One of the best perks of working at Host Unusual is the amount of incredible properties I get to learn and write about.
As I researched our listing for Wonderland House, which is a glorious Alice-in-Wonderland-themed house in the heart of Brighton, I kept thinking that I’d have to find an excuse to stay there myself one day.
Then I got engaged… excuse duly found!
Not even the unseasonable July weather – downpours with roiling winds – could dampen our enthusiasm for a magical journey into Wonderland. Accompanied by 15 of my favourite people (the house sleeps up to 24), we flitted from room to room, shrieking in exclamation marks.
“This room’s got mirrors all over the wall!” “OMG, look at this amazing sink!” “There’s a Cheshire Cat above the door!” “Wow, the dining room is like being at the actual Mad Hatter’s Tea Party!”
Along with five incredible, individually-themed bedrooms (as the bride-to-be I chose Alice’s Room, with its beautiful antique French bed and lace canopy), there’s a separate self-contained apartment that could be useful if you’ve got guests who don’t want to be up too late or need a little extra privacy… like my 82-year-old future mother-in-law.
Whichever room you choose, the beds are sumptuously comfy. In line with the entire five-storey house, the theming is fun, immersive, and utterly on point. You really do feel like you’ve entered Alice’s brand-new world, with quirky, detail-rich accessories and ornaments everywhere you look (some of which are best discovered after you’ve arrived, so I won’t spoil the secrets!) Being there felt like revisiting our childhoods, with that giddy sense of joy that can be so hard to re-discover once you’re over 30 and the demands of life have taken over.
Jacqueline, Wonderland House’s lovely owner, had helpfully furnished us with some suggestions of unusual things to do during our stay. We chose an in-house cocktail party on Night One, with unique Wonderland-themed cocktails served by a talented – and patient! – mixologist from Southside Bars.
(We made the most of the fun selection of dressing-up costumes provided at the house during our cocktail party, too!)
What else? After a hearty round of shopping in the Lanes and strolling along Brighton seafront – both of which are just around the corner – on Day Two we threw an obligatory Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. This came courtesy of Mad Platters, who not only decorated the dining room wondrously, but also catered for our vegan, gluten-free and nut-free guests with smooth (and delicious!) aplomb.
“This is the sort of place that makes you forget real life even exists,” mused my matron-of-honour, as we reluctantly got ready to leave on Day Three.
As we left, a snippet from the classic tale kept springing to mind: “The secret, Alice, is to surround yourself with people who make your heart smile. It’s then, only then, that you’ll find Wonderland.”
(Looks like I did both!)
Author: Nina Jervis
If you’d like to experience the magic of Wonderland House for yourself, you can find out more via their Host Unusual listing below!
