Essex Family Friendly Hotel Alternatives

Gooseberry Fool

• 4 guests

• 2 bedrooms

Little Bentley, Colchester

Just outside the village of Little Bentley, a five-minute walk from the local pub and a ten-minute drive from Colchester, this rustic barn is nestled on a working farm. Previously a popular children's café with fun play areas both indoors and out, it's an ancient barn that retains a great deal of rustic charm.

Kooky Cabin

• 2 guests

• 1 bedrooms

Layer de la Haye, Colchester

Hidden away next to ancient woodland in rural Essex, this cabin is a British getaway that overflows with quirk and charm. Inside, classically styled furnishings, such as the tufted Chesterfield, oak dining table and the four-poster bed that's come straight out of a fairytale, rub shoulders with the eclectic animal portraits that dot the wall, the antler chandelier and antique-style gramophone — which actually works in case you're in the mood for a boogie.

The Lakeside Glam-pod

• 6 guests

• 2 bedrooms

Hertford, Hertfordshire

Situated right on the lakeside with its own private, wood-fired hot tub this fantastic glamping pod offers comfortable accommodation for up to six guests within its light and surprisingly spacious feeling interior. Unwind in the warm waters of the hot tub as you gaze out over the lake, soaking up the tranquil views of the water and the countryside, or fire up the barbecue to cook up something tasty on a sunny afternoon.