The North Hill Hotel, Colchester

Hotels
9 (1472 reviews)
51 North Hill , Colchester , GB
+44 1206 574001

listing image 1
Show all photos
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Heating
Luggage storage
Non-smoking throughout
Private check-in/check-out
Daily housekeeping
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Good location
Clean environment
Cons:
Noisy guests
Cold rooms
Limited parking

Categories

Cleanliness
8.39
Generally clean, some minor issues in bathrooms mentioned.
Service
9.36
Staff are friendly and helpful, ensuring good service overall.
Location
9.4
Great central location, convenient for all activities.
Room Quality
8.85
Rooms are cozy and comfortable; some need maintenance.
Amenities
8.88
Basic amenities present, but some guests experienced issues.
Value for Money
9.34
Good value for the location and price.
Food and Beverage
8.39
Breakfast quality varied, with some guests expressing disappointment.
Overall Experience
9.36
Positive overall experience despite minor issues, meets expectations.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-16 05:48

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation and Dining
The North Hill Hotel in Colchester offers luxurious bed and breakfast accommodations in Britain’s oldest town. The well-appointed rooms and suites, along with the high-quality bistro restaurant, provide a comfortable and upscale stay for guests.

High-Quality Amenities
Each room at the North Hill Hotel is equipped with modern amenities such as a flat-screen TV, telephone, and tea/coffee facilities. The en suite shower room includes complimentary toiletries, ensuring a convenient and pleasant stay for all guests.

Convenient Location for Exploring
Located just off the High Street and a short drive from the train station, the hotel offers easy access to explore Colchester and its surroundings. With central London and the Essex and Suffolk coast within reach, guests can easily venture out and discover the beauty of the region.

Experience luxury and convenience at the North Hill Hotel - book your stay now for an unforgettable experience!

Important information:

Any evidence of smoking or loss to the property caused by guests from smoking will incur a charge of a minimum of GBP 100.

Parking is subject to availability due to limited spaces.Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

9
Based on 1472 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.39
Service: 9.36
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 8.85
Amenities: 8.88
Value for Money: 9.34
Food and Beverage: 8.39
Overall Experience: 9.36
M
Marcus • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
A
Anthony • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-10-18 • via Nuitee
D
Donald • couple • gb
10
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
L
Lesley • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
J
Julie • extended_group • gb
8
Great location, friendly helpful staff, clean.
Pros:

Friendly staff, location fantastic, clean, 2/4 beds comfy.

Cons:

2/4 beds not comfortable

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
E
Emma • family_with_children • gb
3
Disappointing and overpriced.
Pros:

The hotel is very centrally located, within easy walking distance of the city centre, shops and restaurants. Parking is also conveniently close by, and the bed linen was fresh and clean.
The twin room has its own separate entrance, giving it a slightly independent, cottage-like feel. However, this is worth bearing in mind for families travelling with younger children, as the door opens directly onto a driveway and alleyway.

Cons:

The hotel entrance is through a bar, with printed directions provided to help guests find their way.
On a positive note, the receptionist was welcoming and helpful. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience fell well short of expectations.
The room key was attached to a cheap plastic fob that kept falling apart. The overall decor was very dated and tired, with stained carpets and a worn, cracked faux-leather chair. Access to the double room was through its own external door, which clearly needed better insulation, as daylight was visible around the edges.
The outside area also needed considerable attention. Various items awaiting disposal, including old piping, mats, a table and a tarpaulin, were stored around the property. The view from the rear window was of bright yellow bins, which did little to improve the setting.
The bathroom was equally disappointing, with black mould and limescale build-up in the shower, as well as yellow discolouration around the toilet seat hinges. The room itself had a smell of cheap air freshener, which was unpleasant.
There is potential for this property to be a charming place to stay, but it needs significant investment, updating and better attention to cleanliness and maintenance. Sadly, at £165, the room was nowhere near the standard we expected and simply did not represent value for money.
We received a message via Booking.com regarding parking arrangements, but due to a recent change of ownership, the promised discount was no longer available on arrival. We also had to download a different parking app, with other signs offering a questionable QR code for WhatsApp payment. Beware!

2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
E
Edwards • solo_traveller • gb
10
Just excellent.
Pros:

The staff are extremely polite and helpful. My room was comfortable, bright and scrupulously clean.

2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
J
Jana • couple • gb
5
Relatively cheap but don’t expect a good night’s sleep
Pros:

Good location
Friendly staff

Cons:

The room facing North Hill was shockingly badly noise insulated. Ear plugs were provided, so they are well aware. Not sure why they chose to use it when the hotel was nearly empty.
The bathroom had mould and ceiling was peeling.
Room was small and oddly shaped. Not much space to put your stuff.

2026-10-09 • via Nuitee
S
Susan • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

The room was very good value for money and extremely clean and comfortable. The staff friendly and helpful.

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
R
Rebecca • couple • gb
8
2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
Z
Zoe • couple • gb
8
2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
A
Adrienne • couple • gb
8
Slept well. Was a little noisy from upstairs, but the facilities were good and the breakfast was cooked well.
Pros:

It was clean and had everything we needed

Cons:

Could do with decorating as paint peeling from the walls in places

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
B
Blow • solo_traveller • gb
8
Good value stay in Colchester
Pros:

Suited us perfectly for access to the high street and the Colchester Arts Centre. Reasonably priced, basic but clean and comfortable.

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
C
Clare • couple • gb
6
Was ok for what we needed
Pros:

Nice beds rooms looked nice staff friendly good location for what we needed

Cons:

First room smelt of sewage they then changed our room but the bin hasn’t been changed , stains on ceilings, doors slamming all night very noisy

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
V
Vargas Acosta • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
K
Khoi Nguyen • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
B
Ben • couple • gb
7
Over all good value for money
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Bit small the rooms

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
J
Joanne • solo_traveller • gb
5
Pros:

Nice welcome. Clean bedding.

Cons:

Dirty carpets, hard pillows, hard mattress and dour decor.

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
N
Neil • couple • gb
7
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
H
Haynes • solo_traveller • nz
6
Perfectly adequate for my needs which was a bed for a night. Location was great and town was easy
Pros:

Room was small but had everything I needed for a single nights stay. Check in staff weren't particularly friendly but it was quick and efficient.

Cons:

Staff could have been a little more friendly at check in.

2026-09-07 • via Nuitee