Best Western The Rose & Crown Hotel

You get a city hotel with a bit of history in the bones: the Tudor Bar keeps its oak beams, cosy corners and log fire, while the centre of Colchester is close enough to reach on foot. It is a sensible choice if you want a proper meal, a drink and a straightforward room rather than a resort full of distractions.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Spanish, Portuguese and Polish. The hotel has 39 rooms over two floors, with air conditioning, heating, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour reception. No lift, though, so keep that in mind if stairs are not your idea of a good post-dive decompression stop.

East Street places you in Colchester, United Kingdom, close to the city centre rather than beside the coast. The centre is around a 15-minute walk away, which puts shops, streets and evening options within reasonable reach without needing to turn the whole evening into a transport exercise.

Xtreme Gaming, Tenpin Bowling Colchester and Firstsite art gallery are nearby. A golf course is around 2 miles away. The hotel also has free on-site parking, useful if you are arriving by car and would rather keep your wheels parked once you have checked in.

The room choice is broad, from compact single rooms to family rooms, suites and apartments. For a solo trip, the single rooms keep things simple; for two people, a standard double with a private bathroom, tea and coffee facilities, Wi-Fi, television, heating and a fan covers the useful basics. Twin rooms are also available when sharing a room does not mean sharing a bed. A balcony option exists for those who would rather have a little outdoor space.

The larger family, triple and quadruple categories make more sense when you need room for people and luggage, while the apartments and suites suit longer stays or anyone who prefers a little separation between sleeping and living space. Some rooms include a desk, safe, hairdryer, iron, wardrobe and toiletries, but the exact equipment varies by category, so check the room card before booking rather than assuming every room has the same kit.

Air conditioning is available, with heating and fans also appearing in several room categories. Private bathrooms are widely represented, although a dormitory option uses a shared bathroom. Television, tea and coffee facilities and towels cover the usual return-to-base routine; room service is available when going back downstairs feels like an unnecessary expedition.

The Tudor Bar Brasserie handles breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is a buffet, served from 6.30am on weekdays and from 7.30am at weekends and on bank holidays, giving early risers a workable start before a full day out. Dinner runs from 6pm to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, with no need to hunt for a table elsewhere when you come back hungry.

The evening menu takes its cue from Portuguese cooking: petiscos, main courses and desserts designed either for sharing or for keeping firmly to yourself. Vegetarian and vegan choices are available. There is one bar, the Tudor Bar, where wines and cocktails come with oak beams, cosy corners and a log fire. It is the sort of room that understands the value of sitting down for a while.

This is a city base rather than an entertainment complex, so the off-duty programme is mostly beyond the hotel walls. Firstsite art gallery, Tenpin Bowling Colchester and Xtreme Gaming are nearby options when you want something more deliberate than another drink or another hour in front of the television.

Golf is available at a course around 2 miles away. For a quieter evening, the Tudor Bar's fire, oak panelling and tucked-away corners do the job without requiring a timetable. The hotel also offers family rooms and event facilities, making it workable for mixed groups where not everyone plans to spend the day doing the same thing.

The front desk is open around the clock, with check-in from 3pm to 6pm and check-out by 11am. Express check-in and check-out are available, and luggage storage is listed among the hotel services. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout the hotel, while on-site parking is free for guests arriving by car.

Laundry, dry cleaning, ironing facilities and a reception safe are available, useful for longer trips or for dealing with the less glamorous side of travel. The hotel is non-smoking and wheelchair-accessible, including the restaurant. Rooms and public areas are spread across two floors without a lift, so choose accordingly if stairs are a concern.

Breakfast is served in the hotel, while the meal arrangement attached to a booking depends on the selected room offer. The hotel accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express. Air conditioning, heating, a kettle and room televisions are available across the property, with the precise room equipment varying by category.