The Sun Inn

Colchester, Essex
Inn
+44 (0)1206 323351
Visit owner's website

From
£150 - £175
per night

Smart country inn in Constable country with lovely rooms and food - grab a picnic, hire a boat and drift along the river Stour

Bedroom

7 rooms

Sleeps

Rooms sleep 2

Children welcome
Pets welcome
Babies welcome

£150 - £175 per night

The Experience

You couldn’t hope to wash up in a better spot, an idyllic village in gorgeous countryside with this lovely inn at its centre. Inside, you find an easy elegance. A panelled lounge comes with sofas, armchairs and open fires – a good spot for afternoon tea; the bar, made from a slab of local elm, is usually propped up by locals.

You eat in the beamed dining room. Breakfast is a real treat: the full cooked works, or a buffet table laden with pastries, cured meat, cheeses, yogurt, cereals, homemade jam, and lashings of excellent coffee. Book dinner while you’re here. If you come as a group the ‘feast’ menu has an exciting and inventive choice of sharing plates.

Hire boats, order a picnic from the inn, float down the sleepy Stour, then tie up on the bank for lunch on the grassy banks. Come back to bright and airy bedrooms: those at the back are bigger, but all are lovely with local art and village views.

The Sun Inn - Gallery

We think you'll love

  • The food - locally sourced, seasonal and inventive
  • Walking alongside the Stour
  • The pretty village, Constable went to school here and often painted the church
The Sun Inn - Gallery

You should know

  • Some rooms overlook the high street and there might be some light car noise
  • You will hear church bells ringing on Sundays

Essentials

  • EV charger
  • Swimming pool
  • Hot tub
  • Garden
  • Open fire / woodburner
  • Breakfast included
  • Breakfast available
  • Meals available
  • Vegetarian meals
  • Parking on premises
  • Free parking nearby
  • Accessible by public transport
  • WiFi
  • Spa
  • Central heating
  • Limited mobility
  • Wheelchair access
  • Mobile reception
  • Hob
  • Bar
  • Barbecue
  • Licensed premises
  • Paid parking nearby
  • Air conditioning
  • Relaxation areas
  • Tennis court
  • No smoking
  • Credit cards
  • Working farm
  • Owner has pets
  • Pets welcome

Family friendly

  • Baby monitor
  • Books and toys
  • Children welcome
  • Babies welcome
  • Stair gates
  • High chair
  • Fire guard
  • Cot available

Nearby

  • Pub/bar within 3 miles
  • Restaurant within 3 miles
  • Shop within 3 miles

Activities

  • Bikes available
  • Food courses
  • Kayaking
  • Other courses
  • Sailing
  • Surfing
  • Wild swimming

Accommodation

Pricing

Nightly price
from £150
Surcharges
Extra child £15.
6 Doubles
From £150
1 Twin/double
From £150

Information

Booking information

Check in
From 3pm
Check out
11am
Other details
Dinner B&B £100 per person. Singles from £90.
Closed
Christmas.
No smoking
Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Meals
Lunch from £9.75. Starters form £7.75. Mains from £16. Sides £4.50. Puddings £8.50.

Reviews

Lovely old building, plenty of space, lovely setting (Dedham High St), food magnificent (as good as we have had in a pub - bed, breakfast and dinner), good choice of local beers and great wine list, too. Staff ALL very polite.

Danny, Ongar

We loved staying and will definitely be back if and when we are in the area again. We particularly enjoyed the wonderful breakfast.

Richard, Goldaming

We were a cycling group of 7 cyclists- very accommodating of 7 bikes including 1 electric might be tricky with more than 1 electric?. A warm welcome and v cosy authentic rooms with the best pillows- we all commented on this! Dinner & Breakfast were great- all with lovely service. Would definitely recommend & stay there again.

Judith, Petworth

What a wonderful place to stay, with amazing staff, in a beautiful village. We loved our stay in Dovecot.

Sally, London

Beautiful room with luxurious bathroom and fantastic breakfast

Tom, Braintree

We booked 2 rooms with you and a restaurant booking to celebrate our son's 40th birthday. We all had a lovely time. The rooms, food and staff can't be faulted. This is our 2nd stay and will certainly come back again.

Paul, Chelmsford

The room was beautiful and very comfortable, we had a great night sleep. We loved the service too, the staff was very nice to us and ready to help at all times. And the food, OMG, just amazing!

Jonathas, London

A fabulous pub/restaurant with quirky and comfortable rooms. Great menu, with emphasis on local produce. Thoroughly enjoyed our 2 night stay.

Ian, Durham

The Sun Inn was perfect. Lovely comfortable clean room overlooking the church. Great bar with garden and a fabulous restaurant with a section for dogs. We have an anxious very big rescue German Shepherd and they gave us a table in the corner where he could feel safe and with enough space so he could lie down and snooze. Which he did! Very kind staff.

Charlie, Aundle

Super rooms, excellent restaurant and menus plus a great selection of wines and other drinks available.

Norman, Britol

Our stay was perfect! Extremely friendly staff, very comfortable accommodation and delicious food. We will definitely be returning.

Angela, Dereham

We very much enjoyed our first ever visit to The Sun Inn last Wednesday and Thursday. Boudicca was a pleasant room overlooking the church, enhanced by hearing its clock chiming! We had a nice welcome, and one or two minor issues were dealt with straight away. The whole place is very characterful and relaxing. The cuisine for our evening meal and also breakfast was distinctive and absolutely delicious, first class. We would like to go again in the not too distant future.

Michael, Whittam

Fantastic food and a wonderful wine list. Evening Waiting staff were excellent and very Knowledgeable. Would highly recommend a stay at the sun inn.

June, Norwich

We stayed here for one night and had a lovely time, food at dinner and breakfast was fantastic. We were so impressed with how nicely the rooms had been decorated and all the little touches. We will definitely be back. Thank you!

Fionn, London

Stayed at the Sun Inn for a family celebration and thoroughly enjoyed it. The room was very comfortable, the food wonderful and the service from the staff was excellent. Would highly recommend.

Geraldine, Bonnyrigg

We stayed overnight after a surprise celebration meal for my husband's birthday for 13 family and friends. The planning process was made easy by the team at the Sun Inn who were so helpful with their advice on the menu, wine list and planning of the evening. Everyone had a wonderful evening and as usual the food at the Sun Inn with their locally produced food was excellent. We stayed in the bedroom called Elsa overlooking the high street and Dedham church. Our character bedroom was very nice, clean and with luxurious bedding and such comfortable bed. We are looking forward to a return visit.

Karen, Colchester

Another perfect stay. Lovely room and fantastic dinner and breakfast.

Andrew, Norwich

This was our third visit. As before we found the staff friendly and helpful. The food was superb. Lunch, dinner and breakfast. First class ingredients, interesting menus and delicious food. We were the only guests staying for breakfast and were treated to a table full of choices and a choice of hot cooked breakfast too. Can’t wait to return.

Angela, Dunbow

Cannot say how much we appreciated the pleasant and friendly attitude of all the staff. They made the stay very pleasurable. Excellent breakfast and dinner, good clean room and bathroom - very good bed!

Sue, Fareham

Second time to visit the Sun Inn. Absolutely excellent again. Rooms, staff and food top notch. Looking forward to a return visit.

Andrew, Belfast

Read more reviews

Location

The neighbourhood

Dedham is a charming village in the Dedham Vale AONB and there are some lovely walks from the door, try the 1.8 mile walk to the National Trust's Flatford Mill, made famous by Constable's painting The Hay Wain, it takes you along the Stour and through Dedham Vale. It's a stroll to The Munnings Art Museum at Sir Alfred Munning’s former home, Castle House. The Beth Chatto Gardens are 7.5 miles.

Local points of interest from Piers Baker

  • The Sir Alfred Munnings Museum & Gardens (0.5 miles)
  • Flatford Mill Field Centre, Flatford (4 miles)
  • St Mary’s Parish Church, Dedham (50 yards)
  • Beth Chatto Gardens (7.5 miles)
  • Colchester, Britain’s Oldest Town (8 miles)
  • Dedham Vale & Stour Valley AONB

Introducing

Piers Baker

Piers has spent his entire career in catering, and after running some great pubs in London, he now owns three successful ones of his own. He discusses every dish with his head chefs, the bedrooms were decorated to his specification and he is very involved in the day to day management. In both The Sun Inn and The White Hart you're looked after by an attentive and courteous team.