New Forest retreat
Experience the seasons in an idyllic treehouse escapeImportant Information: This article is for general informational purposes only. All hotels & products featured on our website are independently selected by our editors & contributors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Please refer to our full terms and conditions.
Destination: New Forest, England
Vacation: Slow living woodland escape
Seeking: Nature, great food, unique accommodation
Highlight: Seasonal atmosphere and luxurious treehouses
Luxurious treehouse accommodation, moreish comfort food, cosy bar fires and nowhere else to be. Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, a 5 star Relais & Chateaux hotel bordering the otherworldly New Forest in England, took us off grid for a few days and nestled us among the trees. When people talk about slow living this is now what we think of, and where we yearn to be.
To get to Chewton Glen we drove through the tall dense woodlands of the New Forest (it was our first visit, and wow!) complete with free roaming wild ponies. It’s ethereally beautiful with more than a hint of magic and adventure, and it was a great introduction to our holiday.
We stayed at the hotel in autumn/ fall. Pumpkins were piled up high in displays outside the entrance, and in rows underneath the large pretty windows of the main building. Seasonal flower displays (with more, but smaller and different coloured pumpkins) adorned tables inside, and we were told about the spooky Halloween trail we could explore during our stay at check-in. Celebrating the seasons is big here, and something we really appreciated.
Every element of our stay leaned heavily into nature; food, views, spa, the walks, the feel – the attention to detail, and immersion in the time of year was the biggest highlight for us and no doubt spring, summer and winter are equally immersive.
Scroll down to find out about the rooms (the treehouses are sensational), the restaurants and our stay. And for more atmospheric and enchanting UK luxury hotels you might like to read about our visit to Grantley Hall in the Yorkshire Dales, and House of Gods in Edinburgh. Plus there’s our guide to the most magical luxury countryside hotels that make you feel like you’re staying in a British novel.
Book your stay
Click on the buttons below if you’re ready to check dates, details, and pricing and book your stay at Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa on Expedia. Scroll down to find out more about this luxury resort.
- Seasonality 100%
- Slow living 100%
- Comfort food 100%
- Luxury 100%
Best food & drink
1. The Kitchen by James Martin
This was by far our favourite place to eat at Chewton Glen. Relaxed, an incredibly warm and inviting atmosphere, delicious, locally sourced, beautifully prepared dishes. Comfort food at its finest. The Buttered Chicken Curry was outstanding.
2. The Dining Room
Flavoursome dishes made with ingredients straight from the hotel’s Walled Garden, in a pretty, refined, occasion-like feel setting. A restaurant we enjoyed dressing up for.
3. Marryat Bar
We love a hotel bar and often a truly great one can make a stay. Marryat Bar is everything you’d want in a countryside hideaway, books lining shelfs, a roaring fire, an air of sophistication without any stuffiness and a glowing well-stocked bar. We loved the Cornish Harbour Lager and history-infused signature cocktails.
Stay
The rooms at Chewton Glen are gorgeous, but the treehouses are nothing short of showstopping. We stayed in the Treehouse Hideaway Suite. Perched high among the treetops the floor to ceiling windows from the large bedroom to the apartment-sized living room with its own fireplace and super comfy sofas constantly drew our gaze outside, connecting us with the spectacular surroundings.
We especially loved the long walkway with big glass windows between the two spaces which had reading chairs and a low table for slow coffees, books and just watching the falling leaves. There’s also a large deck outside complete with a hot tub. You know when you stay somewhere and you’re like, ‘I could live here’…
Explore
There are walks around the well-kept grounds, along by the river and all the way down to the sea if you fancy a stroll along the beach, but it’s the New Forest right on the doorstep of Chewton Glen that you must explore during your stay.
Getting lost among the towering redwoods and giant sequoias, and ambling underneath the oaks, yews (some more than 1,000 years old), beeches and all manner of tree species, especially as the leaves are changing colours and floating to the ground all around you is magical. Then return to the hotel for snacks, hot drinks and get ready for dinner. Heaven.
Relax
The spa at Chewton Glen is one of the best in the UK (we would say it’s the best but the spa at Estelle Manor is incredibly special too).
The 17 metre indoor swimming pool surrounded by loungers and big windows offering more ‘outdoors inside’ in keeping with everything else at Chewton Glen is eye-catching, but it’s the award-winning hydrotherapy pool with a variety of jets and heated beds that makes this spa stand out. We recommend devoting a good chunk of time to doing absolutely nothing in here until the hustle and stress of whatever you normally do has all but melted away.
Be inspired
Browse all the amazing places to stay recently added to the Wild Bay Collection and find your dream vacation, and if you’ve stayed somewhere unforgettable that you think we should showcase contact us with your recommendation.
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Skylark Treehouse, Hesleyside Huts, UK
From its iconic fairytale turret to its tail-like elevated walkway leading to the welcoming deck with pretty flower planters, rocking chairs and a large gleaming copper bath, every detail of this magical treehouse borders on fantasy. There aren’t many places that can inspire such dramatic wonder on arrival, and throughout a stay – Hesleyside Huts is most definitely one of them.
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Set against the serene beauty of the Lake District, Gilpin Hotel offers a rare combination of refinement, warmth and switch-off and enjoy the moment quiet luxury. Exquisite dining, ultra luxurious rooms or suites and 5 star spa facilities ensure that you are fully immersed for the ultimate spa getaway in some of the UK’s finest countryside.
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