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The Crown & Castle

UK England East Anglia Suffolk Orford

01394 450 205 Market Hill, Orford, Suffolk IP12 2LJ

21 Guest Rooms
Restaurant with Rooms

Lovely dog-friendly restaurant with rooms in a prime position on the main square in Orford

Originally founded by the former TV hotel inspector Ruth Watson and now part of the local Hotel Folk group, the Crown & Castle is an outstanding place to stay in a terrific location, right on the square in sleepy Orford, Suffolk. It bills itself as a 'restaurant with rooms', and food is very much to the fore here. But the property recently won 'Small Hotel of the Year' in the recent East of England awards, and quite right too – its spick-and-span guest rooms are just the ticket for a stay on the Suffolk Coast.

There are 21 bedrooms in all – seven in the main building and the rest outside, split between a row of 'Garden' rooms, most of which are dog-friendly; 'Terrace' rooms which have private patios and large bathrooms; and a large suite with its own terrace. All the rooms are bright and contemporary and recently refurbished, and all come with Smart TVs, good WiFi, king-size beds, complimentary water, and tea and coffee. A couple of the rooms in the main building have sea views, and most of the 'Garden' bathrooms have a bath/shower combined. There are thoughtful additions, too, like a set of electric bikes to rent if you want to explore, although there are also numerous great walks nearby.

As for the food, the emphasis at the 2 AA Rosette restaurant is on local ingredients and service that's a perfect blend of attentive and relaxed. What you eat depends on the time of year, but there's usually a good selection of fish and seafood – crab, skate wing, Butley oysters, smoked salmon and other goodies from Pinneys' nearby fish shop and smokery, along with Blythburgh pork, local lamb and popular standards like fish and chips and steaks. They use lots of Suffolk suppliers like Sutton Hoo chickens and bread from the Pump Street Bakery across the square, and it's all deliberately – and successfully – understated; plus you can sit outside in the garden, either to eat or enjoy a pre-dinner aperitif. Dog owners can eat the same menu in the bar, or of course outside in the garden.