Name: Channels Hotel
Address: Belsteads Farm Lane, Little Waltham, Chelmsford Garden, Chelmsford, England, United Kingdom, Chelmsford, Essex, GB
Price range: $125–$207 per night
Rating: 9.53

What guests think

Most reviews of Channels Hotel highlight spacious, well-appointed rooms with luxurious bathrooms, comfortable beds, and a scenic, tranquil setting, creating a relaxing stay that feels thoughtfully designed and good value for both leisure breaks and business trips.

Staff are widely described as friendly, attentive and efficient, with smooth check in and proactive help when issues arise. Food is often praised at breakfast and in the brasserie or café, but several reviews mention limited opening hours on some days and occasional breakfast missteps. Cleanliness is generally high, though a few guests reported cobwebs, bathroom cleaning misses, mould, or dirty floors, plus isolated niggles like warm rooms, awkward AC flow, weak Wi‑Fi, steep stairs, or no luggage assistance. Expect stylish comfort in peaceful grounds, with the best experience if you plan dining around on-site opening times.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Accommodation sits within attractive grounds across a farmhouse and lodges, with an on-site brasserie/café and bar noted positively. Several reviews report limited opening hours or no evening service on some days.

Related guest reviews

10

Boyd

Sep 8, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Superb hotel tucked away from the main roads in a lovely location. Pub/reataurant is excellent with wide choice of meals catering for all requirements. Lovely rooms in old farmhouse (beautifully restored) or new build timber-clad courtyard.

10

Alexander

Mar 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Fantastic place to stay. The accommodation is made up of serval buildings each divided into separate accommodation areas. The bedroom was large and extremely well appointed. The bathroom was huge and offered a double stone bath and a massive walk-in shower. Everything has been thought out to the finest detail. Where this hotel may not suit everyone is that it doesn't have a formal restaurant. However the cafe/coffee shop offers very nice home cooked food from breakfast, lunch and dinner and has extremely friendly and attentive staff. I liked this hotel. It has character and offers something totally different to the usual accommodation box on offer.

10

Dawn

Jan 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Booked on a recommendation from a local venue and it didn’t disappoint all rooms are in lodges with a cafe/bistro on site. We had breakfast and dinner which were both freshly cooked and excellent.

4

Chris

Sep 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We've stayed at this hotel before, however this time there was no food available, food service stopped at 4-5pm. Also bar closed at 8PM we arrived at 7:30. The hotel is not near any other restaurant or pub so it was another drive after our 6hour journey to get to the hotel to find something to eat. If we had know this we would not have booked this hotel.

10

Kerry

Aug 24, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Gorgeous! Clean and comfortable room, excellent food at the pub. Check in was super smooth: very well organised. Loved the affordable mini-bar. The bath was divine. Would absolutely recommend.

10

Kelly

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely place that I didn't know existed. Very welcoming staff, large comfortable room and well appointed bathroom, The adjacent cafe was great and the staff lovely. Didn't eat at the restaurant but did host a meeting with clients. Really smart place and will definitely stay for food on my next visit

6

Andrew

Jan 14, 2023

·

Stayed 19,366 nights

Nice rustic location and rooms recently refurbished. Wifi poor, in room electric ventilation faulty, floors dirty, no easy dining option.

10

Barry

Nov 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely staff, wonderful setting, a great Brasserie and high quality room (sycamore).

10

Gary

Jun 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

A great setting with lovely grounds. Would definitely stay again.

8

Paul

Apr 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Have not stayed here for a few years, not a lot has changed, stilll amazing room, with walk in shower and huge, comfortable bed. Plus some nice extra touches in the room with upmarket décor and mini fridge The brasserie is not open Mon/Tues but the café offers evening meals that were fabulous. Delicious, fresh and a great selection. The staff were amazing as well, great service, friendly and superbly attentive. Will be looking to stay here again

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Cleanliness

Rooms are frequently described as spotless and well maintained. A few guests noted lapses such as cobwebs, unclean baths or mould, and dirty floors.

Related guest reviews

10

Christopher

Sep 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are to a high standard and very clean, they are also equipped with a mini bar and contents (extra charge). Staff are very polite, friendly, helpful and attentive. The food in the Bistro is very good with ample choice, the breakfast choice is good and the food amazing.

10

Amanda

May 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great property Lovely clean rooms

8

Matthew

Feb 6, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Property looked amazing until taking a closer look especially the bathroom, the bath had not been cleaned properly and had hairs in it and there was mould on the ceiling. Could do with a heated mirror or better extraction as the mirror took ages to clear after showering. The staff at the cafe were all helpful and the food was excellent.

8

Stuart gene

Sep 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We only stayed here for one Night while in the area, lovely gardens,rooms are very nicely decorated with a modern bathroom, we had a few cobwebs but generally very clean, breakfast included which was very nice and enough for me if you are the sort of person that likes a huge full English you may be disappointed 1 sausage and 2 bacon but it was enough for us, Beds very comfortable had a lovely nights sleep.

10

Andrew

Sep 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean room and friendly helpful staff

10

Jamie

Oct 31, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Love this place and its the only place i stay when im travelling now. Always 5 star service and rooms are immaculate as well as comfortable. Need to find out where the hand cream is from as well keep meaning to ask! Keep meaning to use the restaurant so next time ill book.

10

Jane

May 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful hotel. The room smelt amazing and was lovely and clean and comfortable. Excellent Air Con and faciilities. The waterfall shower was incredible. Highly recommend!

6

Andrew

Jan 14, 2023

·

Stayed 19,366 nights

Nice rustic location and rooms recently refurbished. Wifi poor, in room electric ventilation faulty, floors dirty, no easy dining option.

10

amanda

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was spotless. Separate bath and walk in shower..Central location to get

10

simon

Jul 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great find - spotless comfortable room . Lovely English breakfast.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Guests consistently praise spacious, comfortable rooms with modern décor, air conditioning, minibars, and luxurious bathrooms featuring walk‑in or waterfall showers and large baths. Minor drawbacks include warm rooms or AC placement, occasional weak Wi‑Fi, steep stair access, or awkward layouts in some units.

Related guest reviews

10

Christopher

Sep 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are to a high standard and very clean, they are also equipped with a mini bar and contents (extra charge). Staff are very polite, friendly, helpful and attentive. The food in the Bistro is very good with ample choice, the breakfast choice is good and the food amazing.

10

Alexander

Mar 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Fantastic place to stay. The accommodation is made up of serval buildings each divided into separate accommodation areas. The bedroom was large and extremely well appointed. The bathroom was huge and offered a double stone bath and a massive walk-in shower. Everything has been thought out to the finest detail. Where this hotel may not suit everyone is that it doesn't have a formal restaurant. However the cafe/coffee shop offers very nice home cooked food from breakfast, lunch and dinner and has extremely friendly and attentive staff. I liked this hotel. It has character and offers something totally different to the usual accommodation box on offer.

10

Andrew

Apr 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Really nice well equipped bedroom, and excellent value for money

10

douglas

May 18, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was very large As was the bathroom with rain shower Bed was very comfortable

10

Kerry

Aug 24, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Gorgeous! Clean and comfortable room, excellent food at the pub. Check in was super smooth: very well organised. Loved the affordable mini-bar. The bath was divine. Would absolutely recommend.

10

Jane

May 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful hotel. The room smelt amazing and was lovely and clean and comfortable. Excellent Air Con and faciilities. The waterfall shower was incredible. Highly recommend!

6

Andrew

Jan 14, 2023

·

Stayed 19,366 nights

Nice rustic location and rooms recently refurbished. Wifi poor, in room electric ventilation faulty, floors dirty, no easy dining option.

6

Barry

Apr 20, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The rooms was lovely but just too warm for comfort. The aircon was handy but blew directly onto the bed so it was impossible to find the right balance

6

Elizabeth

Jun 19, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely setting beautiful gardens. interesting rooms. Room access by stairs -very steep-. we are all over 70 but very active but an offer of help with luggage would have been appreciated. Room facilities good but access to bed on one side difficult due to sloping ceiling, One small shelf in bathroom inadequate for overnight toiletries for one person let alone for a couple. Only one bath towel provided had to ask for another. Light switch for bathroom hard to locate at night. Menu in restaurant a bit disappointing. Irritating that a dog outside yelped a lot. Breakfast menu OK but porridge lacked inspiration but staff good. We have spent all our working lives travelling and try to offer fsir comments and constructive criticism

10

Michael

Oct 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A beautifully appointed room and setting. spacious and luxurious bathroom. All in excellent condition in a charming setting. Would recommend to friends and family.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Service

Staff are frequently described as friendly, attentive and efficient, with smooth check‑ins and proactive help when issues arise. A few noted lapses such as a forgotten breakfast item or no offer of help with luggage.

Related guest reviews

10

Christopher

Sep 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are to a high standard and very clean, they are also equipped with a mini bar and contents (extra charge). Staff are very polite, friendly, helpful and attentive. The food in the Bistro is very good with ample choice, the breakfast choice is good and the food amazing.

10

Sandra

Jan 13, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely place to stay if you are visiting Chelmsford. Staff really friendly and helpful and quick and efficient check-in.

10

Elle J

Dec 9, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

I had a minor issue during my stay and it was resolved to the highest degree and standard, the customer service was exceptional. The hotel is beautiful, I felt rested and really relaxed. The decor is stunning, bathrooms luxurious, breakfast was delicious. I would happily stay again, and hope to in the near future.

10

nigel

Jun 20, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

What an amazing place. Everything was perfect, the young man who checked me in, the room, the breakfast was fantastic. Well done team

10

Sarah

Sep 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice stay staff could not be more helpful and pleasant. Room was very big with extras that made the stay even better. Bath robes, magazines and umbrella these extra made it feel like a personal touch, the coffee and tea making facilities in the room very good. Herbal tea bags would have been nice but that’s just a personal preference. We will definitely be booking to stay again.

10

Aaron

Feb 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great room, service and lovely breakfast, with good friendly staff

6

Elizabeth

Jun 19, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely setting beautiful gardens. interesting rooms. Room access by stairs -very steep-. we are all over 70 but very active but an offer of help with luggage would have been appreciated. Room facilities good but access to bed on one side difficult due to sloping ceiling, One small shelf in bathroom inadequate for overnight toiletries for one person let alone for a couple. Only one bath towel provided had to ask for another. Light switch for bathroom hard to locate at night. Menu in restaurant a bit disappointing. Irritating that a dog outside yelped a lot. Breakfast menu OK but porridge lacked inspiration but staff good. We have spent all our working lives travelling and try to offer fsir comments and constructive criticism

10

John

Sep 14, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely location, Nice breakfast and helpful staff.

8

Paul

Apr 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Have not stayed here for a few years, not a lot has changed, stilll amazing room, with walk in shower and huge, comfortable bed. Plus some nice extra touches in the room with upmarket décor and mini fridge The brasserie is not open Mon/Tues but the café offers evening meals that were fabulous. Delicious, fresh and a great selection. The staff were amazing as well, great service, friendly and superbly attentive. Will be looking to stay here again

10

Alex

Oct 3, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

My fiancé and I had a wonderful stay at Channels. The staff were wonderfully helpful, especially Tom and James on reception, in that there was no problem arriving early, as they took care of our luggage and we parked one of our cars there, whilst we went into Chelmsford. The room was lovely, such a comfy bed, the bathroom was large compared to most hitel bathrooms, super clean and had a lovely big bath and shower. Sunday morning breakfast was a buffet and the cooked food amazing. All the staff were really polite and helpful. The garden areas are pretty and the whole place has an aura of calm and tranquility. We had a fabulous time, have already made another booking and would thoroughly recommend Channels Lodge.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Set in scenic, tranquil grounds near Chelmsford and tucked away from main roads. Some guests found few nearby dining options, so transport or planning can be useful.

Related guest reviews

10

Boyd

Sep 8, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Superb hotel tucked away from the main roads in a lovely location. Pub/reataurant is excellent with wide choice of meals catering for all requirements. Lovely rooms in old farmhouse (beautifully restored) or new build timber-clad courtyard.

10

Colin

Aug 17, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Absolutely beautiful hotel and grounds. Room was perfect and great to see a real mini bar !! Air conditioning was also welcome, free WiFi and large bathroom and comfortable bed. Good choice if coffee too! What more do you need..

4

Chris

Sep 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We've stayed at this hotel before, however this time there was no food available, food service stopped at 4-5pm. Also bar closed at 8PM we arrived at 7:30. The hotel is not near any other restaurant or pub so it was another drive after our 6hour journey to get to the hotel to find something to eat. If we had know this we would not have booked this hotel.

10

Kelly

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely place that I didn't know existed. Very welcoming staff, large comfortable room and well appointed bathroom, The adjacent cafe was great and the staff lovely. Didn't eat at the restaurant but did host a meeting with clients. Really smart place and will definitely stay for food on my next visit

10

Nicola

Apr 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Stunning hotel and location. I hope to return soon

10

Gavin

May 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely stay here for a local wedding.

10

Angad

Dec 31, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great hotel, in a picturesque location. Clean and the amenities were pretty good.

10

Gordon

Apr 27, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

This hotel is a hidden gem, not a hotel as such - main house converted into rooms and chalets around the ground as accommodation no corridors no annoying guest above you - Having stayed a few times I have found that all the rooms are very modern clean and fresh with great pillows and beds assuring a perfect sleep. Defo my go to place when working around Chelmsford.

10

John

Sep 14, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely location, Nice breakfast and helpful staff.

10

Gary

Jun 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

A great setting with lovely grounds. Would definitely stay again.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Breakfast and on‑site dining are often praised for freshness and taste in the brasserie/café or pub. However, multiple reviews mention limited opening hours and occasional breakfast issues, leading to inconsistent experiences.

Related guest reviews

10

Simon

Jul 19, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful room, very clean and well laid out. Fantastic bathroom, large walk in shower and separate bath. Very luxurious. Food was very fresh and tasty at both evening meal and breakfast. Very well priced for such high quantity. I will be back if I'm in the area again.

10

Christopher

Sep 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are to a high standard and very clean, they are also equipped with a mini bar and contents (extra charge). Staff are very polite, friendly, helpful and attentive. The food in the Bistro is very good with ample choice, the breakfast choice is good and the food amazing.

10

Boyd

Sep 8, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Superb hotel tucked away from the main roads in a lovely location. Pub/reataurant is excellent with wide choice of meals catering for all requirements. Lovely rooms in old farmhouse (beautifully restored) or new build timber-clad courtyard.

6

Jo

Sep 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The breakfast was awful. We had to book time slot. However when we arrived the eggs weren’t ready. I informed them in advance I was vegetarian when arrived for breakfast they asked if I anted vegetarian sausage. I waited 15 minutes and hen I asked if it was ready waitress said she forgot to order it. Coffee was horrible although they had a coffee machine they just had jug of coffee on side. Hotel room was 5* however breakfast was 1*. Really disappointing

10

Kelly

Dec 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Second visit and just as good. Room was even better,. Got to eat in the restaurant and the food was spot on. Highly recommended and great pricing midweek

4

Chris

Sep 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We've stayed at this hotel before, however this time there was no food available, food service stopped at 4-5pm. Also bar closed at 8PM we arrived at 7:30. The hotel is not near any other restaurant or pub so it was another drive after our 6hour journey to get to the hotel to find something to eat. If we had know this we would not have booked this hotel.

8

Robert

Jul 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice room and facilities. Breakfasts were a bit iffy.

10

Ben

Jul 29, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very nice and spacious suite. Great food in brassiere

10

simon

Jul 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great find - spotless comfortable room . Lovely English breakfast.

8

Paul

Apr 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Have not stayed here for a few years, not a lot has changed, stilll amazing room, with walk in shower and huge, comfortable bed. Plus some nice extra touches in the room with upmarket décor and mini fridge The brasserie is not open Mon/Tues but the café offers evening meals that were fabulous. Delicious, fresh and a great selection. The staff were amazing as well, great service, friendly and superbly attentive. Will be looking to stay here again

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$143
February	$161
March	$150
April	$157
May	$159
June	$159
July	$161
August	$165
September	$159
October	$153
November	$146
December	$151

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6 $125	7 $147	8	9 $145	10 $146	11 $162	12 $207
13 $166	14	15 $134	16 $200	17	18	19 $164
20	21 $152	22 $157	23 $144	24 $169	25 $169	26 $171
27 $170	28 $151	29 $160	30 $148

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $170	2 $167	3
4 $162	5 $141	6 $154	7 $141	8 $150	9 $158	10 $163
11 $148	12 $153	13 $155	14	15 $149	16 $173	17 $160
18 $143	19 $146	20 $152	21 $152	22	23 $165	24
25 $140	26 $141	27 $147	28 $146	29 $160	30	31 $165

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

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Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

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