The Pier at Harwich Reviews
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| This distinctive 1864 waterfront hotel was built to accommodate passengers for the Continent. Today people pile into the contemporary fisherman’s wharf-style bistro/bar for proper fish and chips and daily specials. You write your order on a notepad and hand it in at the bar. Bedrooms have deep, white-sheeted beds and tongue-and-groove panelling. And the view – a seascape of pier, tugs, ferries and boats beetling about on the water – never palls. |
Key Attractions:
town, seaside, coastal, character, good food, great views, unusual
Price Bracket: Inexpensive
In a Nutshell: Characterful waterfront hotel and fish restaurant
Location: Harwich, on the waterfront
Address:
The Pier at Harwich, The Quay, Harwich,
United Kingdom, CO12 3HH
THEY SAY: On the quay in the heart of old Harwich, with splendid views of the Stour and Orwell estuaries the Pier at Harwich combines two historic properties. The Pier at Harwich has a total of fourteen bedrooms, many of which enjoy spectacular views of the ever-changing scenery of a busy port. They all have the facilities expected of a modern hotel bedroom with private bathrooms, colour TV, minibars, satellite TV, telephone and welcome tea and coffee tray. The family friendly feel continues into the bedrooms with several of them offering sofa beds for accompanying children. The whole hotel has been carefully furnished with many interesting, individual touches. The Pier Hotel is located in two historic buildings that stand proudly on the quay side of old Harwich overlooking the East Coast's busiest harbour. For a very different but very special experience you will find it difficult to beat the Pier Hotels Harbourside restaurant, with fishing boats bobbing only feet from the front door you would expect the freshest of fish and you will not be disappointed.
The hotel has a nautical flavour throughout and the kitchen where Chris Oakley has been making the most of all the fresh fish for over twenty years is the heart of the operation. On the first floor with large windows to make the most of the view, the Harbourside offers a sophisticated atmosphere and a wide ranging seafood menu. Dishes vary from the traditional such as a classic Dover sole to the modern and oriental. There is an extensive wine list centred on white wines with a particularly strong South African section. On the ground floor the Half penny Pier (named after the Victorian pier outside) is a lively bistro with a nautical atmosphere and a modestly priced menu with an emphasis on seafood. Typical dishes include the famous Pier at Harwich fish and chips. The Half penny Pier is popular with families and there is a childrens’ menu. The Lounge in the Angel makes a great venue for meetings, we can arrange various activities should you wish to break from your business for a spot of ‘team building’. A couple of ideas, why not try a quick hours trip over to France on a 60 mph, 225 HP rib or to the other extreme a gentle sail on an Essex fishing smack (under sail).
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