The Ship at Dunwich blends modern comfort with rustic charm. Enjoy authentic British dishes at the restaurant, drinks at the bar, or peaceful garden walks. Free WiFi keeps you connected in your room, and convenient parking ensures stress-free arrivals.
Located in Saxmundham, The Ship at Dunwich is on the beach. Dunwich Museum and Halesworth Airfield Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include RSPB Minsmere and Leiston Leisure Centre. The Cut Arts Centre and Henstead Exotic Gardens are also worth visiting. Visit our Saxmundham travel guide
St James Street Dunwich, Saxmundham, England, IP17 3DT
What's nearby
Suffolk Coast and Heaths
1 min walk - 0.0 km
Dunwich Heath and Beach
1 min walk - 0.0 km
Southwold Beach
10 min drive - 11.4 km
Norfolk Broads
24 min drive - 25.7 km
Dunwich Museum
1 min walk - 0.0 km
Getting around
Brampton Station
14 min drive
Restaurants
The Fox Inn
7 min drive
Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store
13 min drive
The Lord Nelson
13 min drive
Two Magpies Bakery
7 min drive
Sole Bay Fish Company
17 min drive
About this property
The Ship at Dunwich
Upscale inn
You can look forward to a terrace, a garden, and a bar at The Ship at Dunwich. The on-site British cuisine restaurant, The Ship, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks like:
Free self parking
Full breakfast (surcharge)
Guest reviews speak highly of the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms are individually furnished, and feature comforts such as free WiFi and room service.
More amenities include:
Bathrooms with tubs or showers and free toiletries
Daily full breakfast available 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM for a fee: GBP 18.50 for adults and GBP 10 for children
A bar/lounge
A restaurant
Restaurants on site
The Ship
Family friendly
Separate bedroom
Guest services
Housekeeping (daily)
Outdoors
Garden
On the beach
Terrace
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Bathroom emergency pull cord
Grab bar near toilet
Upper floors accessible by stairs only
More
At least 10% of profits reinvested in community and sustainability
At least 80% lighting from LEDs
At least 80% of food locally-sourced
Local culture and ecosystem education
Vegan dining options
Vegetarian dining options
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Bathroom
Bathtub or shower
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Towels provided
Entertainment
Flat-screen TV
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Electric kettle
Room service
More
Desk
Heating
Individual decor
Individual furnishings
Water-efficient toilets
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
There is no front desk at this property
The host will greet guests on arrival
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Host will greet you
Pets
Pets allowed for an extra charge of GBP 25 per pet, per night
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
2 total pets
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Food and water bowls are available
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for GBP 15.00 per stay
Cribs (infant beds) are available for GBP 15.00 per stay
Property payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Fee for full breakfast: approximately GBP 18.50 for adults and GBP 10 for children
Pet fee: GBP 25 per pet, per night
Service animals are exempt from fees
Crib (infant bed) fee: GBP 15.00 per stay
Rollaway bed fee: GBP 15.00 per stay
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Property is also known as
Ship Dunwich Hotel Saxmundham
Ship Dunwich Hotel
Ship Dunwich Saxmundham
Ship Dunwich Inn Saxmundham
Ship Dunwich Inn
Ship Dunwich Inn Saxmundham
Ship Dunwich Saxmundham
Inn The Ship at Dunwich Saxmundham
Saxmundham The Ship at Dunwich Inn
The Ship at Dunwich Saxmundham
Ship Dunwich Inn
Ship Dunwich
Inn The Ship at Dunwich
The Ship at Dunwich Inn
The Ship at Dunwich Saxmundham
The Ship at Dunwich Inn Saxmundham
Frequently asked questions
Is The Ship at Dunwich pet-friendly?
Yes, The Ship at Dunwich allows dogs (limit 2 total). There's a fee of GBP 25 per pet, per night. Service animals are exempt from fees. Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much does it cost to stay at The Ship at Dunwich?
As of 6 March 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Ship at Dunwich on 12 March 2026 start from AED 450, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
Self parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at The Ship at Dunwich?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.
What time is check-out at The Ship at Dunwich?
Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Where is The Ship at Dunwich located?
Nestled on the beach, this Saxmundham inn is within 1 mi (2 km) of Dunwich Museum and Dunwich Heath and Beach. RSPB Minsmere is 2.8 mi (4.5 km) away.
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Reviews
The Ship at Dunwich Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
9.0
Cleanliness
9.8
Location
9.0
Staff & service
8.4
Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 74 out of 144 reviews
10 - Excellent
74
Rating 8 - Good. 46 out of 144 reviews
8 - Good
46
Rating 6 - Okay. 17 out of 144 reviews
6 - Okay
17
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 144 reviews
4 - Poor
7
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 144 reviews
2 - Terrible
0
Reviews
8/10 Good
Christopher
25 January 2026
Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Fantastic. Staff were friendly and helpful, food was excellent.
This is an old building very well looked after, clean throughout, excellent menu, staff works hard and are accommodating, we will be coming back, thank you
We had the most lovely weekend away and loved everything about the hotel. The staff, service, food and room were all exceptional. We can’t wait to return again in the summer.
Fern
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
8/10 Good
susan
13 April 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
shower was a bit low.Difficult to find plugs for recharging phone
Staff were great nd helpful
The Ship is in a quiet country lane 2 minutes from a fabulous beach. The staff are friendly and helpful, the room was really lovely, the bed so comfortable and ours had a beautiful view across the fields. We had dinner which was delicious too. A really peaceful place to stay.
Great hotel, pleasant staff in a wonderful location. Unfortunately there was a problem with the gas when we stayed so there was no hot water and the food choice was limited. On checkout the hotel generously discounted the bill.
Very good and friendly staff throughout our stay. A special thank you to Brenda for her dedication. If this is the standard of all the Chestnut Inns then we shall seek them out for our leisure breaks in East Anglia
Lovely hotel, facilities in room were quite basic. But it was clan and comfortable
Elizabeth
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
6/10 Okay
Paul
11 October 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Staff were very co-operative finding an alternative room to the one originally allocated to us as the room was not suitable for my wife as she is disabled. Meant having a smaller room but it was ok for our one night stay. Food was very good.
Paul
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
6/10 Okay
Fiona
16 October 2023
Disliked: Cleanliness
Hi hotel is in a lovely location however the hotel itself needs some tlc. The main bar area had huge cobwebs and our en-suite had a terrible smell. The staff were all really pleasant and our dinner and breakfast were good but I felt considering the cost per night it wasn’t to the standard we were expecting.
Lovely rambling country pub with modern rooms. The staff were very friendly and helpful, we really felt welcome. Inside and outside dining with courtyard area and beer garden. I liked the slightly quirky building with several small dining rooms. Food was good and typical pub prices. The location is very quiet and nearby houses are hidden away. It’s only about 3 minutes walk to a fantastic beach, 5 minutes to the parish church and under 8 minutes to a monastery ruin. There is even a local museum a few houses up from the pub. It was a perfect way to spend a beautiful summers evening. We enjoyed our visit and would consider staying there again.
Eamonn
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
6/10 Okay
stephen
2 July 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
We have stayed at this property many times and have always enjoyed it for its position. Slightly disappointed this time as I paid for a superior room and I am not sure that is what we had. It was ok but not as nice as the other rooms we have had before. The service in the bar area was also very slow as it was not permanently managed.
We stayed for one night and the room and bathroom was very clean and all members of the staff were both very helpful and polite. Did not get 5 stars due to the smell we found in the bathroom. When the shower door was opened there was a bad drain smell that made it difficult to have a shower. It was mentioned on our departure and was noted but nothing came our way .
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
8/10 Good
Anna
22 September 2024
A nice stay but a few things could’ve been improved. Food was lovely and staff were friendly. However they just don’t have enough staff so the service was really slow. The room wasn’t great for the money we paid either. It was overlooked a bit and next to the kitchen so outside was a bit scruffy. The toilet was broken too and my husband had to fix it. Parking was a bit of an issue too. When we arrived we couldn’t even get a space on the same road. Lovely location though as walkable to beach.
Anna
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024
8/10 Good
Rebecca
18 September 2023
Liked: Staff & service
Overall very nice. Bedroom very small but better furniture placement could help with that. Room felt a bit dungeon like with the high windows. Bath tub needed re-grouting and a non-slip bath mat should be made available. Cobwebs on front door weren’t too welcoming. Just a little shabby overall. Location wonderful. Relaxing and peaceful. And the fish and chips were just not good :-(
Rebecca
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
6/10 Okay
Jennifer
5 August 2024
Staff are wonderful. More thought needs to be put into how guests can store their belongings as space is so limited. Huge bedside lamps aren’t great when you have a book, reading glasses, phone and water by the bed - equally having a extra large kettle, tray, tea and coffee tins and jars taking up the whole surface of the desk is not useful. The same applies to the bathroom - at the very least provide a toothbrush holder and a shelf to store bathroom bits and pieces, we had to place our washing bags on the floor. More hanging hooks are also needed -
Jennifer
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
6/10 Okay
Simon
28 October 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
We stayed as part of our honeymoon and I had requested a bottle of prosecco in the room prior to arrival (for £30) which did not happen. The room was ok (off the carpark) and food was good but the service from staff although friendly was very slow. The bar often didn't have anyone behind it (out the back in the kitchen) and once we'd finished our mains the plates were not collected and we gave up on trying to order a desert and then waited at the bar to settle our bill. Also, we waited to check out as there was nobody at the desk. It was a real shame as this hotel and restaurant has everything as it is in a perfect location with great walks and that's why we chose it for part of our honeymoon. Service and little details make a big difference and this hotel could easily move from being average to fantastic with a few minor tweaks and attention to detail !
My partner and I recently enjoyed a delightful 2-night stay at The Ship Inn, and it exceeded all expectations. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by warm and welcoming staff who made us feel right at home.
The accommodation was not only spotlessly clean but also charmingly quirky, adding a unique touch to our stay. Despite being mid-week, the pub buzzed with activity, filled with friendly locals that added to the cozy atmosphere.
We made an advance dinner reservation at the dining area and were impressed by the menu selection and the quality of the food. Both the restaurant and pub staff were incredibly attentive and professional throughout our meal, ensuring a memorable experience.
Breakfast was a treat with a nice selection of options available, all served to our table by cheerful staff, which was a lovely touch compared to self-serve setups.
The location of The Ship Inn, just a stone's throw from the beach, was an added bonus, allowing us to enjoy leisurely strolls by the seaside.
Overall, we felt incredibly well looked after during our stay and cannot wait to return. The Ship Inn truly offers a perfect blend of comfort, hospitality and charm, making it an ideal choice for a relaxing getaway. Highly recommended!