Welcome to Ellie & Co, an independent travel guide written by journalist Ellie Seymour, featuring honest recommendations and first-hand reporting on Brighton and Sussex, boutique stays, food, and culture around the world.
I believe the best travel experiences come from slowing down and seeing places differently. Whether that’s exploring an overlooked neighbourhood, staying somewhere with character, discovering an underrated restaurant, venturing beyond a country’s best-known destinations or finding a fresh perspective on a famous sight, I can’t resist looking beyond the obvious.
Hello, I’m Ellie Seymour, a travel writer and author based in Brighton, England.
I’ve written professionally for some of the world’s best publications including BBC Travel, Conde Nast Traveller, The Guardian, The Independent, The Times, The Telegraph, and many, many others. I’ve also written four travel books. You can have a snoop at my professional writing portfolio, here.
My Travel Philosophy
For me, travel is not about where you go, it’s about how you see the world.
When I visit a place, I’m often drawn to neighbourhoods over landmarks, independent businesses over chains, underrated regions than hotspots, and experiences that reveal a destination’s character rather than simply its biggest attractions.
That’s the philosophy behind Ellie & Co. Whether I’m exploring my hometown of Brighton or travelling further afield, I’m always looking for fresh perspectives, unique places to stay and experiences that help me understand a destination more deeply.
How it all started
I started Ellie & Co in 2016 as a distraction after suddenly leaving a job on a travel magazine (horrible boss situation). At the time, I’d also been living in Brighton a long time and was starting to feel a little bit bored.
To fall back in love with Brighton, I began exploring parts of it I’d never properly noticed before – hidden backstreets, unsung attractions, independent businesses and overlooked neighbourhoods. I started writing about my discoveries online and, before long, one local adventure turned into a travel blog.
Interesting fact: Only a year after starting my blog I was asked to write Secret Brighton, An Unusual Guide, a bestseller to little-known Brighton. I have since published a second guide, Secret Sussex.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about the ‘Co’? That’s my husband, my discoveries, travel stories and my musings – everything that makes up my world. Ellie & Co has always been more than just a travel blog; it’s a collection of the things that make me want to explore.
A bit more about me
I was born on the west coast of Scotland, but I grew up a London girl, and don’t have a Scottish accent at all.
I studied English Literature at university in London and when I was 19 I worked on a kibbutz in Israel making… horse riding boots.
I moved to Brighton on a whim in the early noughties after visiting my sister who lived here at the time. I fell in love with the city’s quirky charms, bought a little seaside house and never looked back.
I love weird local museums, small, cosy, underrated neighbourhood restaurants, daytime cinema trips, historic hotels and unique accommodation, hiking to country pubs, drinking red wine, playing with my cats and going to New York City (I am obsessed and visit every year – see here).
What You’ll Find on Ellie & Co
Today, Ellie & Co features destination guides, neighbourhood guides, hotel reviews, itineraries and cultural discoveries from Brighton and Sussex to destinations across the UK, Europe and North America.
My aim is simple: to get under the skin of places and show you a few surprises along the way.
I try to post regularly and am becoming less sporadic as my blog grows. I also have a newsletter.
If you want to have a chat you can email me at hello(at)ellieandco.co.uk or use the contact form below: