We ate here and I was very impressed with the food and wine. Lots of waiting staff ready to serve you, nothing is too much trouble. Beautiful venue and views. I will definitely return soon.

I urgently had to get in touch with my husband who was staying at the hotel just for one night. It was close to midnight but there was no other way to contact him. The man who answered fumbled with the handset and sounded as if he had been sleeping. I was trying to ask to be put through to the room, but the man kept barking "hello, who is it?" and "what?" into my ear as if he couldn't hear me. He finally heard me and I can't tell if he physically carried the phone to the room or was speaking into another line. He said "Mr. ... you have an OUTSIDE phone call at this hour" in an annoyed tone then slammed the phone down into my ear. Most hotels I have stayed in are capable of receiving phone calls at any hour. If you are not a hotel, then just call yourself an inn or bed/breakfast.

My hubby and I went for a short romantic break here a few days ago. The hotel is full of character, very clean and had helpful staff. The linen and towels are big and fluffy, and the toiletries are good. The room was attractive and a good size. However, our room was right at the top of the building and was very hot, probably because it is an old building. We had a window that was broken and would not close and there was a lot of noise from the road and the harbour opposite. Finally, the bed had a very soft matress which was very uncomfortable and these three things meant that we had a sleepless night. There was also a lamp that did not work. Breaktast was ok, but nothing special. Based on the fact that the room rate was £150 a night, we decided to check out after one night. The staff were apologetic and gave us a discount on the night we did stay. Harwich itself is pretty dead, but we did some good walking in the area and nearby Dovercourt beach is pretty. I guess that there is more open in the summer months.

My husband and I have just spent the night at the Pier and it was a really fantastic experience. The welcome was very warm and the staff were attentive and friendly throughout our stay, both at reception and in the restaurant. We were staying on a DBB basis and ate in the Harbourside restaurant, where the food was first class. The room was very comfortable and I had the best nights sleep I've had in a long time in the incredibly comfortable bed! Thanks to all the staff for making our stay so enjoyable and we hope to see you again very soon.