The Suffolk

Originally a beachside pop-up of a well-known London restaurant, The Suffolk is the newest addition to Aldeburgh's hotel and restaurant scene, and is actually just what the town needed: a high-quality yet relaxed restaurant with a cool bar for drinks and cocktails and a handful of rooms upstairs for those who want to stay over. And why wouldn't you? You're bang in the centre of Aldeburgh, right above one of the best fish and seafood joints on the Suffolk Coast. The town is, quite literally, your oyster!

It's probably more accurate to describe The Suffolk as a restaurant with rooms than a hotel. There's no lobby or reception: you walk straight into the bar and wait for someone to come and help. The bar is a cool space in the front of the building where they encourage people to drop by just for a drink – although owner George Pell does tempt them with a delicious menu of bar snacks too. There's a brilliant roof terrace up top, with views out over the beach and sea, just a few yards beyond, and you're slap-bang in the middle of Aldeburgh's busy main street, with its shops, galleries, cafés and of course famous chippies (instantly recognisable by the queues!). There's no better spot for a seaside break.

There are six simply but stylishly decorated guest rooms, two of which have sea views. Decorated in shades of blue, white and grey that evoke the hotel's seaside location, they all have good-sized beds with colourful headboards, a mix of antique and contemporary furniture, and en-suite bathrooms with toiletries. Rather than clutter up your room, guests have access to a pantry down the hall where you can help yourself to tea and coffee, water and other drinks, and even cold meats, crackers and local cheeses. There's good wifi wifi but no TVs, the thinking being that there’s plenty to do in Aldeburgh without watching telly. In any case, if you want to watch Netflix or catch up on your favourite soaps, well, that's what your laptop is for!

Finally there's the restaurant, which is the latest in a long line on this site but without question the best – a bright, light, slightly Scandinavian space where they primarily serve local fish and seafood, including fabulous local oysters from Butley, crab and lobster and the freshest fish from the North Sea. They  also serve meat and veggie dishes, and roasts on Sundays – and if you don't fancy a full meal you can opt for that bar menu out the front, which includes yummy hunger-quenchers like smoked mussels, chilli prawns, super local pork belly and of course those delicious oysters!