Mistley Thorn

Historic pub converted into popular restaurant with five smart rooms in scenic Georgian port town.

What do Vincent Price and Mistley Thorn have in common? Well, Mistley Thorn stands on the site where the notorious Witchfinder General held his witch-hanging trials in the 1640s and Vincent Price played him in the 1968 movie. But perhaps the real sorceress in the story is Sherri Singleton, a can-do Californian who refurbished the rundown pub and turned it into a smashing restaurant that has garnered rave reviews for its seafood and a buzzy bar that the locals love. With its quintet of spacious contemporary bedrooms, a couple with fine views of the Stour Estuary, the Mistley Thorn makes a delightful lure to this corner of East Anglia.

Mistley itself was destined to become a spa town and several structures still bear the distinctive Georgian designs of Robert Adams – the circular water basin opposite the Thorn with its graceful metal swan is one of them. Swans are symbolic here – you need only to stroll along the estuary edge to view a bevy (and that’s the correct term) of these beautiful birds.

Highs

• Comfortable rooms with ensuite bathrooms, some with river views, all with king-size beds
• Reputable restaurant with fresh seafood and seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients
• Small, lively bar that draws a local crowd, especially for the oysters & prosecco!
• Friendly staff in both restaurant and hotel; when Sherri is around she makes an effort to chat with guests

Lows

• The bedrooms are above the bar/restaurant and sound can travel up if it's a busy night (although everything winds down by midnight)
• The rooms, though comfy, lack the wow factor we normally seek - but the food more than makes up for it
• The inn faces a road but traffic is minimal
• Mistley is a small town with only a few shops and pubs - and a train station