The Ipswich Salthouse Harbour Hotel | Review

Article written by guest author Peter Brooker

I can't say we didn't enjoy our stay at The Salthouse, because that would be a fabrication. But perhaps I can give you the pros and cons, the price point I paid, and you can make up your own mind whether or not you think it's value for money.

DATE : 9th SEPT 2023

PRICE: £255 + £15 for dog.

The good news is there is free parking. After a bit of treasure hunting we found our way to the hotel arches and the concierge took our car to a private car park and we checked in.

The room was not a Penthouse suite with a view over the marina. But a contemporary room so it turns out with a view over the car park. Now in truth, I wasn't aware there would be a room that overlooked the car park and I did not specify one with a view over the Marina. This was booked through Booking(dot)Com and the hotels website.

Still for £255 a night, I'll be honest I did feel a little short-changed with the view. For the price I would have expected a fridge in the room at the very least, and a breakfast thrown in. But maybe I am a little old fashioned.

On the plus side the shower was fantastic and everything was clearly labelled; Overhead, Temperature etc. They also gifted us a new dog toy in the room along with a water bowl. The staff were very gracious and friendly, from the minimum interaction we had with them. When it came time to bring the car round this was expedient and we were on our way.

The interiors of the hotel look brand new and the colours and ornamentation very unique. The location by the harbour is truly great on a hot summers day. There are other bars and restaurants around and we decided to eat in the Waterfront Bistro. I recommend the Monkfish and the Spaghetti seafood bisque. They don't take AMEX which is insane and they don't put any ice in the wine cooler, equally sane. But the food made up for it.

For Bond fans you can walk around the harbour and check out the Spirit Yachts. They made yachts for James Bond in Venice and in No Time To Die. The 46 Spirit Yacht was on the water when we passed, sadly the warehouse is closed on weekends.

Summary

Ipswich is about a 2 hour drive from London. Expect London prices if you want to eat or stay in the harbour. The town itself has some nice market stalls on the weekend but a lot of small businesses have not made it back since the pandemic which is really sad to see. If you are venturing down for a romantic night ensure you book a Penthouse suite at the Salthouse with a view over the marina. If not the Premier Inn is just over the road. Stay somewhere cheap and have a nice meal on the harbour instead.