Rooms

We found the rooms to be warm and welcoming with original dark oak beamed ceilings, duck-egg-green wainscoting and hand-knit burgundy throws over the kingsize beds.

Despite the limited ceiling height in our second-floor Classic Room (#7), we felt very comfortable and relished the sun-drenched views of the Stour Estuary from our window. Most Superior Rooms have a similar view. Some of the Cosy Rooms are quite small, but they are still charming; Room 6’s river view makes it particularly good value.

The Annex holds Classic Rooms 9 and 10, plus Cosy Room 11. Located above the cookery school, they reflect Mistley Thorn’s simple yet stylish vibe. Classic Room 10 has a kitchenette and can be booked with Cosy Room 11 to create a mini apartment.

Situated to the rear of the original building, 1 Thorn Mews has its own kitchenette, 2 bathrooms and a double bedroom (though it sleeps 4 comfortably). There are no river views, but we felt it made a great base for exploring the area.

Sherri's been over from the States long enough to know that a kettle with tea and coffee is a must. Bottles of mineral water and biscuits are also a nice touch. Spotless bathrooms have REN products waiting by the bathtub/shower. Superior Room 5 has a double-ended bathtub and shower.

Features include:

• Fan
• In-room treatments available
• WiFi

Eating

By early evening, the bar at the Thorn usually has a sprinkling of local residents who come for a chat over a glass of prosecco and a plate of oysters (native and Pacific) on the half-shell. We didn’t hesitate to join them and felt rather sophisticated, especially when Sherri came behind the bar and reminisced about her days catering on film sets in L.A. From movies to Mistley…

The restaurant is open for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner; special dining events are often held, too. Emphasis is on locally sourced ingredients and fresh seafood. Our starter of griddled diver scallops with pea puree mint and lemon was spot-on. The Adnams beer battered local fish main was delicious. Non-briney types and vegetarians are not overlooked, and when it comes to the puddings, words cannot describe Sherri’s yummy key lime cake. On Thursdays, the 'Moules Madness' menu is particularly good fun: choose from marinière, Thai-style or mussels in cioppino.

At breakfast, cereals and fresh fruit are laid out buffet-style; you can also choose to order a cooked full English breakfast, kippers or organic smoked salmon with eggs. Homemade muffins and eggs benedict make an appearance at Sunday brunch, which is open to the public.

Sherri also runs popular cookery workshops at the Mistley Kitchen beside the Thorn. And a short walk away, in Manningtree, is her other restaurant Lucca (an Italian specialising in tasty pizzas). Other options include The Crown at Stoke by Nayland and The Sun Inn in Dedham.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Gaze at the wonderful neo-classical structure of the Mistley Towers, once part of a large church and now one of 2 remaining Robert Adams' Georgian designs
  
• Stroll along the Stour Estuary to the bird sanctuary - you can toss bread to white and black swans, ducks and Canada geese
  
• Also along the river is the town of Manningtree, which has a number of small art galleries and Sherri's second Italian restaurant, Lucca
  
• Venture further to the Wrabness Beach, about 10km from Mistley and the only sandy beach on the Stour
  
• Sketch the watery landscapes of Dedham Vale which so inspired Constable
  
• Gardening enthusiasts will love Belth Chatto Gardens and The Place for Plants - both are nearby and offer oodles of horticultural inspiration. A little further away is Helmingham Hall Gardens - also well worth a visit
  
• Spend an afternoon at Snape Maltings in Aldburgh. This historic collection of buildings now houses independent shops, antiques suppliers, art galleries and eateries
  
• Take part in a Mistley Kitchen cookery workshop, including instruction from Sherri (or from Badu Thobhani for the Indian course), ingredients, recipe sheets, a fabulous sit down lunch and wine - enquire about dates
  
• Set sail on Victor, one of the oldest remaining Thames sailing barges, which is now moored at Mistley and available for charter

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Cooking classes
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Sailing
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming

Kids

Children are welcome; cots and extra beds can be provided. The restaurant has highchairs and a tasty children's menu (no frozen nuggets!). The cookery school sometimes hosts kids cookery classes, too.

Family friendly accommodation:

Split-level 1 Thorn Mews has a private entrance, a double bedroom, and a lounge that can sleep 2. With a kitchenette and two bathrooms, it's a very practical option for those with little ones. In the annex (above the shop and cookery school), Classic Room 10 and Cosy Room 11 can be booked together, ideal for a family. Room 10 has a kitchenette and the external corridor can be closed off, creating a mini apartment. Superior Room 2 has a double sofabed; all rooms have space for an extra bed or baby cot.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 1hr15m (Stansted)
• Shops: 3 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Mistley Thorn is in the town of Mistley near Manningtree in Essex. It's about 100km / 60 miles northeast of London, between Colchester and Ipswich.

By Air:
London Stansted (80km / 50 miles) is served by lots of airlines, including most of the low cost carriers.

From the Airport
From Stansted you can drive (it's on the same side of London so no commuter traffic or M25 hold ups), or catch a train into London Liverpool Street and another out from there to Mistley. For a list of airlines serving this airport, click the link at the bottom of the page.

By Train:
London Liverpool Street has regular trains to Mistley and the hotel is only a short walk from the station. See Seat 61 for more details.

By Car:
Get off the A12 at East Bergholt and follow the signs to Mistley. If you want to hire a car, see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to the UK and getting around