Best Boutique Hotels in Essex

An independent hotel with a continental feel, the Lion Inn has a bar, an elegant bistro-style restaurant and spacious air-conditioned rooms flat-screen TVs and free wired internet. For many years, the Lion Inn was a traditional pub. Now, after a sympathetic refurbishment, it has been transformed into a contemporary bistro and bar with luxurious en suite rooms. All of the deluxe air-conditioned rooms have modern flat-screen TVs, tea/coffee making facilities and free wired internet access. Some of the rooms have balconies overlooking the garden, while others have direct access to the garden via their very own terrace. Stylishly decorated with antiques and salvaged furniture, the bar has a vintage French feel. A natural extension to the bar area, the restaurant maintains a mix of old and new. The menu is based on traditional pub food with a modern contemporary twist, and the conservatory allows you to take in the picturesque views while you dine.

Dating back to the 15th century, this Tudor house and converted stable block is set in the grounds of Channels Estate. The individually designed rooms and suites include original features, such as exposed wooden beams, along with modern comforts. Each en-suite room offers a DVD player and free Wi-Fi. With ironing supplies and a hairdryer, the rooms also include bathrobes, slippers, a minibar, and tea and coffee making facilities with fresh milk and Costa Coffee. Channels Bar & Brasserie is renowned for its excellent food and friendly service. Channels Hotel guests also receive free access to the nearby Nuffield Health Centre (in Chelmsford's city centre), which features a swimming pool and fitness centre. Channels Hotel is located close to the A12, and just 2 miles from Chelmsford. London Stansted Airport is only 20 minutes away.

Situated in Colchester, 200 metres from Colchester Castle, this AA rated property features a garden. Located around 6 km from Colchester Zoo, the hotel is also 11 km away from Flatford. The accommodation features a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage for guests. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. Guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV. Rooms are complete with a private bathroom equipped with free toiletries. Some rooms at GreyFriars also offer a seating area. All guest rooms will provide guests with a desk and a coffee machine. A continental or buffet breakfast is available each morning at the property. At the accommodation you will find a restaurant serving British cuisine. Colchester Institute is 1.1 km from the hotel. The nearest airport is London Southend Airport, 38 km from GreyFriars.

Nestled within the historic and picturesque grounds of Wivenhoe Park, Wivenhoe House Hotel blends 18th-century charm with modern comfort, just moments from the University of Essex campus. Guests can enjoy elegant accommodation, the Park Brasserie Restaurant, complimentary Wi-Fi, convenient on-site parking and other facilities such as the University gym. Each bedroom has been thoughtfully designed with comfort in mind, featuring stylish décor, large HD TVs with casting capability, designer toiletries and pod coffee machines. Many rooms also overlook the hotel’s beautifully landscaped gardens and surrounding Essex parkland, offering a truly tranquil setting. The Park Brasserie showcases the best of seasonal, locally inspired produce, with fresh high-quality dishes served in a relaxed and contemporary atmosphere including our heated outdoor terrace. Just a short stroll or five-minute drive away, the quayside town of Wivenhoe is perfect for riverside walks and exploring local cafés. Meanwhile, Colchester – Britain’s oldest recorded town is only 10 minutes by car, with its wealth of historic landmarks, shops and cultural attractions. Beyond, the surrounding Essex countryside offers scenic walks, riverside views, and timeless English charm.

Situated in old Harwich, The Pier offers historic, quay side hotel accommodation. Free Wi-Fi is accessible throughout. The Pier Hotel is set across 2 refurbished buildings, one dating from the 1850s and one from the 1700s. All rooms have their own bathroom and many have views over the estuary and sofa beds for children. Each room has a TV with satellite channels, a minibar and tea/coffee making facilities. Taking advantage of its waterside location, The Pier Hotel has a restaurant on the first floor, and the Navyard Bar and Terrace on the ground floor. Further bars and restaurants are within a 5-minute walk, and the ferry to Felixstowe and Shotley leaves from next door to the property. Harwich Town railway station is 0.4 miles away. The Electric Palace Cinema is a 3-minute walk from The Pier Hotel.

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This adults-only, luxury hotel is set within 130 acres of beautiful grounds and listed gardens, with 35 treatment rooms and an 18.5 metre swimming pool. A Mediterranean inspired menu is served in the restaurant and a shuttle service is available at an additional fee from Thorpe-le-Soken Rail Station. Overlooking the gardens or gravel garden, each room has free Wi-Fi access, a flat-screen TV and free mineral water. Rooms at Lifehouse also feature a luxurious bathroom with designer toiletries, fluffy robes and slippers. Guests can also make use of the sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy pool and salt inhalation room between check in and check out times. A range of treatments are available at the beauty salon and pre-booking is recommended. The Lifehouse Bar offers speciality coffees.

Just metres from the river in Burnham-on-Crouch, The Oyster Smack Inn has an on-site bar, free Wi-Fi and free parking. It dates back to the 1800s, and is known for its fantastic food. The restaurant’s chef has worked in Jamie Oliver’s first restaurant, as well as Gorden Ramsey’s 3 Michelin Starred establishment. The diverse menu features Asian influences and British classics, with food made from seasonal produce. Rooms at The Oyster Smack Inn are individually designed, and each benefits from a flat-screen TV and an en suite bathroom with free toiletries. Tea and coffee making facilities with fresh milk are also provided. The coast at Southend is just 25 miles away, and the centre of Chelmsford can be reached in 40 minutes’ drive. Historic Colchester can also be reached in less than an hour by car.

Featuring a bar and brasserie restaurant, Milsoms is located in Dedham. With free WiFi throughout and free onsite parking, this boutique hotel is just 20 minutes' drive from the Beth Chatto Gardens and 12 miles from Colchester Zoo. Each stylish room includes a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a minibar, and tea and coffee making facilities. The en-suite bathrooms include complimentary toiletries. Extras include a work desk and ironing facilities. Free soft drinks are provided in the mini-bar. Milsoms boasts a two-tiered restaurant, which serves a daily a la carte menu. Inspired by cuisines from around the world, dishes are prepared using locally sourced and seasonal produce. Guests can dine outside on the covered heated terrace, overlooking the gardens. With an extensive range of wines, the bar also serves cocktails. The hotel is just over 1 mile from Sir Alfred Munnings Museum and Colchester is a 20-minute drive away.

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With lovely views of the Thames Estuary, this Southend-on-Sea hotel offers free Wi-Fi, treatment rooms, and free parking. The Restaurant offers seafood specialities and classic British dishes with a contemporary twist. Guests can either dine in the Roslin Restaurant, the Bar and Lounge, or choose from one of the outdoor terraces, overlooking the Estuary. The Roslin Beach Hotel is set on a sandy beach, just over a mile from shops and an amusement park on the vibrant seafront. Southend also boasts one of the best records for sunshine in the UK. The Garden Terrace, our beach side al fresco dining space over looks the beach. The perfect place to enjoy cocktails and tapas in the sun. The light, airy rooms each have a flat-screen TV, telephone, hairdryer, tea/coffee facilities and free toiletries. Some of the Roslin’s rooms have a balcony and great sea views. The Roslin Retreat features treatment rooms to relax and unwind throughout your stay, from specialist Elemis facials and massages to manicures and pedicures. Please note that all rooms are individually styled, and the room you are allocated may differ in appearance from those shown in photographs.

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In the Suffolk countryside, between Bury St. Edmunds and Sudbury, this beautiful 15th-century building offers 4-star accommodation and a restaurant with 2 AA Rosettes for its fine food. Lavenham is one of the best-preserved Tudor villages in Britain, and The Swan Hotel & Spa is perhaps one of England's finest historic hotels. The building has been carefully restored and beautifully renovated, with ancient oak beams, large open fireplaces and a minstrel gallery. Decorated in warm, relaxing colours, the en suite rooms combine period features with modern facilities. Each includes a flat-screen plasma TV and facilities for making tea and coffee. The on site Weavers' House Spa has 6 treatment rooms, 2 relaxation suites, a sauna, steam room, spa boutique and an outdoor vitality pool and terrace. The Swan Hotel & Spa serves modern British cuisine in its Gallery Restaurant, made using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Prior reservation is recommended. Guests can also dine in the informal Brasserie and historic Old Bar. Al fresco dining is possible in the garden, as well as fine dining in the elegant Gallery Restaurant.

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In Faversham’s historic centre, this 14th-century Inn boasts rich character, original inglenook fireplaces, oak beams and a courtyard garden. Its bar serves cask ales from the local Shepherd Neame brewery. Bright, colourful rooms at the Sun Inn each have a TV, radio, free tea and coffee and a private bathroom with a hairdryer. The Inn offers a varied menu of well-presented dishes that can be enjoyed in the bar, the courtyard garden or the classically styled restaurant. On Friday evenings, The Sun Inn hosts live music entertainment in its pub. Local shops, restaurants and bars are all within a few minutes’ walk of The Sun Inn, whilst the scenic Kent coast is less than 2 miles away. Historic Canterbury is a 15-minute drive.