Located just outside Colchester in Essex, about a 90 minute drive from London, Maison Talbooth is a great spot for a relaxing weekend getaway. With just 12 rooms, a heated outdoor pool, hot tub, spa, and a beautiful countryside setting, this is a boutique hotel where you can find some serious peace and quiet.
Rooms are named after famous English literary figures – we had the Masefield room, which came with a huge comfy king size bed, sofa, private outdoor terrace and a bloody marvellous en suite featuring one of the biggest baths we’ve ever seen. The design style may not be to everyone’s taste – we weren’t too sure about the wallpaper that had slogans such as “the biggest mistake I ever made” and “I should have seen him coming” – but there’s no doubting the absolute comfort of these rooms.
After taking a dip in the pool or hot tub you can get yourself super relaxed in the spa with a full body massage or a range of beauty treatments. There’s even a section for the guys, offering a deep cleanse facial and scalp/shoulder massage. And if you’re in the mood for romance there’s a couples treatment room…Oo LA LA!
For dinner, the hotel will drop you 2 minutes down the road to Le Talbooth restaurant, a rather special little spot right on the river Stour. This is very much a ‘special occasion’ restaurant, the beautiful quirky, old interiors are full of charm – congrats to the couple that got engaged on Saturday night in full view of the packed out restaurant….
The dimly lit atmospheric room is matched by some top notch cooking and 5 star service. From the starters we can especially recommend the scallop sashimi with Exmoor caviar and freeze-dried horseradish, and the poached lobster tail with mini madras spiced samosa. The trio of pork, including belly, loin and cheek was an absolute winner from the main courses and if you’re looking for a non-meat option, go for the halibut with brown shrimp and herb gnocchi.
With great food, relaxing treatments and service that caterers to your every need. Le Maison Talbooth makes for a great escape from hectic city life – check in and chill out.
Maison Talbooth, Stratford Road, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6HN
www.milsomhotels.com