The Unexpected Southend

“Down by the sea…wouldn’t it be lovely…down by the sea.” Kept running that song through my head as I walked by the seashore. A weekend stay at The Roslin Beach Hotel opened me up to the wonders of Essex’s Southend-on-Sea, less than an hour outside of London. Once thought of as a day trip for Londoners and a bedroom community where commuters could get more home value for their pound, things are being rethought.

While the inverse has been true for as far back as one can remember, guests are finding themselves drawn to the seashore and day tripping into London for all that both cities have to offer. With fresh seafood, right outside its doors, the Roslin has plenty to offer on the gastronomic front. The owner also owns a farm not too far inland and employs the farm-to-table concept as much as he can. He’s a well-traveled businessman and as he gets on with the business at hand the world over, we are fortunate enough that he brings home the best of where he’s stayed and treats his guests to those amenities and design features.