I spent a festive weekend in Brighton and it was just what I needed to get myself in the Christmas spirit.
My boyfriend and I recently took the train to the seaside resort where we indulged in shopping, skating and sight seeing.
We arrived just after 10am and took a leisurely stroll from the station to the Royal Pavilion in time for our ice skating session.
To get to the rink you can walk through the beautiful green gardens, allowing you time to take in the ornate former royal residence.
The ice rink setting was impressive and felt magical (Image: Newsquest) Our session started at 11am and was well attended, but not overwhelmingly busy.
Staff at the front desk were helpful and we got our skates quickly, allowing us to maximise our time on the ice.
It took us some time to get back into the hang of ice skating, having not been for a few years but once we built up some confidence it was great fun.
It was a special experience skating beside the impressive building and would be even more magical in the evening.
Time flew and before we knew it our 45 minutes was almost up. We headed inside to remove our skates and stopped at the rink’s cafe for a drink as we watched people skating.
It was the best view I have experienced whilst ice skating (Image: Newsquest) We then headed to Brighton’s i360 along the beachfront to take in the views.
Despite having been to the beach countless times over the summers since it opened in 2016, I have never been up to the viewing tower and was quite excited to check it off my list.
Once in the air at 450 feet, we made our way around the pod, taking in the views of the city and of the sea.
The i360 is certainly a bucket list experience that everyone can enjoy (Image: Newsquest) We treated ourselves to a drink from the sky bar where I ordered one of the Christmas mocktails in collaboration with Little Moons, called Golden Spice.
The blend of apple juice, ginger beer and cinnamon tasted just like an apple pie, and was the perfect comfort whilst looking out on the water.
My boyfriend also tried the drink and ate the cinnamon bun-inspired mochi ice cream that came with it, which left him feeling very impressed.
There were several festive drinks on offer and the Golden Spice mocktail tasted like a warming dessert (Image: Newsquest) We were sad to be back on the ground but had an afternoon tea booking at the Hilton that we had both been looking forward to.
As soon as we stepped foot in the lobby, it felt as though we had been transported into a Christmas Hallmark film.
Huge decorated Christmas trees greeted us as we came through the revolving door, with large nutcracker statues stationed at the end of the hall.
We were shown to the afternoon tea room where we were greeted by staff who showed us to our table.
The afternoon teas were the perfect treat (Image: Newsquest) The afternoon teas were incredible. I had the vegan option whilst my boyfriend opted for the standard afternoon tea.
It was my first time experiencing a plant-based afternoon tea and I was in no way disappointed.
The first plate was filled with finger sandwiches and savouries, some with a Christmas twist. My personal favourite was the cranberry and Brussel sprout sandwich with a vegan ‘chicken’ protein.
It was accompanied by classics such as cheese and pickle sandwiches and mini quiches on the standard afternoon tea set.
The setting was perfect, with windows that looked onto the seafront (Image: Newsquest) The next plate starred their scones with jam and cream. This was my favourite part of the afternoon tea.
The scones were generous in size and still slightly warm. They were light and delicious, and by far the best vegan scone I’ve tried.
The last plate was adorned with sweet treats including dainty cakes and mousses.
By this point I was fighting through to give everything a try, feeling very grateful I’d chosen to skip breakfast.
The berry cheesecake was my favourite dessert on the plate, which I halved with my boyfriend who agreed.
We felt as though we had entered into a Hallmark Christmas film once we had walked through the revolving wooden door (Image: Newsquest) It was soft, smooth and airy and the perfect refreshing bite.
For those who are defeated by the size of the afternoon teas, staff have takeaway boxes on hand for any leftovers.
After our lunch, we were able to check into our room at the hotel to drop our bags off and take a look around.
It recently underwent renovations but has preserved its charm with grand stone staircases and high ceilings.
The hotel’s staircases are grand and full of character (Image: Newsquest) Our room was stunning, featuring a large window encompassing nearly an entire wall overlooking the seafront.
It was roomy and modern, but still cosy. The bed was large and inviting with the most comfortable pillows I have ever slept on.
The hotel offers swimming pool facilities and has an impressive buffet breakfast with fresh fruit, pancakes, sausages and more.
Our room was filled with natural light and offered a great view of the sea (Image: Newsquest) It is a short walk from the Churchill Square shopping centre, making it a prime location to check off some Christmas shopping.
Other guests at the hotel seemed to have the same idea, as we walked past many people bundled up with large shopping bags.
We took an evening stroll through the lanes to see the Christmas lights before heading back to our room after the perfect festive day.