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The White Hart Inn

West Mersea, Essex
Inn
+44 (0)1206 583212
Visit owner's website

Per night
£125 - £175

6 rooms

Rooms sleep 2

Children welcome

Pets welcome

Babies welcome

Head down the Strood causeway and step back in time for a slice of Mersea Island's old-world charm: beaches, fresh oysters & a charming inn

Per night
£125 - £175

Visit the owner's site and book direct with them. No fees or fuss from us.

Use our quick form to drop the owner a line asking anything you need to know.

Ask a question

The Experience

At the heart of the village, this inn packs a punch with its modern British menu. Produce is sourced from the island or nearby: fish from East Mersea and Wivenhoe; oysters arrive daily on boats at the bottom of the hill. Breakfast is a relaxed affair: a high-end fry up to set you up for the day or smoked salmon, porridge, fruit and homemade bread.

Upstairs, six smart, colourful bedrooms have huge cloud-comfy beds and drenching walk-in showers, views look over the church green or towards the sea. It’s just a few minutes stroll to the closest beach with its cheerful beach huts – hire one and make a day of it. If you forget to pack a picnic walk to one of two oyster shacks serving up bucketloads of the island’s much-celebrated mollusc.

The island is a haven for wildlife, spot red squirrels and all sorts of water birds. Visit Cudmore Grove Park for walking trails, a playground, a Roman fort and views over the estuary to Brightlingsea.

We think you'll love

Eating all the delicious food on offer at the inn, it's definitely worth booking in for dinner
Visiting the infamous oyster shacks to try the island's delicacy
Enjoying the quaint, 50s style island vibes

You should know

You need to check the tides before setting off down the Strood causeway, sometimes the water gets too high to drive safely
It's pretty quiet on the island, get the bus to Colchester if you want the theatre, cinema or other amusements

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

Pricing

Nightly price: from £125

6 Doubles: From £125

Information

Booking information

Check in: 3pm
Check out: 11pm
Other details: 10% off for 2 nights, 15% off for 3 nights. Singles £125. Dinner & B&B, £195-£220 pp.
Closed: 25 & 26 December, 2-10 January.
No smoking: Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Dogs: Dogs welcome in the bar/restaurant.
Meals: Bar snacks, £4.50. Starters from £7.50. Mains from £10.50. Sides, £4. Puddings, £8.50. Kids menu from £5.50. Sunday roasts, from £18.50.

Reviews

The immediate feeling is of a warm welcome, with every member of the staff being at pains to make guests comfortable. That extends to the table service.

Peter Sawday's Inspector

Christopher, Colchester Mar 2025

Top quality rooms, excellent food and service … well positioned.

Lee, Rochester Mar 2025

Harri and her team are wonderful people and really deserve special recognition for their work and dedication to their guests. We stayed for 2 nights and ate breakfast and dinner. The food is delicious and of a high quality. Breakfast amazing as was dinner. The room (Strood), overlooking the church was lovely and the best bed we have ever slept in. Chocolates and coffee in the room were also high quality. 10/10 on everything. Highly recommended.

Abby, Southhampton Mar 2025

We stayed at the White Hart on a business trip to see suppliers on the island. The White Hart (Harri in particular) was extremely accommodating for our stay. The rooms were immaculate, and the breakfast was perfect. I will stay at the White Hart for any future visits to West Mersea, and recommend that our clients do the same.

Keith, Maldon Feb 2025

Very enjoyable stay, great breakfast, best marmalade ever.

Leave a review

Location

The neighbourhood

With its small, friendly population, bucket and spade beaches, interesting flora and fauna, and its own vineyard, Mersea Island is a bit of a hidden gem. Only seven square miles in total, it has a bit of everything to keep everyone amused, whether you're going solo, in a couple or bringing the whole tribe. Oysters have been grown here since Roman times so don't go home without slurping a few.

Local points of interest from Piers Baker

Monkey Beach is 150 yards from the front door of the pub. You can stroll along the beach, among the boats and broadwalks and take in the sunrises and sunsets. You can walk completely around the island but it gets quite muddy in places and takes 4 hours.
The Company Shed run by the Haward family who have been farming oysters on Mersea since the 1700s.
Cudmore Grove Country Park - a nature reserve with of over 102 acres of unique coastal landscapes and habitat and heritage overlooking the Colne and Blackwater Estuaries. A sandy beach, impressive views, grassland, meadows for relaxing walks.
East Mersea to Brightlingsea Foot Ferry in Cudmore Grove Country Park to Brightlingsea Harbour across the River Colne. Runs from April to the end of October
Mersea Island Museum opposite the pub has a fascinating historical record of the island including lots of photos of the pub over the centuries.
Mersea Island Watersports is around a 15 minute walk from the pub and has kayaks and paddleboards available for hire to explore the inlets and creeks around the island

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.