Travelling towards the coast, perhaps with an extended weekend in mind, desk cleared, no appointments, the only cloud on your horizon may just be that you forgot to reserve any accommodation. From the time you left the M25 this has been a growing nag, particularly as the lady on your left, curled up and contented, is blissfully unaware of your oversight.

What to do? Just when a full and frank confession seems to be the only route left, you enter East Colne, pass the church on your left and find yourself in the High Street. There, on the right hand side stands Drapers Hotel and Brasserie - your salvation, you hope, gleaming in the sunlight of a bright East Anglian day. "Just going to check", you announce, and off inside to find they had a cancellation only that morning. Ten minutes later as you breathe a silent prayer of thanks she purrs into your ear, "this is just beautiful, you clever man", and the rest is well - history?

The majority of people do not have to resort quite so much to lady luck. With nine completely different rooms you can choose your mood, be it Lap of Luxury or Beach Side, whatever. From a large sumptuous bed, with deep filled duvet and pillows, through to an umbrella for use in unpredictable English weather, they think of everything that will help make your stay memorable for all the right reasons.

Show me two people on an away weekend who have little regard for the skills of the chef and I'll show you two deeply troubled people who are missing one of the best bits of the whole experience. Drapers Brasserie sees to it by means of a brasserie and restaurant menus the choice is wide and it's yours.

Scottish smoked salmon served with capers, red onion and rocket leaves, and classic Caesar salad with chicken mingles well as also a starter of coarse chicken liver paté served with Melba toast and grape chutney. Beer battered haddock is served with hand cut chips and mushy peas, or traditional sausage and mash with onion gravy offer an unusual combination of flavours. Since it is unlikely that most of the menu ingredients will not have travelled too many miles or hours, and brought locally, prime steer angus fillet served with hand cut chips, field mushrooms and grilled tomato could be another highlight.

Forget not, as the Diddy Man would say, forget not the humble but very tasty indeed red onion tart with deep fried goat's cheese, rocket and citrus balsamic. But if it's informality you're after head for Threadneedles Bar and Bistro where a wide ranging and extensive menu offers plenty of old favourites and not a few new ones. Their aim is to serve freshly prepared, delicious cuisine with excellent service and only the churlish would cast any doubts on that.

For the benefit of our under-organised friend in the introduction and others like him, you can book in advance by phone, email or on-line.

Their Website is well worth visiting as a prelude to the real thing.