Worthing's oldest hotel to be expanded with new restaurant amid extensive refurbishment in £6m project

The Burlington Hotel on Marine Parade – a grand Grade II listed Victorian building – is owned by father and son Kazem and Michael Najafi.

Having bought the AA four star silver rated hotel in 2017, a plan was put in place ‘to revive the hotel to its former glory’.

What remains of the plan is to extend the hotel by 18 rooms and a restaurant by building on the site of the former nightclub, currently known as The Coral Lounge.

Michael said: “There were many challenges when we took over due to the hotel being run down in every aspect.

"We embarked on bringing life to it, refurbishing the entire hotel interior; 26 en suite bedrooms, the lobby, the bar and our restaurant, The Sea Pearl, as well as our event and meeting rooms.

"The hotel didn’t have a lift for 12 years and we have now put one in place. We are continuing to make improvements and will soon be decorating the exterior of the hotel and will start with our expansion plans in the near future.”

The hotel extension is expected to cost up to £3million in addition to the £3million already invested.

Michael added: “Worthing is fast becoming a very lively town again. We are getting the overflow from Brighton here, so the expansion plans will certainly meet the demand from visitors.”

The Burlington team has given tours to more than 75 guests – showing their exquisitely decorated bedrooms, with sea views, and their event spaces.

These include; The Pearl Room, for conferences and private lunches/dinners; the Princess Amelia Room; and The Coral Lounge, for weddings, parties and wakes. The complete interior refit included The Sea Pearl Bar and Restaurant and their brand new seafood and grill menu.

The Burlington Hotel opened in 1865 making it the oldest hotel in Worthing and ‘has hosted many famous people’, such as Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Oscar Wilde and, more recently, former England footballers Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker.

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