The New Forest is one of Britain’s most diverse national parks with enchanting woodland areas and unenclosed pastureland. With its intriguingly untouched and delicate quality, it is also one of Europe's most important nature conservations. Nature lovers will undoubtedly enjoy their stay in this southern district, with ponies, deer and badgers all making an appearance.
Often dubbed as 'a royal forest', New Forest National Park could be the royal staycation you've been looking for! Accommodation types include manor houses, sea-facing hotels, and spa resorts. In this article from Slingo’s lifestyle news, we'll list the best and most opulent resorts for your week's getaway in the New Forest - each of which is within reach when you play with Slingo!
If you’re heading to The New Forest and need more travel inspiration, take a look at our other New Forest guide - Luxury Cottages In New Forest With Hot Tubs.
1) Lime Wood Hotel
With roots dating as far back as the medieval period, the Lime Wood Hotel is great for those looking for a historic getaway. The present building was built in the Georgian era and is open today for guests looking for a royal stay in the heart of the New Forest. A short drive from Lyndhurst, the Lime Wood Hotel offers a highly personal boutique hotel experience.
Accommodation type is diverse and spread throughout the grounds. There are 16 unique rooms found in the main house, while the Couch House and Crescent boast five each. There are also forest cabins and a newly added lake cabin for you to choose from.
The Lime Wood Hotel room amenities differ, with some featuring cosy log fires and others featuring lakeside views. All offer comfy furnishings and bedding. In terms of onsite amenities, there is an indoor swimming pool and an award-winning restaurant overseen by noteworthy chefs Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder.
2) Forest Park Hotel
The Forest Park Hotel is the perfect place to base yourself if you’d like to spend a week relaxing and exploring the nearby villages. Located near Brockenhurst, you can set out on one of the nearby walking and cycling routes that take you to all the top attractions of the New Forest.
In the rooms, you'll find original tiling and grand fireplaces from the late 19th century when the Forest Park Hotel first opened. This hotel combines vintage and contemporary amenities perfectly, from plush bedding and couches to LED TVs.
Forest Park excels at onsite amenities, particularly with the splendid Acorn Room Restaurant, which serves meals with locally sourced ingredients. This dining experience is cosy in the winter but even better in the summer, with its outdoor sun terrace seating area.
Uniquely, the wild horses and ponies that roam the nearby pastures walk right up to the Forest Park Hotel, allowing you to get up close and personal with the resident wildlife!
3) Careys Manor Hotel
Another Brockenhurst gem, Careys Manor Hotel offers guests complete replenishment during their stay. Hotel guests at Brockenhurst Careys Manor Hotel can enjoy the delights of the onsite spa, which includes Zen Thai massages and a hydrotherapy pool. After receiving one of the best massages, you can then meander around the outdoor Thai Zen Garden.
One of the more luxurious hotel options in the New Forest, with 77 rooms and three individual dining experiences. You could spend your early evenings in the Thai Zen Garden, Cambium, or the French, Le Blaireau restaurant - the choice is yours! During the daytime, why not meander into Brockenhurst town centre, where you'll find art galleries and gift shops to browse.
Regarding the rooms at Careys Manor Hotel, you can choose between manor rooms, garden rooms, suites, and even a self-catering cottage! Each room is uniquely decorated with furnishings and breathtaking views of New Forest National Park scenery.
4) New Park Manor Hotel
If you're looking to fulfil your English countryside fantasies, the New Park Manor Hotel could do just that! Additionally, if you're looking for a resort in the New Forest area to take your family and four-legged friends to, this resort is a top choice, being both family and dog friendly. With plenty of surrounding nature to explore, your dog will like it here too!
The New Park Manor Hotel was originally a hunting lodge in the 17th century, making this a unique holiday experience. Both inside and throughout the surrounding grounds, you'll find plenty of period furnishings which will transport you back in time.
If you want some peace and quiet at any point, you can enjoy an outdoor hot tub, Bath House Spa, or an onsite swimming pool. For those with kids, there is a creche you can take them to if you fancy some time away for a few hours. There's also a special snug zone for kids to play games and watch films.
Choose between the Deluxe Room with its poster bed, the Deer Park Suite, with its sweeping views of the surrounding forestry, or the standard 2-bedroom suite with its period furniture.
5) The East End Arms
Situated above a traditional pub, this Lymington-located guest house offers comfortable accommodation, with beds complete with Mulberry fabrics. The rooms may be small, but they provide all that you need for a cosy stay.
Besides, a stay at the East End Arms is more about socialising. The whole unit is owned by Dire Straits bassist John Ilsley and designed to maintain the warmth of a traditional pub and inn.
On one side, you have the irresistible pub area, where you can meet the locals and sample some locally sourced beverages. On the other half, you'll find the Mark Davidson-run restaurant, serving delicious takes on traditional country foods.
In terms of what to do in Lymington, you could explore the nearby Lymington River, visit the Lymington Sea Water Baths, or get cultured at the St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery.
6) Chewton Glen Hotel
The Chewton Glen Hotel is one of our top New Forest National Park hotels thanks to its on-site spa, swimming pool, golf course, and boundless bucolic grounds, with indoor and outdoor tennis courts. Poised slightly outside the forestry, the New Forest National Park is only a 10-minute drive away, placing you amongst nature.
Alternatively, if you're looking to spend time by the beach, the coast is within easy reach, as it’s under a mile away!
The Chewton Glen Hotel also has a terrific fine dining restaurant, which is overseen by renowned chef James Martin. Next to the restaurant, you'll find a luxurious piano bar - the only one of its kind in the whole of the New Forest!
This hotel offers some of the most unique rooms in the district, namely the circular treehouses that can be found throughout the grounds. Each of these boasts a wood stove, balcony with an outdoor hot tub, and underfloor heating, making them ideal for both summer and winter! They're also pet-friendly, making them a top choice for dog walkers.
7) The Pig
You can find Pig hotels all over now, including in Bath and South Downs, but the one located in Brockenhurst is the original. This New Forest hotel was so good that the company had to expand! The hotel is the perfect place to base yourself in New Forest for getting out and exploring the countryside, with plenty of accessible hiking routes found nearby.
Like many hotels in the New Forest, the Pig is a boutique resort with only 32 rooms available. With fewer guests, you can properly enjoy the peace and tranquillity offered by this countryside manor house. Each cosy lounge features a warming open fire, perfect for warming up next to after a winter walk.
The restaurant features a greenhouse seating area where you can enjoy food made with fresh local ingredients. Each daily menu is unique and based on whatever local produce is available. The hotel also uses the fruit and veg it grows in their walled garden in their meals.
8) Crown Manor House Hotel
The Crown Manor House Hotel is located in Lyndhurst and pulls out all the stops in terms of grandeur. From the outside, this 15th-century mansion looks just as it did during the Tudorian era. But inside, you'll find it decked out with plenty of modern amenities, which puts it on par with most contemporary hotels in the area.
Rainfall showers are in each guest room, which is also lovingly decorated using metro tiles. In the onsite restaurant, you'll find modern furnishings in the big dining hall, perfect for enjoying only the most traditional, locally sourced food.
A lot of the 15th-century elegance is maintained throughout the Crown Manor House Hotel, with bedrooms boasting four-poster beds and log fires. Outside, you'll find meticulously landscaped walled gardens, ideal for finding peace in the afternoon.
9) Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa
Looking for sea-facing views for your luxury getaway in the New Forest region? Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa delivers just that and offers guests maximum luxury at this fantastic Georgian resort. Most of the 67 rooms at this resort offer harbour-facing views, best seen from the comfort of your private terrace.
Guests at this New Forest resort only have to walk 5 minutes to get to the beach, where you can sunbathe, go for a romantic stroll along the coast, or even swim - if the weather permits! If it's too cold to take a dip, why not retreat to the hotel's HarSPA? This spa comes complete with a steam room, a fully heated swimming pool, a hydrotherapy pool, and a sauna.
If you'd like to keep fit during your visit to the New Forest, other than hiking in the national park, you could spend an hour or two at the hotel's onsite fully equipped gym.
After a relaxing day on the beach, you've got two great onsite restaurants to choose from: The Upper Deck and the Jetty. The latter is a 2 AA rosette and offers spectacular views of the crashing waves.
10) Rhinefield House Hotel
The Rhinefield House Hotel boasts unbeatable gardens and grounds. The fish pond is complete with a bridge, where you can observe the koi carp that live in the water. Exploring the rest of the expansive 40 acres worth of parkland is a great way to spend an afternoon when you’re not out visiting the national park.
Thanks to its wonderful amenities, the Rhinefield House Hotel is the only resort in the New Forest to attain four red stars from AA. One of the highlights is the onsite health suite, where you can find two treatment rooms, a Technogym, a steam room, and a sauna. If you fancy taking a dip, you can use the outdoor pool.
The stunning wood-panelled restaurant is great for sharing a romantic meal, while the lounge bar is ideal for enjoying drinks in the evening. This bar features an outdoor seating area, complete with ornamental fountains.
11) The Forest Lodge Hotel
The Forest Lodge in Lyndhurst gets our vote for its very affordable and amazing onsite amenities. This hotel has to be one of the best-priced resorts within the New Forest district and features a big indoor heated pool perfect for warming up after a winter stroll through the countryside.
Guests can also experience exceptional dining experiences at the onsite 1820 Grill and Brasserie, which serves up juicy steaks. The adjacent bar area is great for enjoying some post-meal wines, spirits, beers, and ciders.
Each of the 36 rooms is decorated with contemporary furnishings, throws, and pillows which are all in line with the hotel's primary colour scheme of beige, forest brown, and green.
Despite all the countryside action the New Forest offers, this hotel is close to civilisation, with Lyndhurst town centre just minutes away. This town is considered the 'capital of the New Forest' and is bustling with activities that you won’t want to miss out on!
12) Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa
This New Forest hotel is located inside the national park, close to the banks of the River Lymington. It's ideal for those looking for an adventurous holiday but even better for those looking for a replenishing one, with one of the best onsite spas out of all the New Forest hotels.
There are a whopping six different treatment rooms, a jacuzzi, an indoor and outdoor pool, and a relaxation area. Aside from the spa, you'll find two award-winning restaurants offering menus based on locally sourced produce.
Many of the rooms are interconnected, making this a perfect spot for families, while several suites also feature a balcony. If you're travelling with your pup, this hotel also has several dog-friendly rooms available!
For more pet-friendly stays, discover our handy blog - The Best Luxury Dog-Friendly Hotels The UK Has To Offer!
Being located in Brockenhurst, the Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa puts you close to some of the town's top attractions, including the National Motor Museum. Around the hotel, you can get up close and personal with the famous New Forest ponies and horses, who are happy to stand and pose for a photo with you!
FAQs
What is there to do nearby the Forest Park Hotel in New Forest?
The Forest Park Hotel is located in Brockenhurst, which puts you close to many nearby tourist attractions, including the National Motor Museum. Other activities include hiring a bike from New Forest Cycling Tours and exploring the nearby countryside or following a hiking route, such as the Hawkhill Trail.
What are the check-in and check-out times at the Lime Wood Hotel in New Forest?
Check-in time at the Lime Wood Hotel is from 3 pm-onwards. Late check-ins are allowed. The check-out time for this New Forest hotel is 11 am.
Discover Luxury Lifestyle
If you'd like to spend a couple of days, a weekend, or an entire week in the countryside near Wiltshire, you'll find plenty of New Forest hotels that suit your needs and requirements. Whether you wish to spend time on the beach or explore the expansive New Forest National Park, you'll find accommodation that exceeds your expectations.
From the New Park Manor Hotel to the Forest Lodge Hotel, you'll find hotels with elegant rooms and delicious restaurants that offer fantastic experiences, from sauna days to afternoon tea on the grounds.
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