It’s a good December. A month of festivals, Christmas parties, presents, too many mince pies and maximum indulgence. It sounds exciting, but I’m sure most people would agree. It can all be a bit overwhelming. What better way to escape the hustle and bustle of the festival than a night out on the town?
And that’s exactly what we did. Chewton Glen in the New Forest tops my list, having stayed in one of the treehouses during a press trip early last year. There are a variety of treehouses available, including a Studio Suite that sleeps 2, a Loft Suite that sleeps 4, the Hideaway Suite, perfect for a romantic couple’s stay, and The Yews, our most secluded property that sleeps up to 12 people. (House parties anyone?) We took the Loft Suite, which had a front area, kitchen, private balcony, hot tub, private bathroom with shower and tub, and an upstairs area with an additional bedroom.
Our ambitious plans to get a massage and use the spa upon arrival (which seemed crazy, by the way) were quickly dashed when we entered the treehouse and realized we didn’t actually want to leave. Instead, we spent the afternoon listening to music through our Bose speakers with the balcony door wide open, sipping champagne and sweet treats, muffins and cakes upon arrival, and sitting in the hot tub, admiring the surroundings and watching the sunset… And yes… .We were very lucky with the weather!
We made dinner reservations that evening at The Dining Room, the hotel’s award-winning main restaurant, and were not at all surprised. The food was really delicious. The menu, run by executive chefs James Martin and Jean Christophe-Novelli, is a mix of modern, international options and a variety of fresh seasonal ingredients sourced from the hotel’s Kitchen Garden. Tip – Try the lobster Thai curry. It’s really delicious and the wasabai mash is really good too! If you know me, you know that I have a huge love affair with sweets. But we were so tired that when we got back we decided to go back to the tree house where we arrived and order a series of desserts… Deliveroo anyone? Tip – The chocolate fondant and apple tart are must-try dishes.
In retrospect, staying only one night doesn’t leave too much time to engage in some of the many activities available at Chewton Glen. In addition to lounging around the treehouse like we did, walking in the new forest, playing golf, tennis, archery, mountain biking or simply relaxing and pampering yourself at the spa are all on offer.
The next morning, we had the choice of having breakfast at the main hotel or a leisurely meal in the treehouse. We obviously chose the treehouse and afterwards a breakfast basket filled with fresh pastries, baguettes, milk, cereal and yoghurt was delivered to our door. Since we are absolute garnets, you name it, we also ordered a bunch of hot food. Eggs, avocado, mushrooms and salmon on toast. Breakfast goals? okay! It was an absolute feast to say the least.
After a late check-out, we took the train back to London. You can travel from New Milton to London Waterloo in a very quick 1 hour 50 minutes. simple. I honestly returned to London feeling much more relaxed and refreshed, but definitely ready to tackle the massive amount of Christmas shopping I had accumulated. A must-have for a weekend or a few days of luxurious winter vacation. Thank you so much Chewton Glenn!
