The Colchester Arts Centre is without a doubt the culture heart of Colchester. The intimate venue…read moreis in an old church, which is situated in the center of the town and easily accessed by both bus and train. The venue accomodates a range of shows including music, comedy, plays, film screenings, childrens days with activities and popular clubnights. The staff are very friendly and helpful with any queries you may have, and the security staff are strict but fair. The arts center often has widely-known music acts playing there including the killers, the strokes and placebo, and it is well worth keeping an eye on the website for upcoming shows whether you are local or not It is usually well worth the journey to see your favourite band or comedian in such an intimate and beautiful venue, particularly when the usual ticket price is so cheap!

A great place to see all varieties of performing arts, with beer festivals and ad-hoc events thrown…read morein too. Run by great people, for great people.

The Horsebridge is a great community centre for Arts, entertainment and a huge array of classes and…read moreactivities. The ground floor acts as an everchanging gallery with new and establised artistic talent showcased. Entry to the gallery is free and makes art accessible to all. Upstairs the Horsebridge has a cafe with blacony seating which allows a great view of whitstable. The Horsbridge is also home to a number of day and evening claases including yoga and children's french and drama lessons.

An unbelievable mill that is over 8 centuries old, and to think that a mill stood on this site over…read morea longer period of time. As they say, mind boggling. First impressions were that entrance fees were really affordable and this came with an interesting booklet. We decided to just wander around and take everything in at our own speed. There was a wonderful guide who, obviously, knew so much about the mill because he was followed by a group of people but there were so many informative panels throughout. For the younger generation there were various, educational, puzzle boards. Actually, without children around it gave we older clientele a chance to have a go ourselves without being shown up. Good to see that money has been spent on the upkeep inside and, also, a nice walkway outside to see the reservoir that is filled at high tide. A wonderful hour or two spent reading, viewing and absorbing information. Thank you.

Small mill museum with the rarity of being a ride miss. A working model demonstrates the operation…read more Staff are enthusiastic and helpful. Very interesting and important heritage site.

This is a lovely little craft centre, just outside of Great Dunmow town centre (off the old A120)…read more Here you will find a range of barns were you can browse around and purchase a whole range of crafts and gifts, such as dolls house items, clothing, jewellery etc. If you want to sit down for a drink or a bite to eat, timbers is a lovely little pub/ cafe/ restaurant serving a range of snacks, drinks and food. For a little entertainment you will find a crazy golf course and in the summer you can get lost in the amazing, original maize maze! A great day out for all the family!

The cafe cum restaurant is quite large and with a big menu. It's a bit old-fashioned and stuffy…read moreinside. The prices are a bit steep.

The Barbican is an area you can explore with a library, conservatory, rotating art installations,…read moreand miscellaneous events. You should check when the events are, because it could interfere with the areas being available for a visit. There was also a beautiful outdoor area that would have been amazing to sit at the café outdoors and admire the scenery, but unfortunately it was raining at the time of our visit and it would not have been as enjoyable to sit outdoors here. Would definitely come back to explore more, and hoping the weather will be better in the future.

Very disappointing experience. I'll start with the good. The front desk staff was incredible,…read morevery friendly and very helpful. Unfortunately, the concierge was probably the worst ever. I received a package via Amazon and showed him the details from the Amazon email. He condescendingly asked me where it was on his list, where it wasn't printed, and stressed that if it wasn't there they did not get a package. I cannot put into words how condescending he was. I left for dinner worried the package was lost or misdelivered. When I returned, he was no longer there so I asked the great front desk staff if they had received a package for me. They remembered getting something and checked a few places, long story short is they found the package. Again, kudos to the front desk who went the extra mile for me, but why was the concierge so negativistic and self assured. Another positive was the fitness Centre, which had some great equipment, including a nice rower and treadmill. Unfortunately, the smell in the hallway leading to the fitness centre almost made me sick every day. A couple other challenges from the property. The room is what I would have imagined a jail cell. A small mattress just thrown into a corner. Also, the door to the bathroom slammed every time I went in, I am sure not very pleasant for my neighbors. Also the fire alarm went off at 7 am my last night, the cherry on top.

I was hoping to see a show at The Globe, as I have a fondness for open air theater productions of…read moreShakespeare, but wasn't able to make it work so I opted for a tour. We had a fantastic tour guide who brought a ton of charisma and fun to his retelling of the history and stories behind The Globe. There is also a self-guided portion of the tour, with props and set pieces from some of the more modern productions which was very fun to see. Stop in the gift shop for a few souvenirs to cap off the experience.

Iconic theater, now restored, well-known for its association with Shakespeare…read more Was on our must-do list but we could not score tickets for a show. Still stopped by for pics and to soak in the atmosphere. Will plan better next time!