Time
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OUr History
The South Coast has historically been held in high esteem by members of the Royal Family and George III is said to have chosen Worthing for his daughter, Amelia’s retreats. This raised the profile of the town by encouraging the fashionable people of the time to come and sample the health benefits of life by the sea and made Worthing a popular seaside resort in its own right.
Oscar Wilde is reputed to have stayed here at the hotel while writing the ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and legend has it that its character ‘Mr Worthing’ was inspired by the town.
Like Brighton, the introduction of the railway connection led to Worthing becoming a popular coastal resort and favourite destination for generations of people to come.
by royal appointment
Royal visits from Princess Amelia in 1798, Princess Charlotte in 1807 and Princess Augusta in 1829 did much to make the town popular. In 1798, Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of King George III, developed a pain in the joint of her knee and was sent to Worthing for recovery. The Prince of Wales visited his youngest sister Amelia in Worthing from nearby Brighton. In 1814, Queen Caroline visited Worthing on her way back to live in Brunswick in northern Germany. In addition, Queen Adelaide stayed in the town in 1849 and in 1861 Queen Marie Amelie of France stayed in the town when exiled from her country.
OSCAR WILDE & more
Notable visitors to the fashionable town of Worthing in the 19th century included novelist Ann Radcliffe, the Duke of Northumberland in 1802, Henry Dundas in 1804, Jane Austen in 1805, Lord Byron in 1806, the Duke of Cumberland in 1817, George Eliot in 1855, Oscar Wilde in 1893 and 1894, who wrote his masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest while staying in the town.
THE BURLINGTON HOTEL
In 1864, building began on The Burlington Hotel. Opened in 1865 and originally named ‘The Heene Hotel’ The Burlington assumed its position as Worthing’s only prestigious purpose built hotel. As the oldest hotel in Worthing, and a now a listed building, The Burlington Hotel provides historic setting but with a contemporary twist, making the hotel one of the most popular and well-known landmarks in Worthing.
“The best day of our lives! The Burlington was the venue for our wedding reception and evening party and they could not have done a better job. A perfect day, thank you guys so much!”
RUSS on The Burlington Hotel
Special offers
Make your getaway even more special. A picnic or sundowner on the beach? A sauna and cold plunge in the sea? Or a bottle of English Sparkling Wine in your room, there's always something special for everyone to enjoy.
Celebrate Mother's Day at The Burlington
Show the most wonderful woman in your world, what she really means to you and spoil her with a special two or three course lunch or afternoon tea at the Sea Pearl restaurant.
At only £29.50 per person, this one's for sharing (or not!)
Order as a sharing platter for two or simply for yourself and enjoy a 16oz sirloin steak (8oz for single serving), skin-on fries, peppercorn sauce, a grilled tomato and a large glass (250ml glass per person) of Malbec.
Time to warm things up
Experience the health-boosting sauna and cold water plunge at the wonderful Fire Salt and Sea wood-fired beach converted horse box located a stone's throw from The Burlington Hotel. 10% discount for hotel residents
What’s on
There's so much to discover and explore in and around our location. Visit an award winning English Sparkling Wine producer, enjoy the thrill of motorsport and horse racing at Goodwood or get involved with the many art festivals that are in the region. Too many to list and too good to miss.
Brighton Marathon Weekend 2025
Brighton Marathon Weekend is now the UK's third biggest marathon and is now very much one of Brighton's big weekends.
Goodwood 82nd Members' Meeting
The Goodwood motorsport season kicks off with the 82nd Members' Meeting at the Good Motor Race Circuit. Stay at The Burlington and miss the traffic. Access by train or by car. The choice is yours.
The Brighton Festival Sat 3–Mon 26 May 2025
The celebrated annual Brighton Festival under the direction of Anoushka Shankar returns in May for a month of art, theatre and comedy. A perfect time to visit Brighton and enjoy some of the best entertainment there is to be had.
