Chewton Glen

Chewton Glen Hampshire, 90 minutes’ south-west of London, is the ultimate English country house hotel surrounded by forest, in this case, The New Forest, renowned for its wild ponies and centuries of history. It was proclaimed a royal forest, indeed, by William the Conqueror and the rights of common pasture exist today, in a total 28,924-hectare area that remains a habitat for many rare animals and birds.

There’s always something new at Chewton Glen Hampshire, once again awarded ‘best English country house hotel’ by the UK’s trade publication, CATERER. I wanted to find out why it is so special, and how it continues to evolve. Early 2017, for instance, this clever luxury property opened a casual eco-friendly restaurant, The Kitchen, right by its main gate on Ringwood Road, New Milton. Passersby see it, and it looks attractive. Yes, it is a 10-minute hike along the twisting main drive up to the hotel itself, but there are electric buggies working on a shuttle basis.