09 Jul Choose Essex for your last-minute Staycation
Boasting a 350-mile coastline, one of the sunniest and driest climes in the country, tourism body, Visit Essex, is encouraging tourists to choose Essex for their last-minute staycation.
Cllr Mark Durham, Chair, Visit Essex, is keen to attract visitors to the county. He says: “Essex has so much to offer, we have one of the longest coastlines in the country, plus remote islands to explore, as well as rural retreats and vineyards, there really is something for everyone. Many traditional hotspots across the UK from Devon and Cornwall to the Lake District are fully booked this summer, so we’re keen for holidaymakers to take a second look at Essex and explore our diverse and beautiful county.”
Essex is famed for its much-loved seaside resorts, such as Southend-on-Sea, where families and couples can still find accommodation. The Roslin Beach is a boutique four-star spa hotel overlooking the quiet beach at Thorpe Bay, just outside Southend, it’s ideal for those looking for a pamper by the sea, rooms are priced from £70 per room – www.roslinhotel.com. Holidaymakers can also enjoy a short break at the Holiday Inn, Southend, which has some availability through the summer. Rooms are priced from £90 – www.hisouthend.com.
Essex is a county of contrasts full of tucked away treasures, quaint villages and beautiful countryside. Burnham-on-Crouch is one of Essex’s best kept secrets and is ideal for yachties, kayakers and paddleboarders, whilst children can have much-fun crabbing. Book a last minute traditional thatched cottage at Burnham on Crouch, which can accommodate between 2-4 people (self-catering) and is just a short stroll from the estuary; thatched cottages are priced from £400 per week – www.thethatchedcottages.co.uk. Or relax in style at Hall Cottages at Crough Ridge vineyard. The ‘cottages’ can sleep between 4-6 people, are self-contained apartments within an impressive barn conversion which offers stunning views over the Crouch estuary. Hall Cottages are priced from £650 per week – www.hall-farm-cottages.co.uk.
Get back to nature and take the family camping. Lee Valley campsites in Sewardstone and Edmonton are just a stone’s throw from the capital, yet are perfectly positioned for you to explore the 1,000 acre River Lee Country Park or Gunpowder Park where you’ll find a wide range of cycling and walking routes. The campsites are also offering one-night free stays for all two-night plus bookings made before 4 July and valid until 19 December. Touring pitches are priced from £19.20 per night (inclusive of two people and one car) – www.visitleevalley.org.uk/lee-valley-campsite-sewardstone.
The Dedham Vale became popular thanks to the romanticised paintings of John Constable. Today the area attracts tourists from far and wide to explore ‘Constable Country’. Nestled on the Essex/Suffolk border is the magnificent 18th century four-star Wivenhoe House Hotel, once painted by Constable. The hotel is set in parkland on the outskirts of Colchester and is ideally located for visitors to explore the picturesque village of Dedham and the Stour valley. Rooms are priced from £118.75 per night – www.wivenhoehouse.co.uk. A few miles down the road is The Stoke by Nayland Resort, which also has availability in its 80-bed contemporary hotel and offers golf, spa and leisure breaks throughout the summer. Rooms are priced from £66.50 per person per night – www.stokebynayland.com.
If you’re looking for luxury B&B accommodation, Downham Hall, near Billericay, offers style and a warm welcome to its visitors. The Hall is a converted manor house and provides sumptuous boutique accommodation and mouth-watering breakfasts. Rooms are priced from £95.20 per room – www.downhamhall.com.
City breaks are also on offer; visit the UK’s newest city Chelmsford, home to the birthplace of radio, and a vibrant new Bond Street shopping centre. The city also boasts a racecourse, stunning parkland, historic Hylands House and is ideally positioned for visitors to explore all that Essex has to offer. The County Hotel is a 50-bed four-star hotel situated close to the heart of the city. Rooms are priced from £75 per night – www.countyhotelchelmsford.co.uk.
