Scantily clad models, fine champagne and risque people platters brought a touch of decadence to the relaunch of one of Brighton and Hove's best-known hotels.

Property developer David Glover has ploughed £3 million into transforming the former Dudley Hotel in Lansdowne Place, Hove, into a four-star, boutique establishment.

The new hotel - renamed Lansdowne Place - was officially launched last week. It has 84 en-suite rooms with Egyptian cotton bed linen, LCD screens and broadband.

Mr Glover told the Argus: "We wanted to create something very special for Brighton - boutique, deluxe and four-star. But we didn't want to create a minimalist, designer-led hotel.

"The hotel was already beautiful, if a little run down, so rather than destroy it, we wanted to keep the original features and create a comfortable feel in luxury surroundings."

Tuesday, October 11 2005