This pub with rooms reopened in June 2022 after a nine-year closure and following a seven-month refurbishment. The White Hart Inn is part of the same family as cheerily yellow-fronted The Sun Inn, Dedham. On England’s most easterly inhabited island, it sits opposite the church green and is just minutes from the beach. The cosseting, colourful rooms (one has a sea view, others look over the green) all have super-king beds, huge walk-in showers and contemporary local art.

The seasonally changing menu features local ingredients: island-sourced seafood, fruit and vegetables grown on Mersea, and meat from East Anglia. Highlights include the Mersea native oysters and Sunday roasts. Relax in the snug or head out to explore, from beach strolls to a circuit of the island (around four hours), boat trips to watersports and bird watching. There are also bikes to borrow and car charging on site. Do check the hotel website before setting off – high tide cuts the island off from the mainland once a day.

Competition closes on 12 February 2026.

For more information, visit whitehartinnmersea.co.uk