The Ship Hotel, Norfolk

Overview

A seaside treasure and thriving dining destination on Norfolk's glorious North coast, The Ship Hotel is a classic country inn with a twist. Its interior is bedecked with all manner of curiosities, whether that's sackcloth blinds in the bar or map-of-the-world wallpaper in the bedrooms.

Evocative photographs of Norfolk seaside life adorn the walls, firelight crackles in the stained-glass windows and a pile of board games teeters in the corner. There's a gravelled beer garden with parasols for sunny days and a menu prizing fresh, tasty and generously portioned food, from fat steak sandwiches to large seafood platters.

Rooms from

Doubles: £110

Good to know

All major credit cards accepted taken
Disabled access
Parking available
Alfresco and private dining

Water and waves
Situated on the coastal path, The Ship Inn is a ten minute stroll from the fabulous Brancaster beach.

Family favourite
With a great kid's menu, plenty of colouring-in and wordsearch books and family-friendly rooms, this inn makes for a perfect family getaway.

Dog-friendly
Dogs are welcome in the main bar or garden, with their own bed, towels and bedside snacks available in six of the rooms.

Rooms

The Ship offers nine 'cabins' in all, five classic, four deluxe, the latter with king size beds or super kings, roll-top baths and separate showers. Just like downstairs, the bedrooms demonstrate a real talent for filling antique spaces with modern design. Bold furnishings of warm greens and hot pinks combine with cosy tartan and fur fabrics, and carved headboards, driftwood lamps and porthole mirrors give each room a boutique feel.

You'll find White Company toiletries in the bathrooms, newspapers to order as well as fresh coffee and irresistible fruit flapjacks. Wake up to a hearty full English breakfast, or order smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, smoked local kippers, or home-made porridge

Restaurant & bar

Seafood is a local staple in these parts, so expect a menu brimming with shell-on prawns, crayfish, mackerel pate, cockles and smoked salmon. For meat lovers, there's Norfolk pork belly from Tim Allen's paddock reared pigs at nearby South Creake, served with truffled mash. Sunday's mean delectable roasts such as topside of beef or loin of pork with all the trimmings.

Behind the bar, you'll find Adnams Ghost Ship, Dry Hopper lager on tap and Aspall's Harry Sparrow cider. There's a dense blackboard of spirits, liqueurs and cocktails, including Adnams Suffolk gins and more than half a dozen single malts.

Things to do

Soak up coastal life and head out for a seal trip, with plenty of local proprietors offering local excursions. Watching seals at home in their natural environment on Blakeney Point is a popular day out in these parts, with boats leave from Morston Quay. Trips last an hour, but if weather conditions are favourable, boats will land on Blakeney Point for an additional 30-60 minutes.

This magnificent grand Palladian mansion of Houghton Hall is well worth a visit, lying in picturesque parkland near King's Lynn. It's the home of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister, and has imposing state rooms, an impressive collection of model soldiers and a restored walled garden.

For those needing a floral fix, Heacham, near Hunstanton, is the home of Norfolk Lavender, where you can see the world-famous lavender gardens, the lavender oil distillery and the national lavender collection and herb garden. The gift shop has a wide range of Norfolk Lavender products and plants.

Getting here

Directions

Nearest train station: King's Lynn
Taxi from station: 40min
Drive: 26min from Fakenham, 1 hr 7min from Norwich

Address

Main Road, Brancaster, Norfolk PE31 8AP

Gallery

Enquire to book

To make a booking, please use the form below or you can call our reservations team on 020 8161 0100. Our phone lines are open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5.30pm.

The Ship Hotel

From £110 per night