The fire was out by 07:00, but crews remained at the scene to damp down hotspots, said incident commander Nick Singleton.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to the crews who worked extremely hard to stop the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
He also thanked the Premier Inn for “providing a refuge centre”.
“A fire investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire when it is safe to do so,” he added.
The fire service added there had been no injuries. It said people who had to leave their homes were being taken care of by the district council.
People living nearby were also asked to keep windows and doors closed because of the smoke.
Crews from Clacton, Dovercourt, Manningtree, Weeley, Colchester, Tiptree and Chelmsford have been at the scene.
Essex Police were also at the scene.
