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The Mistley Thorn is one of the major attractions at the heart of Mistley on the Stour Estuary, that has seen an 18th Century salt-water spa, works by Robert Adam, and a Swan Basin right opposite the hotel. A minute's walk from the rail station with direct services to Colchester, Harwich and London Liverpool Street, The Mistley Thorn started life as a coaching inn around 1723.

By contrast it is now a pleasantly tranquil but lively haven that was given a completely new lease of life in 2004 under the energetic leadership of American-born executive chef Sherri Singleton, quickly earning a sound reputation for good food at moderate prices and more recently comfortable accommodation, both underlined by the award of the Michelin Guide's much coveted Bib Gourmand, and Editor's Choice in The Good Hotel Guide 2007.

The addition of five large and well appointed rooms with de luxe en suite facilities, some with panoramic views down the Stour Estuary, marks a major step forward. Large double-ended baths with powerful showers, King and Super-king beds with orthopaedic sprung mattresses and luxury cotton bedding set high standards. Toileteries are from L'Occiatane, each room has coffee/tea-making facilities with Clipper organic products and homemade cookies. Free wi-fi is available throughout the building.

The menu celebrates with fervour the excellent local ingredients, following the seasons and the catches, with particular emphasis on seafood. Not unnaturally oysters are much in evidence, with Mersea oysters year-round and Colchester natives in season, whole cracked Norfolk crabs, Harwich lobster, the most fabulous smoked haddock chowder, and house cured organic salmon and smoked fish platter.

Much is to be expected of a sister restaurant to the famed Mistley Thorn, one of the few Bib Gourmand restaurants in Essex. Probably the biggest difference is the cuisine, modern British with a touch of Californian at Mistley, totally committed Italian at Lucca.

Housed in a Grade II building, Lucca is off to a good start, and there is comfortable seating for up to 100 indoors, with an additional 40 in the vine-covered courtyard garden where a wood-fired oven is also located for private parties.

What then of the menu? It would be easy to say that all the well tried Italian favourites are there, which they are. But that would be to ignore the efforts that are made to go the extra culinary mile to produce dishes with just that subtle hint of difference that sorts out the pizzas from the pastas.