Jamie Ndah heads away from the bright lights of London to explore Suffolk from his temporary base at the chic Penta hotel

I was looking forward to my staycation adventure to Suffolk to learn, discover and explore further all about this beautiful part of the world and it didn’t let me down. With its sprawling hills, eclectic mix of gorgeous scenery, unspoilt coastline and picturesque quaint villages, it really did take my breath away.

At present, staycations have never been so topical and have been steadily gaining in popularity. A record-breaking 7.3 million people have taken a holiday in England during the first quarter of 2016, up by 10% compared to the same period in 2015, according to Visit England.

My relatively short journey by train from London Liverpool Street station direct to Ipswich Central station took just over an hour which was pleasant and relaxing. For my Suffolk staycation I was staying at the very stylish and contemporary boutique Penta Hotel situated in Ipswich and is a 5-minute walk from Ipswich Central train station. The hotel is also well placed for explorers like myself to venture off to visit serene nearby towns and villages such as Bildeston, Lavenham and the imperial Bury St Edmunds, to name but a few. Ipswich town centre and the award-winning Water Front Marina with its bustling bars and restaurants are equally close by too.

I was greeted by Georgiana at reception with a warm smile and my check-in was seamless. The staff all wear cool Diesel branded outfits and mellow relaxed music is the background soundtrack that greets guests on arrival.

Penta Hotel Ipswich staff have a very easy-going, informal, yet professional manner when addressing guests and this instantly made me feel relaxed and at home.

This dynamic and sophisticated outpost boasts 126 bedrooms and the interior design of the hotel and its spaces has a unique urban chic look and feel that could easily resemble a very swanky Manhattan apartment in New York. What’s more, I found navigating myself around the hotel very easily and everything I needed was close to hand and of top quality too.

I loved the open planned appeal at Penta Hotel Ipswich which promotes guests to interact with one another over a drink at its glitzy bar area. The Penta lounge is also a winner in my eyes, thanks to its delightful sofas, a world-class pool table, and large digital flat-screen TVs strategically placed around the lounge area and a PlayStation 4 for all those gaming enthusiasts too.

My bedroom was generous in size, bright, airy and welcoming with an ultra-modern comfy kingsize bed, first class bedding and designer furniture pieces bringing the room to life. Other amenities within the room consisted of a nice shower area, air-conditioning, a large LG digital flat-screen TV, and complimentary Pay-TV with a superb selection of latest film releases to watch from the comfort of your own room. Other key components such as a good number of ports for mobile devices, free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee making facilities finished off the room nicely.

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