Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa

Chewton Glen Review | Hotels Above Par

"So full of fairytale, storybook charm that it makes me feel like a kid again, this 18th‑century New Forest manor house wraps you in cosy, cosseting comfort from the moment you arrive, with croquet lawns, tennis courts and a pool creating a country‑club fantasy. The exceptionally high staff‑to‑guest ratio (two‑to‑one) means everyone seems intent on making your stay perfect, which explains the lobby’s constant hum of returning guests welcomed like old friends. While people rave about the row of luxe treehouses that opened in 2012, my favorite spots are the spacious master suites within the hotel itself, especially the Jacob Faithful suite, whose muted tones, decked terrace overlooking manicured grounds, and huge marbled bathroom deliver a soothing Edwardian elegance; complimentary in‑room snacks and drinks and a charmingly retro DVD delivery service via the in‑room iPad only deepen the sense of indulgent relaxation. Food and drink are a major highlight: the five‑room Dining Room restaurant feels perfectly pitched in the evenings under chef Luke Matthews, with seafood as spectacular as you’d hope this close to the sea—particularly a fragrant lobster curry not to be missed—while the meat dishes are just as strong, and for more informal meals there’s the open‑plan Kitchen turning out wood‑fired pizzas made before your eyes; breakfasts in the Dining Room are long, languid affairs with a generous buffet, DIY Bloody Mary station, à la carte options and newspapers to leaf through. Some elements of the spa need work: the sauna and steam facilities in the changing rooms are top‑notch and the light‑flooded main pool impresses, but the hydrotherapy pool and outdoor Jacuzzi are lukewarm and visibly worn, an easy fix in my view even if most spa‑goers seem unbothered, while the facial and massage treatments at least smell divine and the spa shop is stocked with chic products. The handsomely stocked hotel gift shop even tempted me into buying a Jellycat cuddly toy, and if you can tear yourself away from the grounds, the property sits near the market town of New Milton on the coast between Bournemouth and Southampton, a pleasant 15‑minute walk from Highcliffe Beach for swimming and seaside fun, with the hotel able to arrange sailing trips from Lymington as well as clay‑pigeon shooting, archery, mountain bike loans, nine holes of golf, tennis and croquet for outdoors‑inclined guests." - Jessica Burrell