text: Rating: . What on earth makes us think the French do off-beat restaurants with rooms better than us? They don't. We are streets ahead when it comes to fetching up at a place like Mistley and hoping to find somewhere decent to eat and sleep. Very decent, in fact, here at The Mistley Thorn. And outstanding value. Happiness on a plate: The Mistley Thorn has been around for ten years, and revels in an understated luxury . We are paying £100 for two people, dinner, bed and breakfast. Do the sums. Dinner alone would usually be about £60; breakfast at least a tenner each. So that means the room costs a mere £20. I am almost embarrassed and seek clarification from a friendly young man called Rowan, who shows us to our room on the top floor with wonderful views across the Stour Estuary, where swans preen themselves as the sun sets and the tide recedes. We are in Essex, just down the road from Manningtree. Seafood dining: Mersea oysters are available year-round - as are Colchester natives, when in season . Connected: The hotel is a two-minute walk from Mistley station which has services to London Liverpool Street . I had never heard of Mistley, but what a fascinating spot, with a grand twin-towered church (designed by Robert Adam) that originally was meant to be a spa, gorgeous terraces of Georgian houses, industrial buildings near the quay that have not yet been dolled up, a Post Office. The Mistley Thorn has been around for ten years, in the capable hands of Californian Sherri Singleton. 'A bit of understated luxury,' is what it says in the directory. Bang on. Decent baths, powerful showers, Ren potions and lotions, muted colours, tongue-and-groove, real ale and terrific nosh. Well set: Built as a coaching inn circa 1723, The Mistley Thorn offers award-winning dining and accommodation . Weekends too: The Sunday lunch menu features roast Red Poll beef and local Sutton Hoo chicken . It is a Sunday evening, and plenty are in for dinner - unless they are still here from lunch. We kick off with nibbles that include a stupendous olive tapenade. Then I'm on to six Mersea Island oysters followed by superb sea bass, while my wife raves about her chowder, followed by moules with chips. Everything feels relaxed because it is so well-organised, unpretentious and welcoming. Rowan rushes around purposely, and is still doing so in the morning, putting tables and chairs outside in the spring sunshine, papers in the rack, milk in the jug, and arranging eggs from 'happy hens' owned by one of the managers. And there you have it. The Mistley Thorn is happiness on a plate. The Mistley Thorn . High Street . Mistley . Essex . CO11 1HE . 01206 392821 . www.mistleythorn.co.uk . Doubles from £85 B&B . Rating: .
target: The Mistley Thorn in Essex is set in the heart of a historic coastal village .
  Built as a coaching inn circa 1723, the hotel offers award-winning dining .
  It has 11 bedrooms - four with panoramic views along the Stour Estuary .