A rural hotel near Colchester with free parking, free Wi-Fi and breakfast includedThe Holiday Inn Express® Colchester hotel is just off the A12, six miles from the town centre and 15 minutes' drive from Colchester station. Direct trains to London Liverpool Street take an hour. Stansted Airport (STN) is a 45-minute drive away. You can drive to the seaside villages of Clacton-on-Sea and Frinton-on-Sea in half an hour. Take the family to spot giraffes and elephants at Colchester Zoo, 15 minutes' drive from the hotel, or to admire the Roman ruins in Colchester town centre, six miles away. If retail therapy is more your style, you can browse the high-street stores at the town's outdoor Culver Square shopping centre. You can hold a meeting or an event for up to 38 guests in the hotel's three naturally lit meeting rooms. Wi-Fi is free, and you can take care of copying and printing in the business centre. If you're set for a long day, a working lunch can be provided to help you stay productive. To start the day, tuck into the inclusive Express Start Breakfast buffet, featuring bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages, baked beans and pastries. If you're feeling peckish, you can settle into the cosy leather chairs in the stylish Great Room lounge for a light meal. The bar is open until 1am, and you can enjoy a drink on the patio in good weather.