The Drive, Hove, East Sussex, BN3

Spanning the entire penthouse floor of a Grade II listed Victorian mansion house in Central Hove, this beautifully renovated three-bedroom apartment offers a fine example for how period homes can be brought shining into the 21st Century.

Generous proportions, arched sash windows and period features can be found in principal rooms, alongside a contemporary neutral palette and fine quality fixtures and fittings. All three bedrooms are sizable doubles sharing two beautiful bathrooms; one of which is en suite, ideal for professionals and families. With over 1500 sq. ft. to play with, this versatile property invites entertaining with space to dine in both the kitchen and the main reception, ideal for professionals, but also for families who will have space to grow.

Hove Station is a few minutes away on foot, as are Hove’s Clean beaches and lawns, plus Church Road restaurants, bars and boutique shops are just a stroll down the road. The local school catchment is excellent and there is plenty to entertain you nearby for all ages. With so many outstanding features and a prestigious location, this mansion flat is ideal for those looking to live in luxury with the quintessential Hove lifestyle on their doorstep.

Style: Penthouse mansion flat in a Grade II listed Victorian villa
Type: 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), 1 reception room, 1 kitchen dining room
Location: The Drive Conservation Area
Floor Area: 1698 Sq Ft
Outside: N/A
Parking: Unallocated parking on the forecourt or permit zone N

Lined with mature trees and substantial period properties, The Drive has an air of grandeur as it leads down from Hove’s green parks to its promenade and beach. Midway, it passes through the social and culture centre where you’ll find every amenity this cosmopolitan city has to offer.

This apartment is formed within the penthouse floor of a striking detached mansion house built during the late Victorian era by famed British property developer William Willett, well-known for his decorative style in pale gault brick. It would have been one grand dwelling at its inception but has since been converted into several luxury apartments such as this one.

Imposing yet beautiful on approach, these buildings are immediately impressive in their scale. The house is set back from the road behind a parking forecourt with sweeping stairs leading up to the door. Stepping inside, you find an internal staircase rising up to the main body of the flat, but first, the main bathroom is ahead. In here, seamless porcelain stone lines the walls and floor around a while bath suite. A shower sits over the bath for when time is of the essence, and there is both a heated rail for towels and two cupboards for toiletries above and below the stone hand basin.

Rising to the upper landing, naturally lit via the stairway window and a skylight, it is immediately clear this property has a fine finish with buttermilk walls, pale wood flooring and the woodwork features picked out in white. This smart, neutral palette can be found in every room, although the bedrooms have soft cream carpet underfoot while the kitchen dining room has stone flooring offering both form and function to the space.

Within the living room, a period fireplace has been retained to acknowledge the era of the building. There is ample space for fine furnishings to relax after a long day, or for formal dining below the sash windows. Across the hall, the kitchen dining room is another generous space with larder storage and attractive cabinetry in grey. These have been paired with pale granite worktops with the butler sink and range cooker seamlessly cut-in and the American fridge freezer is also freestanding. At the far end, the utilities are nicely tucked away and there is ample space for a kitchen table at either side of the room.

Sharing the same incredible proportions as the living room, the master bedroom suite is the epitome of luxury with space for relaxed seating, a king size bed and a dressing table without compromising on space. Being elevated above the street on the top floor, it is ultimately peaceful, and the en suite is equally chic with a large rainfall shower to revive you before work each day.

Bedrooms two and three are both peaceful and spacious, and all three rooms offer built in storage within the eaves.

This bright and spacious mansion flat is situated in a popular area with lots of local shops and the beach on your doorstep. The city centre shopping districts and parks are also within easy reach, and this home also offers easy access to Hove Station and the A27/A23 which have direct and fast links to the airports and London.