The Bell Inn

East Anglia Essex Grays Thurrock

  • From £80 a night
  • 26 Guest Rooms & Suites
  • Boutique Hotel
  • Pub with Rooms

A terrific Essex village pub with boutique rooms and great food.

Book Now

Book your stay securely on a third-party website

There's nothing like staying in a cosy country inn, and we reckon we've found one of the best in the Bell Inn, situated in the sleepy village of Horndon-on-the-Hill, high above the Thames estuary on the way to Southend-on-Sea. It's a lovely old pub, no question, and that's one of the things we like about it. But it's worth knowing too that it was way ahead of its time when owner John Vereker re-launched it as one of the UK's first gastropubs in the 1970s, and it remains a terrific place to eat, serving the same great food as always. Ably assisted by the third generation of the Vereker family, John has also added 26 guest rooms, making it into the perfect venue for an easy-to-reach and affordable foodie escape if you're based in London or the southeast.

The rooms are very comfortable and well equipped and range from characterful beamed affairs above the pub to more contemporary rooms in High House, a few doors up the street, which are generously sized and have large bathrooms with walk-in showers and separate baths. There are also a number of rooms in Hill House, in between the two. All the rooms have good wifi, 'eco-friendly' water, tea- and coffee-making facilities with homemade biscuits  – and fresh milk if you want it; some of them have Smart TVs and a few are dog-friendly. High House also has a book-lined guest lounge for guests, with sofas and a television.

Make Enquiry

Get in touch with our partner directly

Details

Open

Open all year.

Pricing

Double rooms and suites in High House £100–£145 a night; double rooms and suites above the pub £80–£120 a night; doubles in Hill House from £90 a night. Rates include a continental buffet breakfast but hot dishes cost extra.

Location

Show Map

Features

  • Bar
  • Coffee/Tea Facilities
  • Family Rooms
  • Gardens & Grounds
  • Parking
  • Restaurant
  • Room Service
  • Smart TV
  • Wifi

Looking For...

  • Car-free Option
  • Cycling
  • Dog-Friendly
  • Foodies
  • Historic
  • Rural Retreat
  • Sea Views
  • Sensational Views
  • Walking

As featured in

Cool Pubs & Inns: Britain's Best Pubs with Rooms

Whether you’re wanting to stay in a Michelin-starred gastro-joint, a traditional coaching inn or a contemporary pub with boutique rooms, put yourself in the hands of Cool Places and find your perfect UK pub with rooms.

Buy the Book

Dog Friendly Britain: Cool Places to Stay with your Dog

A full colour guide, Dog Friendly Britain showcases the very best places to stay in Britain with your dog – everything from boutique hotels and cosy gastropubs to seaside B&Bs, country cottages and the latest glamping sites.

Buy the Book

Related Guides

See Hotels in Essex

Reviews

Be the first to leave a review!

Add Your Review

List Your Property

Do you have a Cool Place you'd like to tell us about?

Join Cool Places

Other Cool Places near The Bell Inn

What Customers say about Cool Places

Everything I needed for a stay

I'm already looking forward to going again and would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting the area. It definitely deserves a five star rating!

Nathan, Verified Customer

6 out of 5!!!!

This place was amazing… I could not recommend this place enough, I’ll be singing their praise for many years to come and we are going to book again soon.

Barbara, Verified Customer

Easy to navigate

Great site that offers a really broad range of places to stay across the UK. Easy to navigate and book holidays.

Patrick, Verified Customer

Such a great variety of properties

Found this website when looking to book a staycation for later in the year. Such a great variety of properties and the website is really easy to use. Already shared with my family and friends.

CT, Verified Customer

Great, simple, straightforward

Great, simple and straightforward. I will definitely be using Cool Places again.

SM, Verified Customer