Review of Chewton Glen Hotel

Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa is located on the southern edge of the historic New Forest National Park and just a short 10-minute walk to the gloriously named Chewton Bunny Beach – that overlooks the English Channel.

Set in a 130-acre estate in Hampshire, a two-hour drive away from London via the M3 motorway and a similar journey time by rail to New Milton Railway Station, the hotel is only 30 minutes from both Southampton and Bournemouth airports, both of which have regular flights within the UK and the rest of Europe.

There are numerous attractions and day trip suggestions from Chewton Glen including spending the day exploring the New Forest, crossing the Solent to the Isle of Wight, visiting the excellent Beaulieu Motor Museum, Hurst Castle or Exbury Gardens or, particularly for small children, a trip to Paultons Park, the UK’s number one family theme park with over 70 rides and attractions including Peppa Pig World.

There are five categories of guest rooms at Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa and indeed five categories of suites. The rooms feature views of parkland or the gardens, feature comfortable king size beds, a seating area with chairs and Bluetooth audio systems. All are decorated with either a country house look or a more dramatic contemporary style. Some feature hot tubs on a private terrace or balconies, others have flat screen televisions in every room – sitting room, bedroom and bathroom. The higher up the category of course, the more spacious the accommodation with dressing rooms, storage areas and walk-in showers.

The most distinctive accommodation starts with the Master Suites of which there are three: the Masterman Ready Suite, the Poacher Suite and the Jacob Faithful Suite. The five-star amenities of designer sound systems, docking stations, Nespresso machines and luxury toiletries are a given.

The Masterman Ready Suite has its own sun deck with panoramic views over the entire hotel estate with a contemporary-styled sitting room, luxurious bedroom and indulgent bathroom complete with plasma television and a Sonos audio system. The Poacher Suite has an intimate feel with a large bedroom, a private study and a separate sitting room. The Jacob Faithful Suite meanwhile has its own spacious private balcony offering views over the hotel’s lawns.

If you are travelling with a family, the duplex Coach House Suites might be perfect with Howard style armchairs and sofa beds to comfortably accommodate up to six people with a semi-private courtyard garden and seating area.

The premier accommodation in the Main House is the Marryat Suite which is the largest at Chewton Glen and incorporates both the bedroom and lounge of the original manor house. From the large private terrace, perfect for cocktail receptions or private dinners, there are sweeping views over the lawns and parklands beyond. There is also a large sitting room and guest cloakroom as well as a generously proportioned master bedroom.

The most recent guest accommodation additions are the Treehouse Suites, allowing guests to sleep with their heads literally in the clouds, in the trees’ canopies – a first for any luxury UK hotel. Built in a sustainable manner and just a minute’s walk from the main hotel, each Treehouse comes with its own terrace and hot tub and is suspended 35 feet above the ground. The entry-level Treehouse has a mini kitchenette, a wood burner and log storage, under-floor heating, a marble bathroom with a free-standing bath with forest views, mood lighting and an entertainment system. A breakfast hamper is delivered daily.

The next category up, the Treehouse Hideaway Suite offers a more spacious alternative to the Studio Suites and is accessed via a covered walkway but the largest and more private is The Yews, sleeping up to four adults and eight children comfortably. The Yews is completely secluded and offers the services of a private chef with a serviced kitchen if preferred or for the ultimate in solitude, a Treehouse Hamper can be delivered seamlessly via a simple hatch. With the feel of a private apartment designed to allow the outdoors in with an encircling large terrace, The Yews offers just about every luxurious indulgence to make a stay here unique in the UK.

Well behaved dogs are welcome in the treehouse suites.

The Chewton Glen Spa offers a range of beauty treatments and massages along with bespoke spa days, perfect for a little me-time or perhaps make that us-time in one of the couple’s suites.  It has a marine, coastal theme with the hotel being so close to the ocean and facilities include a stunning turquoise-hued, 17-metre indoor swimming pool, a large hydrotherapy spa pool with a variety of jets, aromatherapy saunas and crystal steam rooms. Adjacent to the pool is The Pool Bar serving healthy snacks and beverages and Sun Terrace, perfect for re-hydrating and relaxing after a swim.

There is also a fully air-conditioned gym with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment with personal trainers on demand and an outdoor pool and whirlpool looking out over the hotel’s grounds.

The Kitchen Cookery School is located in a purpose-built facility just steps from the main hotel building. Under the overall eagle eye of television chef James Martin, Culinary Tutor Steve Bulmer can teach up to a dozen guests in a rolling roster of classes and demonstrations designed to inspire, inform, educate and provide an engaging culinary experience.

Outdoor activities include both indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a driving range and a nine-hole, par-3 golf course. Tennis coaching and golf lessons are available on demand. For the serious golfer, there are a number of excellent golf courses within easy reach of the hotel. For the strategically minded child and adult, croquet mallets and balls are kept in the main foyer for use on the croquet lawn.

Junior VIPs are very welcome at Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa. The Beehive Children’s Club for children aged five and above is a fantasy-like den sitting in the grounds of the hotel, fully equipped and designed to create everlasting memories. From a comfy reading nook to bi-fold doors out onto a 360-degree balcony, the team at Chewton Glen will arrange all kinds of activities to keep kids amused including games, artistic pursuits and treks out into the grounds.

Chewton Glen also features a calendar of exclusive events on site throughout the summer and at the time of writing, future acts included Olly Murs and Michael Bublé.

Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa has the feel of a comfortable classic country house from the 1930s where guests can drive down for the weekend to enjoy a cossetted stay. From a charming, ivy-clad exterior with its formal lawns and croquet lawn, to a comfortable interior decorated in a true English country house style, there are activities galore to enjoy from learning to cook, to enjoying a massage, to playing at Robin Hood with archery, to walking down to the sea’s shore for a bracing walk. The possibilities are endless for there is more to this traditional hotel than first meets the eye. 

The innovative Treehouses have upped the game for Chewton Glen, adding both to its bed inventory and to its continuing illustrious reputation as one of the best country estates in England.

The spacious and airy Dining Room is at the very heart of the hotel, stretching across five rooms and offering sophisticated, unfussy British and cosmopolitan fare with flair and imagination under Executive Head Chef Luke Matthews and Head Chef Simon Addison. Many of the ingredients for the menu have not travelled far but have been picked that day from the hotel’s kitchen garden. 

With a wide terrace for al fresco dining on warm days, and a selection of rooms perfect for private dining, this is also the place to come to enjoy the Marryat Afternoon Tea, with some elements brought in from local Hampshire suppliers.

The Kitchen Garden is a key component in The Dining Room’s offerings. Executive Head Chef Luke Matthews consults regularly with Estate Manager Darren Venables to advise on what kind of produce he would like to serve in the restaurant. The garden also acts as a supplier to a local company, Naked James, who make chutneys, jellies and jams which are served in the hotel and sold in the boutique. At the back of the estate, there are a number of beehives producing both honey for the hotel and pollinating the wildflowers that surround the house.

The Kitchen which offers a more relaxed eatery under the watchful eye of celebrity chef James Martin and has an open plan layout offering the chance to watch the chefs at work. The à la carte menu features tapas style grazing dishes, wood-fired pizzas, gourmet burgers, superfood salads and puddings recommended by James Martin. This purpose-built facility is surrounded by raised beds and a greenhouse where herbs and vegetables are grown year around for the restaurant. The estate created a heritage orchard too to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chewton Glen which also bears fruit for the hotel’s restaurants.

Since the property opened, every owner has been keen to tread lightly as regards to the impact on the environment, committing to the sensitive stewardship of the hotel and estate, actively supporting the local environment and economy where possible.

Their policy of environmental awareness continues to be focused on reducing energy consumption and wastage, the control of waste products and the sensitive usage of water supplies. They are implementing the recommendations of the Carbon Trust Survey of the hotel and are accredited under the Green Tourism Business Scheme, working with the environmental agencies to monitor the flora and fauna on the estate. They work with like-minded businesses who actively encourage good environmental practice where possible and continue to source local produce to augment that grown in the kitchen garden.