Rating : . What on earth makes us think the French do off-beat restaurants with rooms better than us ? They do n't . We are streets ahead when it comes to fetching up at a place like Mistley and hoping to find somewhere decent to eat and sleep . Very decent , in fact , here at The Mistley Thorn . And outstanding value . Happiness on a plate : The Mistley Thorn has been around for ten years , and revels in an understated luxury . We are paying £100 for two people , dinner , bed and breakfast . Do the sums . Dinner alone would usually be about £60 ; breakfast at least a tenner each . So that means the room costs a mere £20 . I am almost embarrassed and seek clarification from a friendly young man called Rowan , who shows us to our room on the top floor with wonderful views across the Stour Estuary , where swans preen themselves as the sun sets and the tide recedes . We are in Essex , just down the road from Manningtree . Seafood dining : Mersea oysters are available year-round - as are Colchester natives , when in season . Connected : The hotel is a two-minute walk from Mistley station which has services to London Liverpool Street . I had never heard of Mistley , but what a fascinating spot , with a grand twin-towered church ( designed by Robert Adam ) that originally was meant to be a spa , gorgeous terraces of Georgian houses , industrial buildings near the quay that have not yet been dolled up , a Post Office . The Mistley Thorn has been around for ten years , in the capable hands of Californian Sherri Singleton . ' A bit of understated luxury , ' is what it says in the directory . Bang on . Decent baths , powerful showers , Ren potions and lotions , muted colours , tongue-and-groove , real ale and terrific nosh . Well set : Built as a coaching inn circa 1723 , The Mistley Thorn offers award-winning dining and accommodation . Weekends too : The Sunday lunch menu features roast Red Poll beef and local Sutton Hoo chicken . It is a Sunday evening , and plenty are in for dinner - unless they are still here from lunch . We kick off with nibbles that include a stupendous olive tapenade . Then I 'm on to six Mersea Island oysters followed by superb sea bass , while my wife raves about her chowder , followed by moules with chips . Everything feels relaxed because it is so well-organised , unpretentious and welcoming . Rowan rushes around purposely , and is still doing so in the morning , putting tables and chairs outside in the spring sunshine , papers in the rack , milk in the jug , and arranging eggs from 'happy hens ' owned by one of the managers . And there you have it . The Mistley Thorn is happiness on a plate . The Mistley Thorn . High Street . Mistley . Essex . CO11 1HE . 01206 392821. www.mistleythorn.co.uk . Doubles from £85 B & B . Rating : .
The Mistley Thorn in Essex is set in the heart of a historic coastal village . It was first published as part of the series by Penguin Books and has been translated into more than 20 languages.