Ipswich Waterfront · Hotel
A converted salt warehouse on Ipswich's marina, turned into a boutique hotel with bold interiors, harbour-view rooms and two penthouses.
Salthouse Harbour occupies a former salt warehouse on the regenerated Ipswich waterfront, looking directly across the marina. The conversion kept the industrial shell and filled it with a deliberately maximalist interior of contemporary art, heavy fabrics and mismatched furniture, which is either the main attraction or slightly too much depending on your taste. It is a long way from the beamed-inn template that dominates the rest of Suffolk.
Rooms are individually decorated and vary widely. The most desirable face the water, some with balconies, and the two penthouses at the top have floor-to-ceiling glass over the marina along with roll-top baths. Standard rooms are smaller and face inland but keep the same quality of finish. All have large flat-screen televisions and good bathroom products.
The Eaterie downstairs is a brasserie that stays open through the day, with a menu leaning on Suffolk meat and fish, and there is a well-stocked bar that draws non-residents. Afternoon tea is popular enough to book ahead at weekends. Parking is available on site, which matters in a town centre.
The appeal here is practicality combined with style. Ipswich station is a short taxi ride and puts London Liverpool Street within about an hour, so this works for anyone arriving by train. It is a reasonable base for Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Constable country and the Shotley peninsula, and it is consistently cheaper than an equivalent room on the coast. Better for couples and short breaks than for a beach holiday with children.