Some very good yachting friends of ours recommended Levington Marina to us and we recently had a…read moretrip out there to see the facilities and were very pleased with what we saw. It will make an ideal base for us to explore the Suffolk coast and there's a great pub just outside the marina, The Ship Inn, which made us very welcome and the food was great.

My daughter and I returned a third time and I have to say we will not be returning. Something is…read moreradically wrong with this place- it used to be great value and well maintained but now it's poorly cared for and the staff reflect this. Firstly there is no warm welcome at all when arriving at the reception and a horrible smell as you go through the door. The breakfast is shockingly poor quality ( the bacon inedible and chewy and the hash browns frozen and tasteless) and frankly for a wellness spa as it alleges to be there is nothing healthy to be eaten here. Barely any fruit and only sweet sugary juices. Afternoon tea was appalling I can honestly say it was the worst experience I have ever had. Gluten free options included a rancid chocolate pot that my daughter described the smell as a hamsters cage! It tasted like the chocolate had been burned and curdled. The only decent thing was the scone and not enough sandwiches. An afternoon tea should offer a selection of teas but we were simply offered tea or coffee, and we had to pay extra for a glass of Prosecco which would normally be included in the price. As for the pool area ..where to start?! No beds free at all and overcrowding meant no space to hang your towel either, all this on a Tuesday! In the steam room the tiles are falling off the seated areas and huge gaps mean it's not comfortable to sit on, the jacuzzi was overcrowded so we had to wait for a space for some time and what a disappointment it was he temperature was lukewarm not hot at all and miserable bubbles barely noticeable. The showers were no better and the only place worth sitting in is the sauna. The therapists doing the treatments were the only highlight but 25 minutes was more like 20 mins on the bed. I had a great back and shoulder massage and a facial but it was just too short to really notice any benefits. It would be better value to have a spa deal without a longer treatment as other spas do. The worst experience was the relaxation room - the dim lights covered up a multitude of sins but in one area the beds were in such a poor condition that the foam was bare and the plastic coating ended up on my daughters face! We were in a better lit place and were appalled to see the state of the beds and quickly left. The shop is a little better in terms of service and help that's about all I can say. This place could be excellent but it is clear there is no maintenance being done and the premises are falling into disrepair with corner cutting and likely staff cutting as there are many empty spaces in the treatment rooms and nail bars and many therapists simply standing about. My advice : make the repairs or cut the costs to your customers or frankly it's likely things will get worse and the reviews will reflect the poor standards.

You have to experience to believe. But a few hints. Modern,…read moreclean, funky interior Gorgeous gardens and surroundings Excellent staff & service Incredible food Relaxing spa and treatments. Fun and motivating gym staff & wide range of classes. You may even spot a celeb or two!!

In April 2015, I stayed at Le Vere Hotel for three nights in the single bedroom No. 1. It is no…read morehotel in my eyes but a simple B&B. The room was tidy and mostly clean (although I found dust in the very old wardrobe and dirt on the top of the window) with double-glazed windows (the one in the bathroom didn't shut properly though) and an ensuite. The accomodation was so small that the double bed filled the whole room and the space was so limited that there was no door for the bathroom only a curtain. I had a small tv, a kettle and tea on a table. The room, which was nicely warm for a cold day in April, faced the owner's tiny garden and overlooked the neighbouring houses as well. Pros: The bed was comfy and the breakfast very good. The proprietors were helpful and polite. Cons: The wifi didn't reach my room because of the fire door and I hope the owners had a look by now at the low water pressure in the shower. Location: The high street and long sandy beach are only 5min away. Colchester is worth a visit! Room Tip: I recommend a room facing the not so busy road. If you face the back you are very likely to hear some very unpleasant noises from the neighbours, though.

Southend Victoria, scenery wise, was everything you ever hear about London as far as overcast,…read morefoggy, and a little deserted.  Like a constant loop of a after the rain feeling when some people take to risk to go outside and scurry about even though the clouds still look like they are ready to downpour on you at any moment's notice.  We arrived at Southend Victoria after our flight from Paris which landed us in South End Airport.  The Southend Victoria stop on the National Rail was directly outside the airport across from baggage claim.  All we had to do was simply cross the street once we exited the airport.  The National Rail is an outdoor train and unless you knew where you were going it's a bit difficult to buy a ticket on their kiosks outside their version of a turnstile.  At the time we were there, the window with the agent had  a heavy line and the gentlemen at the turnstile seemed limited on what he could assist you with; sorta like he wasn't able to leave his post but still available to answer questions.  We had purchased our tickets online in efforts to catch the train on time but on the same note we were cutting things really close with our time table.  Sadly we ended up missing our original train, we went to the booth to ask if we could swap the tickets for a later time and the answer was the obvious, NO.  But I don't do no.  So when you purchase your ticket in advance they send you a barcode to scan when you get to the rail.  So we simply scanned the ticket anyway even though our original train had passed and what do you know, we made it in.  Score 1 for me 0 for the Window Agent.    Riding the National Rail was an experience, not too often do you take a train across the country abroad, take in the scenery, and be in awe of the neighborhood and its structures.

Bulimba guest house is the biggest b&b in Felixstowe, with plenty of rooms to accomodate plenty of…read morepeople, tv, tea, coffee, towels and a sink in each room! Each morning you can have the option of a traditional English breakfast, cereal or even toast, they really don't leave you hungry! They are literally 10 seconds from the sea front, and amusements. Tina and Laine welcome everybody into their home and expect nothing less from you but to treat it as your own, its a real "home from home". 5 stars from me as they have a beautiful house, its clean, tidy and the atmosphere is friendly :)

We moved into a brand new house when my son was 10 weeks old. Within a week the boiler packed up…read moreand we were informed that it would take a week before it could be replaced. Oh joy, a baby, a toddler, two adults, no hot water. I looked at booking a cheap week away in Spain but then my husband helpfully reminded me that we didn't have a passport for my son yet. A hotel or B&B was out of the question because you need your own kitchen facilities for a newborn baby. My husband suggested a caravan and I wasn't keen. I'd never stayed in one before but I had a lot of pre-conceived notions. The first thing that was great about Orchards Holiday Village was the price. We booked, at last minute, a Monday to Friday deal in late May and paid £125 for a luxury caravan (although the prices do go sky high, as does everything, during school holidays). It was spotlessly clean, everything seemed fairly new and it was surprisingly comfortable and spacious. The park itself is well laid out with a strictly enforced 10mph speed limit so you can walk around the park without having to worry about being run over. There is a good deal of space between the caravans so we were able to go out and kick a football around without annoying anyone or worrying that a stray ball would take a window out. We were also a 2 minute walk from the beach, with the park bordering the sea wall. There is a lot to do here if you've got older kids - archery, football, a kids club and shows. They also have a 9 hole golf course, fishing lake, and live music at night so lots of things for everyone. There is an outdoor heated pool and we were fortunate enough to have good weather so we stayed outdoors, but the indoor pool was huge and looked well maintained. In addition to the main cafe/bar, there is a fish and chips shop and Chinese takeaway, both of which were surprisingly good. There was an indoor soft play area, but was badly in need of updating when we stayed. I understand they have now invested some money in this. The immediate areas of Point Clear and St Osyth are quaint - 1950s postcard seaside towns. Although not exactly a caravanning holiday convert, I would certainly stay here again if only we could be guaranteed some decent summer weather!

Dirty holiday park, can't believe that it is accredited by David Bellamy! The wildlife is walking…read morearound in dirty nappies and discarded rubbish alongside the holiday makers. The beach at the bay was ok but there were overflowing dog poo bins. The restaurant onsite was ok, nothing fancy but reasonable. We did venture out to the Ferry Boat pub which was full of loud mouthed yobs. There is a cafe called Tudor as well which was pretty appauling. The only good thing this site has going for itself is that the caravan was clean. Will not come back here, spent so much on the holiday and not altogether happy with it.

Trains. Convenience store. Starbucks…read more Direct East Anglia lines to London, hare fares after 9am when we were in the area for our visit. Simple to use, relatively clean, and decent amenities. We used it most days during our 10 day England visit, and became quickly adept at getting it and understanding what we needed to know and do here. It gets the job done.

Hey I just met you And this is crazy…read moreBut let's go to a station Colchester maybe? It's a three-star station at best with only a tiny building and not much inside, and you have to pass the security to access anything, and there's usually a guy on the security. Having said that, I was able to get in and out very quickly on both occasions when I needed to, urgently in a hurry both ways, and what's more I had a very positive experience with wonderful memories here. It's easy to get from platform to platform which was much needed, and so I have nothing but great things to say about this rail station. That's why I bumped them up by an extra star.

Was staying in Colchester during our trip to London and wanted to do high tea last minute. My uncle…read morewas able to book at the Wivenhoe even though they required a reservation at least 48 hours in advance. The hotel was lovely and we absolutely enjoyed our tea experience. The ambiance was cozy and tables were pretty spread out. I loved the Tiptree jam that they provided and their scones were the best I've had. There were a couple of menu options, including vegan, and it was pretty filling. Their dessert plate was very interesting and we enjoyed the different chocolate decorations on the pastries. A lovely place to have tea.

Description of the hotel in general: - four star luxury…read morehotel near Colchester- surrounded by beautiful parkland, forests and quiet lakes - located near the campus of the University of Essex; only few minutes from Colchester, Britain`s oldest recorded town (10 min) - part of the hotel is an eighteenth century Grade II listed house, the other part is a new construction - the hotel offers a modern, award-winning brasserie open every day and a traditional afternoon tea served in elegant lounges in the main house Rooms: - free WiFi and parking area - had a room in the newly constructed part of the hotel: elegant and modern style, nice bathroom - nice view to the parkland, a terrace also belongs to the room - however, the room is not really spaceous - iMac computer for television/radio/internet in the room - tea and coffee making facilities - price: 305 GBP/2 nights/double room (breakfast included) Restaurant: - 2 different restaurants: Signatures restaurant serves traditional cuisine; Rosette brasserie restaurant in the garden wing serves creative dishes - did not try any of the restaurants for dinner, only for breakfast - breakfast: buffet very small (not too much choice); breakfast can be upgraded (with costs) - service okay but not too well educated for the standard the hotel pretends Service: - service at the reception was friendly but also not too well educated (three people are busy with checking in one guest) - questions about next bus stop etc. could not be answered by the staff at the reception Conclusion: Nice hotel (not as good as a four star hotel in London for example) but too expensive for the service offered and the room size! (for me it is between 3 and 4 stars because of the high price and more pretending to be than offering great service)