We stumbled across The Crown while we were staying the night in Woodbridge (a town close to…read moreFramlingham, where Ed Sheeran grew up). The menu caught our eye and it didn't hurt that they had a Michelin 2017 rating! We got the following: Pork belly Sous vide squid Catch of the day All of their food was beautifully plated and OMG the seafood was so fresh and cooked so well. I had never had a dish prepared by sous vide method and it blew my mind. It was also a nice bonus that they had WiFi since I could check in and post my photos. I hope to find another place back home (los Angeles, California) that is just as great as The Crown. One day we'll be back!

Pretty much everything a successful pub with rooms should be…read more Relaxed and casual dining at its best, the food (although the menu has changed radically since my previous visits) was still of an outstanding quality, genuinely excellent. Add to that the location, the ambience and the general relaxed air and you have yourself a 5 star dining experience. Really rather excellent.

Bulimba guest house is the biggest b&b in Felixstowe, with plenty of rooms to accomodate plenty of…read morepeople, tv, tea, coffee, towels and a sink in each room! Each morning you can have the option of a traditional English breakfast, cereal or even toast, they really don't leave you hungry! They are literally 10 seconds from the sea front, and amusements. Tina and Laine welcome everybody into their home and expect nothing less from you but to treat it as your own, its a real "home from home". 5 stars from me as they have a beautiful house, its clean, tidy and the atmosphere is friendly :)

It's a lovely child-friendly hotel with lots of extra amenities - the National Trust Property…read moreadjoining, a swimming pool (a quick dash from the main door), enormous grounds (including a 7mile walk/cycle), a dining room for families in the Conservatory and a smarter option in-house : the Frederick. There's a cinema room downstairs which shows films (DVDs - familiar ones) at 6pm and 8pm. Children's games-room down the hall (air hockey table, ping-pong, Wii and Playstation, and a football table), a crèche (babies & toddlers) and a den (child care and activities for older kids). Hire bikes, big or small, and Beds are lovely and (a little too) soft, pillows are all synthetic so a bit hot at night in winter, but you feel cosy and the decor includes some beautifully chosen pieces from the fifties and sixties - the desk lamp in our room was all-Thunderbirds-Are-Go!! Loved it. A few annoying things - staff are all a bit spaced out, harassed or very young (experience is important). It's difficult to get their full attention. It's an old house, so it's a bit of a warren of halls and staircases. That can go either way, depending on you. It does affect storage options so don't expect modernity - practical? Yes. Sleek and easy to open & close? No. The pool needs more changing rooms, and at least one more shower (it ONLY HAS one). But it's a good size and a good depth (1.4m) - you can swim some decent lengths. Complimentary towels come to you all warm & toasty. The glass windows make it a lovely indoor/outdoor space. Bean bags at the poolside - a winner. If you've for the cash then this is an ideal getaway for tired mums & dads. Romantic dinners a deux, kids kept busy, family-fun things to do (rain or shine), you could make some great memories here!

We spent a wonderful weekend at Ickworth in Suffolk. The hotel is located within a former private…read moreresidence of eccentric aristocrats, in a very large park which is now managed by the National Trust. The hotel is part of a small hotel group who has spotted a nice niche with affordable luxury hotels targeting families with young children. Compared to many small, charming boutique hotels where children are not necessarily very welcome, at Ickworth everything has been thought for children and for the parents at the same time. The staff was super nice, very flexible (late check-out, help with activities, organising dinner in the lounge rather than the restaurant etc.). We made the most of the park (Italian gardens visit, jogging in the forest, ride on bikes with the children, poney) and of the hotel (restaurants, swimming pool, kids activities, lounge for parents). We also visited the market at nearby Bury St Edmunds which was great. We will be back and will probably try to get friends with us to share such a great experience. Only downside to note was the entrance of this wonderful castle filled by prams... (they need to hide them!), wifi isn't free (com'on!) and the service for the Sunday lunch was veeery slow as the place is so popular with locals on Sunday.

Was staying in Colchester during our trip to London and wanted to do high tea last minute. My uncle…read morewas able to book at the Wivenhoe even though they required a reservation at least 48 hours in advance. The hotel was lovely and we absolutely enjoyed our tea experience. The ambiance was cozy and tables were pretty spread out. I loved the Tiptree jam that they provided and their scones were the best I've had. There were a couple of menu options, including vegan, and it was pretty filling. Their dessert plate was very interesting and we enjoyed the different chocolate decorations on the pastries. A lovely place to have tea.

Description of the hotel in general: - four star luxury…read morehotel near Colchester- surrounded by beautiful parkland, forests and quiet lakes - located near the campus of the University of Essex; only few minutes from Colchester, Britain`s oldest recorded town (10 min) - part of the hotel is an eighteenth century Grade II listed house, the other part is a new construction - the hotel offers a modern, award-winning brasserie open every day and a traditional afternoon tea served in elegant lounges in the main house Rooms: - free WiFi and parking area - had a room in the newly constructed part of the hotel: elegant and modern style, nice bathroom - nice view to the parkland, a terrace also belongs to the room - however, the room is not really spaceous - iMac computer for television/radio/internet in the room - tea and coffee making facilities - price: 305 GBP/2 nights/double room (breakfast included) Restaurant: - 2 different restaurants: Signatures restaurant serves traditional cuisine; Rosette brasserie restaurant in the garden wing serves creative dishes - did not try any of the restaurants for dinner, only for breakfast - breakfast: buffet very small (not too much choice); breakfast can be upgraded (with costs) - service okay but not too well educated for the standard the hotel pretends Service: - service at the reception was friendly but also not too well educated (three people are busy with checking in one guest) - questions about next bus stop etc. could not be answered by the staff at the reception Conclusion: Nice hotel (not as good as a four star hotel in London for example) but too expensive for the service offered and the room size! (for me it is between 3 and 4 stars because of the high price and more pretending to be than offering great service)

This place is amazing and a hidden treasure. It's possibly the most impressive self-catering…read moreaccommodation I've ever seen. The manor has an 8 man spa bath, outdoor hot tub, set of fountains and even a chef (if you want one). The walled gardens are breathtaking and there's an entire conference/wedding facility there too. Heck, it's even got its own private nightclub! You can be married at the manor too indoors or out. There's a beautiful little dovecote inglenook in the gardens that's licensed for ceremonies. Around 20 people can stay in the house and it works out to be surprisingly affordable when compared to a hotel. Superb for big family occasions or birthdays.

A large party of us recently stayed here before a wedding. The owners Ian and Helen are really…read morefriendly and welcoming - they were very flexible about check in times and were happy to recommend hairdressers and places to eat etc. Ian is also a licensed taxi driver. The guesthouse is quite easy to find and in a convenient location close to Dunmow High Street. There is a pub with a good Indian restaurant just opposite. The upstairs rooms are a bit more modern with nicer decor and better showers, but they are all very comfortable. There's also a lounge for the guests to use. I would definitely stay here again if I was in the area, or if I needed to stay close to Stansted before a flight etc.

My husband Robert and I were estastic to spend a couple nights at The Carlton Hotel. We were…read moreespecially thrilled for the multiple microwaves that we were promised. As one can clearly see on the advertisement online, along with the complimentary breakfast bag, guests are supposed to receive tea, coffee, AND microwaveS. Yes, with an S. Our hearts were shattered as we learned that this was just a spelling/marketing error. Fuck you, Carl.

There is something spectacular in knowing that people still live in places where a neighbour, or…read morefriend of a friend, can be called on for a favour. That was "The Case" at "The Case." Ha ha. I make myself laugh. But really, in the villages of England, places are few and far between, and during the holidays even more so. We're talking the old world where sometimes places are still closed on Sundays and heaven forbid you should want a hairdressers on a holiday Monday! Not like the States, that's for sure. The Brit and I stayed here one Christmas in 2009, and the owner made sure we had a lovely stay as a favour to The Brit's Dad. Typically she wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of giving us breakfast and tea and biscuits to have in the morning and such, but they did for us. The hotel is lovely and the restaurant a great place for a good meal. There is a little seating area for you to wait to be seated where the owner will happily greet you and take your drink order. The drinks were a bit slow coming, but we had time to waste. Things go slower in the UK don't they. Kick back and enjoy your libations my friend! I think the owner was quite proud to have us sit in the seating area before we sat down for our meal, as that seemed her focus despite a predominantly empty restaurant only due to the time of year. I enjoyed a proper English Christmas dinner even though we were going to have another one in a day's time (I love parsnips!) and The Brit had a tasty steak. It takes some time, but it was yummy! The morning after Christmas we were the only ones it seemed in the hotel. Our biscuits were really tasty, but the tea not as good. Breakfast was a proper English and perfectly prepared. I loved our room and found it nicely styled and decorated. If I remember correctly, each room is named a different colour, or at least styled in a different colour. We had purple. It really was a nice place and felt luxurious. The price was great and I would definitely stay here again if ever in the area and in need.

Linda is amazing! She made our evening so welcoming (we went for dinner on a Monday)…read more The food was delicious, they had bottled ale, and they catered really well for vegetarians. We even accidentally binned something that we later realised we needed, and we called up Linda and she fished it out for us! Open Monday Evenings, unlike a lot of independent places. Fantastic experience, do go see for yourself!