Thistle Hotel, Brighton

The Thistle Hotel in Brighton sits right on the sea front just a few minutes walk from the pier and the Sea Life Centre. The restaurant is situated on the mezzanine floor so you overlook the beach and can watch the sea while having a meal.

Breakfast – which the hotel bills as the "most important meal of the day" – was excellent, catering for just about every taste and appetite and children who are staying for free in the parents' room have the meal for £5. There was no problem in us taking Harriet's large Graco buggy into the restaurant as the staff obligingly moved a chair so she was literally at our table.

We had a family room and they moved in a travel cot for Harriet – complete with her own set of towels and toiletries! We also asked for a recepticle to use for sterilising and were given an ice bucket – "It is new!" the staff member assured us – which fitted the bill perfectly.

This was Harriet's first time in a hotel (and Olivia's as a new mother) and it was a lovely, stress-free experience. Harriet, wearing her new swimming suit, sat on Olivia's lap and dipped her toes in the pool while I enjoyed the steam room and sauna. There is also a fully-equipped gym to use as well. My only criticism of the hotel was the short flight of steps into the leisure and spa area but we were helped with the buggy each time.

We had dinner in the hotel on our first evening and our dairy-free dietry requirements were quickly catered for by the staff. After a very enjoyable meal, which Harriet obligingly slept through, we had a coffee in the atrium (reminding Olivia and me of our stay at the Fullerton in Singapore) which is a beautiful and relaxing place to be.

Our room was very comfortable – and quiet! Having stayed at a nearby hotel which was always noisy I thought that was something you had to put up with in Brighton. Not so at the Thistle much to my delight and it certainly added to our enjoyment of the hotel. The room was well appointed and had a small fridge (great if you need to store food for babies or keep medicines cool) and you could buy various packs to of drinks.

We would recommend the Thistle Hotel in Brighton unreservedly and you can also take advantage of the family package in any of their 33 locations.