Escape to the seaside.

 “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air…”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

When a room comes with its own pair of binoculars, you know you’re in for a good night’s stay.

The minute I walked through the door of my hotel room in Brighton, looked out the wide bay window, and saw nothing but sea, I could feel all the stress of city life fall away.

I’d been invited down as a guest of the Thistle Hotel, who had worked with a fun PR/social media company called Big Mouth Media to organize a travel bloggers’ meet-up in Brighton. Making the trip happen had taken a fair amount of rearranging—I’d even skipped a class (!)—but something told me it would be worth it.

And that “something” was right. The room alone would have sufficed. For once, I brushed past the huge bathtub, the white terrycloth robes hanging in the wardrobe, and the gloriously oversized king-size bed—there was nothing that could have come between me and the view. A small café table and leather chairs sat in an alcove by the window, and I would have happily curled up there with a book for the rest of the night.

Reluctantly, however, I admitted I had obligations to fulfil as their guest and so I pulled myself away from my spot by the sea and went downstairs.

We were greeted with a champagne and canapé reception in the Water Bar, followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel. From sales manager Cherril showing us around the board rooms that companies often rent out—“I don’t think they do much work, but they like it,” she said, referring to yet another sea-facing work space—to hotel manager Craig taking us through the inner workings of the kitchen and fitness center, I felt strangely at home after my summer with the Hilton.

“We have the best view in Brighton,” claimed Craig, an émigré from New Zealand—from Wellington, even!—as we paused in the Promenade Restaurant beneath swaths of gauzy white fabric lit by the glow of fairy lights. Although the windows were dark and his claim could hardly be corroborated, I was in no mind to disagree.

The best part about the night, though, were the people. Getting to know other bloggers and writers like journalist Katy and Nhung from The Lost Promenade (a whimsical blog filled with fine-art-style photography and a double-dose of childhood nostalgia) always makes these kinds of events much more memorable.

New friends, great food, and a view of the sea…what else can a travel blogger ask for?

Want to stay by the seaside in style?

Thistle is also running an exclusive competition for readers of the bloggers who came down last week.

Their “Night of Luxury” contest gives you the chance to win a break-for-two. As if a night in the penthouse suite  isn’t tempting enough (did I mention there’s a hot tub on the private balcony?), you’ll also be given free entry to the Otium Health & Leisure Club (including a free pass to the sauna and beauty rooms) and a complimentary a la carte dinner for two in the Promenade Restaurant.

Entering the competition couldn’t be simpler. You have until 5pm on the 31^st of March to enter on the contest’s website. All you have to do is answer a single question: Why should you win a night in a luxury Thistle hotel suite?

Good luck!

A huge thank you to the staff of the Thistle Hotel in Brighton for such a lovely evening and event!