives you a first taste of the chinoiserie style of the decorations - but nothing can prepare you for the most astounding room, the Banqueting Room, with its opulent and magnificent decor, enormous chandeliers (the central one held in a dragon's claws) and huge torcheres, etc. togther with the height of the room, all of which is quite likely to overwhelm the visitor! The table is laid for the dessert course of a banquet and the porcelain dinner service, candelabra and decorations all give an impression of what a Regency banquet table would have looked like.
The Great Kitchen is comparatively plain by the standards of the Pavilion and was presided over by the famous chef, Careme, whose menu for a banquet is on display here. It is hard to imagine that all the food was prepared in this kitchen! The copper "batterie de cuisine" is impressive as are the varous methods of cooking, roasting, baking, boiling on display.
After the Banquesting Room, the circular Saloon decoration seems quite restrained but the Music Room is another riot of colour and finishes, the chandeliers in the famous "Water Lily" design, first lit by gas in 1821! The large porcelain Pagodas (on loan from Buckingham Palace) are back in their rightfull places. The King's Private Apartments and the rooms up on the first floor are all quite simple and restrained by comparison.
At the present time (and until the end of 2021) the Pavilion is home to some of the artifacts removed by Queen Victoria after she left the Pavilion and these all look superb in what were their original settings.
If you are visiting Brighton, then this building is not to be missed. The only thing that I would say is that it was built as a pleasure palace and although the furnishings and decor ore sumptuous and lavish, the purpose of the building has been lost and it now seems rather lacking in atmosphere. I wonder if the additon of say, some background period piano music in the Music Room or the murmur of conversation in the Banqueting Room would add to the visitor experience? And of course, the addition of some cooking smells in the kitchen would be a delight and add to the artificial joints of meat, herbs and fruit already on display - the addition of smells in some museums can really add to the visitor experience. The sound of the clocks ticking and striking the hour summons up a bygone age and would certianly add to the atmosphere, as they do in so many country houses.
By the way, there is also an excellent Gift Shop at the end of your visit with a wide range of gifts and souvenirs.

I have been going to Brighton since late 80s due to family there but never really had the chance to go and visit the Pavilion. So on a cold January Sunday during one of a short visits to the city we decided to head down to the Pavilion. And what a treat it was. Definitely a gem worth the visit.

You pay £15 for 45 mins of being cramped into a small space with hardly any room to skate - stand or barely move your feet more likely given the huge number of people they let onto the ice. Given that majority of skaters can't skate, stop in the middle of the rink or fall knocking off others, this place presents a real health and safety issue. I was a witness to an accident when a person's head was sliced with a blade during a fall and there were a lot fewer people on a rink than here( Note: an accident happened not at Brighton skating rink). Raised a concern to an attendant, they just said it was fine and they were under max capacity. I can't imagine what kind of experience people get when they ARE at max capacity So certainly, not a relaxing and enjoyable experience, would not recommend.

If you're in Brighton then you must take the time to visit the Royal Pavilion. This is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful buildings I have ever been in! Much of the interior has been recreated to restore it to its former glory, but this doesn't take away from the wow factor. There are currently renovations happening to the exterior but this didn't really affect our visit. Due to current COVID19 restrictions, you need to book your tickets and time slot online. There was plenty of same day availability when I booked our tickets. Masks are to be worn inside, but visitor numbers are restricted so you can effectively socially distance.
I would have liked more information in each room we visited (I'm not a fan of audio guides) but there were helpful staff around able to answer my questions. Cute gift shop, too!

All i can say is WOW!!

What an amazing place, i was blown away so much so i almost cried!! Could not believe how beautiful this place was.

We visited whilst on a trip to Brighton, my husband wasn't that keen on going but we went anyway and it is literally one of the most amazing places we have ever been.

We went on a wednesday morning and there was hardly anyone else there, maybe 4 or 5 other people walking round.

We both thoroughly enjoyed looking round and reading all of the information boards, the staff we so lovely and informative.

Such great value at only £15 each to get in, so much cheaper than most other historical buildings.

You must go!!!