The Colchester Zoo offers an award winning experience with over 270 species over 60 acres of beautiful parklands and lakes, and is constantly developing. Come for an action packed visit into the magnificent world of these animals, see white rhinos, maybe even feed the elephants and giraffes, there's ostrich and kudu a roaming at Kingdom of the wild, and even an underwater walk at the tunnel of the Playa Patagonia sealion pool, as well as Komodo Dragons and many daily displays, and the road train, the Lost Madagascar Express will take you on a magical ride. The Colchester Zoo has a Butterfly Glade with free flying butterflies, a state of the art enclosure housing two beautiful sun bears, a tropical walkthrough with lorikeets, plus the sensation station where you can handle some scaly species and furry friends. The Colchester Zoo offers an excellent visitor experience, and they have delicious food outlets, two souvenir gift shops with unique products and so much more, come for a memorable day out.READ MORE

Dedham Vale Vineyard in Colchester, Essex produces six styles of award winning wines set in 40 acres of rolling English countryside, they also have a proprietary cider and signature fruit liqueurs. There's an on-line shop if you can't visit personally, and during wet walnut season, the Wet Walnut & Vineyard Shop, Trail and Tasting Barn are open seven days a week. The Dedham Vale Vineyard Trail welcomes you on a self conducted tour, to see how the grapes become wine in a bottle, with wine tasting and the Grand Tour and Tasting welcomes you on a full English wine experience with guided tour and tasting from their expert winemakers followed by afternoon tea or lunch in the Tasting Barn, plus there are group tours available in this idyllic setting with catering as required.READ MORE

Compuccino Internet Cafe in Colchester, Essex is open 7 days a week serving a range of teas, coffees and soft drinks with a fresh food including sandwiches, toasties and jacket potatoes. This true internet cafe offers internet access with fourteen internet access terminals available as well as access points for laptops in a spaciously laid out setting, plus a scanner is available and black and white printing. Compuccino Internet Cafe has comfortable seating for up to 70 people, and their daily specials include shepherds pie, meat and potato pie or steak and kidney pie, all served with vegetables or chips, and they have milkshakes in a variety of flavours as well as lattes, mochas and cappuccinos. They cater to children's parties on request as well as family groups. READ MORE

The Holistic Retreat in Assington between Colchester and Sudbury, Essex is a beauty centre on a beautiful farm offering holistic and beauty therapies to create a balance between the mind, body and spirit. Come to the relaxing tranquil surrounds, and surrender yourself to a spa like experience with a range of massage therapies, beauty therapies and pamper packages. Holistic therapies at the Holistic Retreat include reflexology, Reiki healing, crystal healing, nutritional therapy, baby massages and meditation classes and beauty treatments include a wide range of facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures, spray tanning, make up and eyebrow and eyelash treatments. Friendly therapists await you and ensure a blissful sense of relaxation and healing.READ MORE

Bistro and Bar Below in Colchester, Essex is a restaurant and wine bar offering an excellent venue to dine on sumptuous home made meals and put a British twist on bistro food for the ultimate indulgence in relaxing surrounds. The basement bar is fully air conditioned and offers tasty and traditional favourites in one of the finest Grade II listed buildings in Colchester. The Function room is part of the restaurant but can be booked as a separate corporate venue and they can supply everything you need for your business meeting. Bistro and Bar Below also boasts the Salon Privee for romantic private dining and can seat 4-6 patrons. Come for an unsurpassed dining and drinking experience in stunning surrounds.READ MORE

The Britannia Gurkha Restaurant and Bar in Colchester, Essex offers freshly prepared Gurkha curry in the restaurant including choices of Fish, lamb, vegetable and dal, steamed rice, Gurkha Roti and tomato chutney, and starters include papadoms, tamarind chutney, aloodum, egg Pakora and mint chutney. There's a set menu which changes daily and they regularly host events with live entertainment once a month. The Bar area at the Britannia Gurkha Restaurant and Bar is friendly and traditional boasting a large seating area and pool table, dart boards, game machines and a juke box, plus there's a beer garden at the back and covered smoking area. They offer an excellent venue and welcome families and the bar is fully stocked with spirits and bottles and a full wine list, come enjoy.READ MORE

Cants Of Colchester brings you the oldest recorded rose growers in the United Kingdom in the oldest recorded town, and having been established in 1765, they bring over 245 years experience. They offer expert advice and knowledge on how to plan your rose garden or simply select the correct rose, plus guidance on preparation and after care, so come visit their rose field according to season, or buy direct from their office or mail order. Cants Of Colchester collections include the Cants Classic Collection, the Floribunda Collection, the Fragrant Hybrid Tea Collection, and the Fragrant Floribunda Collection, and they have a gift scheme with greeting cards and gift tokens, plus offer occasion suggestions. They also stock a good selection of sundries which are related to the planting and aftercare of roses.READ MORE

Greyfriars Colchester offers luxurious rooms and suites to the discerning in a beautiful building dating all the way back to the 18th Century, and once a grand private family house, after extensive refurbishment, it is today the perfect venue for dining, socialising and celebrating. Accommodation options include superbly appointed rooms and suites including Grand Luxe Signature suites, deluxe suites and junior suites with 5-star standards. They offer dining at the Cloisters, the Rose Room or the Salon with excellent menus and a wide range of options from Breakfast through lunch, afternoon tea and dinner and a superb Sunday lunch. The Baroque Bar, Venetian LOunge and Library lounge are all in the original old quarters of Greyfriars offering an incredible atmosphere of old world charm with solid woods and leather, and there's a large terrace perfect for good weather days. Greyfriars Colchester is a luxurious and elegant venue for special occasions from large to small with high standards of service and exquisite cuisine, and they cater to corporate events and meetings.READ MORE

Bombay Palace in the town centre of Colchester, Essex offers an exquisite dining experience transporting you to the Middle East with a lavish menu of mouthwatering dishes and all the traditional delights and hospitality that goes with your fabulous journey. Adventure begins with the stylish bar serving an extensive selection of cocktails, wines and premium spirits, continue your eastern inspired experience in the shisha lounge with international flavours and mixes, it's all here. Using specialist ingredients from rare spices the menu combines earthy traditional Indian flavours with cutting edge style as they say and the menu offers sublime choices of Tandoor specialties, Balti dishes, Biryani dishes, chefs specialties, old time favourites and so much more, and there's a buffet. Come for your dining pleasure, they Bombay Palace are honoured to serve you their rich and exotic heritage of Indian culinary culture.READ MORE

The Beth Chatto Gardens in Colchester, Essex is an informal garden harmonising with the surrounding countryside and was transformed from an overgrown wasteland. Come view the art of planting at its best, and they began all the way back in 1960, you can even shop at the on-line nursery and enjoy plants from them in your own garden, they have over 2000 plants of good quality that they send out year round. The Beth Chatto Gardens offers excellent events and courses, and the gardens and nursery cover roughly 7 acres, plus they are open year round, and they welcome coaches and groups. Come view the world famous Gravel Garden, the Water Gardens, the pind and Scree Gardens, small raised beds and Woodland as well as reservoir Garden, it's all here. The tearoom offers a selection of breakfasts and light lunches with hot daily specials, homemade cakes, freshly ground coffee and specialty teas, and is the venue for workshops and events throughout the year.READ MORE