Entire home

Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available.

Photo gallery for Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available.

A brick house with a white door and window, a dining table with chairs, and a garden with flowers.
A kitchen with a window, a vase with flowers, and a faucet.
A living room with a sofa, a television, a small table, and a wall-mounted cabinet.
A staircase with wooden steps and a white door. There is a table with a checkered tablecloth and a vase with flowers.
A kitchen with a window, a sink, a kettle, a vase with flowers, a clock, and a chair outside.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • The great outdoors

    Guests love the outdoor space here.

  • Centrally-located

    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 4

Popular amenities

  • Patio
  • Refrigerator
  • Onsite parking available
  • Internet
  • Washing machine
  • Bathtub

Explore the area

View in a map
West Mersea, Essex, England
  • Place, beach near Fishing lake
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Mersea Island Museum
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Place, University of Essex
    ‪30 min drive‬
  • Airport, London (SEN-Southend)
    ‪92 min drive‬

Where you'll sleep

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available.

A top location - with the beach and waterside just across from the cottage, and views towards the waterside from both bedrooms. Lovely local food shops and excellent seafood restaurants like The Company Shed just a short stroll along the waterfront. Parking at the property and wifi is free.

There are two bedrooms a good size double bedroom and a twin with two beds (2'6" wide single beds suitable for children and most adults ). The family bathroom is downstairs with a fully equipped kitchen and dining room area. The sitting room includes a TV with Netflix and BBC iPlayer. As this is an old, original cottage built in 1750 the stairs are a little steep and can be difficult for those with mobility issues.

Two super sitting out areas - the back terrace with dining table and chairs, off the kitchen, gets sun from morning and the front garden gets the sun from mid morning until sunset. Also a good size garden delightful for relaxing all day.

The kitchen includes a washing machine, cooker with hob, fridge with small freezer and microwave plus all utensils for cooking and eating out on the terrace or indoors.

The island will keep you entertained with superb fish restaurants like The Company Shed, The Dukes (outside only) and Seafood at Dawn; beaches; lots of walks on West Mersea and East Mersea (sometimes a ferry taking you to Brightlingsea); boat trips and watersports (paddleboarding/kayaks etc). Mersea watersports can rent to you paddleboards, kayaks etc. If you want to go further in a car, day trips to Colchester, Maldon, Wivenhoe, Rowhedge and Constable Country are super.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 18

Check out before 10:00 AM

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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

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Events

No events allowed

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Pets

No pets allowed

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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property # 11047840
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Colchester

Located in Colchester, this cottage is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Headgate Theatre and Hollytrees Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include Roman Circus House and Jumbo Water Tower. Colchester Arts Centre and Xtreme Gaming are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing, kayaking and waterskiing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling.
View more Cottages in ColchesterOpens in a new window
Map
West Mersea, Essex, England

What's nearby

  • beach near Fishing lake - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Mersea Island Museum - 7 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Colchester Castle Park - 29 min drive - 18.2 km
  • University of Essex - 30 min drive - 21.9 km
  • Ipswich Waterfront - 59 min drive - 63.9 km

Getting around

  • Colchester Town Station - 25 min drive
  • London (SEN-Southend) - 84 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Donkey & Buskins - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Kings Head - ‬46 min drive
  • ‪The Layer Fox - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Mersea Island Fish Bar - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Fox & Hounds - ‬44 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available.?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Mersea Island Cottage by the beach and waterside. Xmas available. located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is 0.4 mi (0.6 km) from Mersea Island Museum and 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from Mersea Island Vineyard. Cudmore Grove Country Park and Gosfield Lake Golf Club are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 7 out of 10 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 10 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 10 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 10 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 10 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely quirky place to stay

Nice place, great location
Stayed 29 nights in Feb 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful place

Fantastic base to explore a beautiful part of the country. The host was very helpful in providing information of things to do in the area and lovely places to eat.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Sept, 2023
So pleased your and your family of 4 had a lovely first visit to my cottage and Mersea Island.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely cottage and location.

The cottage was in a great location, with views to the boats and estuary from the bedroom windows. Very cosy and warm, with a lovely coastal vibe. Would definitely stay again.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very good location for being near water and also shops etc.Good communication from host.Cute little property.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice little seaside cottage!

We enjoyed our stay in the seaside town of West Mersea. It has everything you need for a comfortable stay. Walks to the beach were very nice even in November. The cottage was nicely accommodated for a lovely stay!
Stayed 14 nights in Nov 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Nov, 2024
So pleased you had a lovely stay on my traditional Mersea Island cottage. Must have been very different to your home in UTAH, USA!
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mersea stay

Cute cottage that grew on us - lovely gardens for sitting out in, front & back. Quiet, lovely location, close to beach & town.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous stay

A fabulous property, cleaned to a wonderful standard, with everything you would need in the kitchen and holiday home provided. Absolutely loved Mersea, super friendly locals and local restaurants served delicious meals. Even the weather was perfect.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Sept, 2023
Thank you Jan for your lovely review. I hope we see you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location lovely cottage

Good space in which to explore the area. We found the cottage clean and tidy and because of good information from the host everything worked well. I even enjoyed the stairs lol at 6ft and clumsy it added to the charm. This cottage is everything most people could need close to shops, beach and oysters. Recommended to anyone unless you have mobility issues as stairs are steep. We loved it here
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Jul, 2024
Thank you for your kind review. So lovely to welcome guests like you.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great holiday cottage

My best friend and I stayed 10 days at this beautiful cottage. Apart from the narrow stairs leading up to the bedrooms, the cottage was absolutely gorgeous and quaint. The garden was well kept, and beautiful too. It was very quiet and relaxing, just what we needed. And the people on the island were so friendly. DEFINITELY worth staying at, AND it's worth 5 stars. Thanx again to Diane 😊💖
Stayed 10 nights in May 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 14 May, 2024
Glad you had a lovely holiday. So nice to have such pleasant guests. I look forward to seeing you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Delightful small cottage close to sea

We had a lovely couple of days after Christmas visiting family and friends and the cottage on Mersea was a great base for us. Kitchen has everything you need and although it’s quite small, it’s cosy. The bathroom is downstairs and ( as the owner points out) the stairs are steep and not for anyone with mobility issues but bedrooms are very comfortable. Lovely views and very peaceful. We had a great stay. Thanks.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

About the host

Hosted by 8

Host profile image

Island Cottage was the first property I bought many years ago. I fell in love with what is an original, period cottage and was built in the early 1800s. Looking out from the bedroom windows over the waterside was my dream come true. This cosy cottage is old and real so don't be surprised by old style low doors/windows and a staircase with a few fairly steep steps that is in keeping with the original fishermans cottage features.

Why they chose this property

This is an original period cottage with super views of the West Mersea waterside from the two bedrooms and short stroll to beach, shops and seafood restaurants. Sleeps 4 in a double and small twin (2'6" beds) upstairs and a bathroom with bath, shower and toilet downstairs. Kitchen includes an oven with hob, microwave, washing machine, fridge and the utensils needed for cooking and eating. A large patio and garden is off the kitchen and parking for one car. Also a second sitting out area is at the front of the cottage.

What makes this property unique

Waterside views from the bedrooms as shown in the photographs best before high summer when leaves are out.
Lovely garden and terraces for sitting out both back and front with views of the waterside as you walk around .

Languages:

English

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