| check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. a 15-minute walk from colchester castle, this relaxed hotel in a half-timbered 14th-century former coaching inn is 2 miles from the mercury theatre and 4 miles from colchester zoo. featuring original exposed beams and modern decor, there's a formal bistro, as well as an cosy, old-world bar with a fireplace. there are 2 meeting rooms with a private bar. relaxed rooms offer free wi-fi, satellite tv, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. upgraded rooms have ipod docks, and/or 4-poster beds
Heathrow Airport 1 hr 41
Hollytrees Museum (5 min)
House museum depicting 18th-century life, with manicured grounds & exhibits on local history. Dedham Vale (19 min)
Scenic rural area of farms, woodland & quaint villages, with walking & cycling paths. Cudmore Grove Country Park (23 min)
Park & beach with walking trails through meadows, a playground & the ruins of a 16th-century fort. Flatford Mill (22 min)
Early-1700s riverside mill once owned by family of artist John Constable & used in his paintings. Clacton Pier (28 min)
Restored Victorian pier with a funfair, amusement arcade, eateries, aquarium and tenpin bowling. Layer Marney Tower (20 min)
Historic gatehouse with tea rooms in former stables, flower gardens open for picnicking and a farm. Colchester Castle Park (7 min)
Lush, expansive park and gardens hosting varied programme of shows, music concerts and festivals. Natural History Museum (6 min)
Cozy museum in a former church featuring natural history exhibits on regional animals & geology. Colchester Zoo (13 min)
Zoo in 60 acres of parkland with lots of animals plus interactive feeding times, plus play areas. East Anglian Railway Museum (19 min)
Original Victorian buildings housing railway memorabilia, plus a functioning restoration workshop. Highwoods Country Park (9 min)
Meadow & forest country park with a lake, play areas, Nordic walking trail & a community garden. Colchester Castle (7 min)
Stately castle completed in 1100, featuring interactive exhibits, a jail & landscaped gardens. Firstsite (6 min)
Eclectic contemporary art from new and emerging creatives among free galleries, plus films and cafe. Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens (9 min)
Renowned gardener's creative, themed gardens with woodland and water areas, plant shop and tearoom. St Botolph's Priory (9 min)
Striking 1100s Augustinian monastery known for its Norman-style architecture, columns & arches. | 
