| breakfast and parking are complimentary. room service is available. decorated with handmade furniture, the warm, elegant rooms have free wi-fi and minibars, as well as flat-screen tvs and nespresso coffeemakers. check-in time: 3:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. there are also 2 bars, along with a patio and event facilities. suites add separate living areas, fireplaces and/or private courtyards; some have sleeping lofts. dining options include an art deco restaurant and a classically furnished tea room. a 3-minute walk from the colchester castle estate, this upscale hotel in an 18th-century building is half a mile from the castle park cricket ground and 5 km from the beth chatto gardens
Heathrow Airport 1 hr 42
Highwoods Country Park (10 min)
Meadow & forest country park with a lake, play areas, Nordic walking trail & a community garden. Colchester Castle (4 min)
Stately castle completed in 1100, featuring interactive exhibits, a jail & landscaped gardens. St Botolph's Priory (6 min)
Striking 1100s Augustinian monastery known for its Norman-style architecture, columns & arches. Natural History Museum (2 min)
Cozy museum in a former church featuring natural history exhibits on regional animals & geology. Layer Marney Tower (18 min)
Historic gatehouse with tea rooms in former stables, flower gardens open for picnicking and a farm. Colchester Zoo (11 min)
Zoo in 60 acres of parkland with lots of animals plus interactive feeding times, plus play areas. Colchester Castle Park (3 min)
Lush, expansive park and gardens hosting varied programme of shows, music concerts and festivals. Hollytrees Museum (2 min)
House museum depicting 18th-century life, with manicured grounds & exhibits on local history. East Anglian Railway Museum (19 min)
Original Victorian buildings housing railway memorabilia, plus a functioning restoration workshop. Cudmore Grove Country Park (22 min)
Park & beach with walking trails through meadows, a playground & the ruins of a 16th-century fort. Firstsite (2 min)
Eclectic contemporary art from new and emerging creatives among free galleries, plus films and cafe. Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens (11 min)
Renowned gardener's creative, themed gardens with woodland and water areas, plant shop and tearoom. Dedham Vale (20 min)
Scenic rural area of farms, woodland & quaint villages, with walking & cycling paths. Essex Wildlife Trust Fingringhoe Wick (18 min)
Nature reserve, wildlife, and nature Flatford Mill (24 min)
Early-1700s riverside mill once owned by family of artist John Constable & used in his paintings. | 
