Chewton Glen – Hampshire

The Hotel and Spa, New Milton, Hampshire, England, BH25 6QS
+44 (0) 1425 275341
www.chewtonglen.com
Review by Jane O’Connor 

With a list of awards and accolades as long as your arm - including AA 5 Red Star Rating and AA ‘Inspectors’ Choice Hotel – if you need time out to recharge your batteries, it doesn’t get much better than Chewton Glen Country House Hotel & Spa in Hampshire.

With the sea 10 minutes walk away and on the southern edge of the wonderful New Forest (created by William the Conqueror in 1079) the location is perfect. It’s hard to believe that all of this is only two hours from London, so entirely removed is it from any city stresses. As I drove through the impressive 130 acres of carefully designed lawns and woodland on a cold and sunny weekend in January it really did feel like a special place to be.

The majestic Georgian house is affiliated to Relaix & Chateaux and dates back to 1857, but the building on the present site probably dates back as far as 1732. The building boasts a rich history. Captain Frederick Marryat stayed there around the 1840s then went on to write the famous novel ‘The Children of the New Forest’. A delightful literary connection that sees many of the hotel rooms named after the Captain’s novels and the characters in them.

We stayed in the sumptuous Marryat Suite which is at the top end of the price bracket. Every room was spacious from the marble topped bathroom to the magnificent lounge with its fireplace and large private terrace.

The 58 bedrooms and suites of varying size are individually designed and decorated in a style that cleverly combines modern and antique furnishings and the result is luxurious modern country living. Amenities include air-conditioning, satellite TV, DVD, CD players, IPOD, mini bar, hairdryers, slippers, bathrobes. Every little detail is thought through and beautifully presented.

Children will be enticed by the new tree house in the hotel’s woodland and there are numerous activities to keep the little ones occupied. With a par three golf course, dedicated tennis centre, croquet, and horse riding by arrangement there is also plenty for the adults to do should the pampering and relaxation prove too much. Our particular goal was to do as little as possible and be utterly spoilt; we weren’t disappointed. 
 
The award-winning Spa – recently voted the UK’s favourite Spa Retreat – offers exclusive therapies by Linda Meredith and boasts an incredible selection of treatments and pamper packages. I was given a foot scrub using Himalayan salts that were, I was reliably informed, several hundred million years old. The Ananda Facial that followed was exhilarating and left my face feeling radiant and as soft as butter.  

For dinner we were shown into the Marryat dining room with its soft white billowy design. There is an emphasis on seasonal and local produce and each dish we ordered was delightful. We began and ended our evening by sinking into the leather seats in the oak-panelled bar with a refreshing gin & bitter lemon. Along with the three interconnecting lounges the hotel offers a variety of tranquil areas to let go the cares of the day.   

‘Hotelier of the Year 2010’ Andrew Bembridge’s team were on hand to make our experience as memorable as possible. As you would expect from such an establishment the staff we came into contact with were extremely well-informed and highly accessible without being intrusive.

Parts of the hotel are currently under construction - the dining room is being extended in time for early Spring of 2011 - but this had only a marginal impact on our overall enjoyment. We left feeling refreshed and revitalised; the style and serenity of Chewton Glen is likely to stay in our memory for some time to come.