AD | Visiting Chewton Glen with Expedia
This stay was part of a paid partnership with Expedia UK.
Last weekend, Oliver and I headed west to Dorset, to spend a night at the fabulous five-star Chewton Glen, one of Britain’s most iconic hotels, situated right on the edge of the New Forest. Our stay was booked through Expedia, as their handy loyalty scheme Expedia Rewards allows you to earn points from any bookings (anyone can sign up for free!), and put those towards future stays. All members of the scheme also receive 10% off select hotels upon joining, and there are different perks, depending on whether you’re a Blue, Silver, or Gold member, like possibly getting free upgrades whenever you book a special VIP Access hotel. As someone who books hotel trips ALL the time, it’s super incentivising and rewarding to be able to earn points on Expedia, and spend those on future stays.
First impressions:
The property is a two and a half hour train ride from London, and is accessible via a variety of different routes; we hopped onto a direct train from Waterloo, and arrived at New Milton, which is an easy, ten-minute ride from the hotel.
Upon arrival on the estate, you’ll be greeted with a scenic drive through rolling woodland (it is on the edge of the New Forest after all!), and an impressive nine-hole golf course. The house was built in the eighteenth-century and is unlike any other country house property I’ve stayed at before, featuring a red brick exterior and mint green shutters. The interior design here is undoubtedly old-school, and clearly appeals to the clientele here: most of the other guests were of an older demographic, other than families with young children. The main house has several lounges to relax and drink coffee in, featuring plush furnishings, and floral schemes: the hotel bar has a similarly dark colour scheme, with tartan fabrics and rich red textures. Meanwhile, the main Dining Room is a light-filled space with large windows overlooking the lawns.
Bedrooms in the main house range in price, and start with Garden Rooms, going up to spacious suites that overlook the croquet lawn. We stayed in one of the Estate Rooms, which was a mid-tier room with a classic design, and light green colour scheme: despite not being classified as a suite, we still had a sofa/coffee table area in the spacious bedroom, a king-sized bed, and bathroom with a deep bathtub.
However, the most luxurious rooms in the hotel are the famous Treehouse Suites, which Chewton is famous for. These pods are situated in a separate area of the hotel grounds, and are each perched 30 feet from the forest floor, quite literally nestled amongst the trees. One of the hotel butlers was kind enough to give us a tour of the largest of the Treehouse Suites (the Yew Suite), which can sleep up to 10 people, and features deep freestanding bathtubs, king size beds, and a kitchen and dining room area (where you can summon a private chef from the hotel to cook for you!). With balconies that look onto the New Forest, you’re guaranteed utter privacy here, and the best chance of spotting wildlife in the morning whilst soaking in your outdoor hot tub. Breakfast gets delivered in a hamper to you every morning, so there’s no need to venture into the main house if you’d rather remain secluded. I can see how an experience staying in one of these would be totally different to staying in the main house, which only gives me even more reason to book another stay, and start saving those Expedia points towards my return visit!
To do:
We only had 24 hours to explore Chewton, and unfortunately the weather wasn’t the best during our stay, but for those staying longer, there’s a wealth of activities to do. Besides exploring the grounds, and the aforementioned golf course, the hotel also boasts indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and a croquet lawn. The hotel can also arrange a variety of outdoor activities for you to take part in, including mountain biking, archery, and falconry. Situated on the edge of the New Forest, it would be silly not to venture on an exploration of the national park; Chewton can arrange private tours of the forest, including horse riding and cycling tours, as well as fly fishing - these activities can also be booked through Expedia’s scheme, meaning that you can earn Rewards back.
Meanwhile, the Dorset coast isn’t far off: Highcliffe-on-Sea beach is only a short 20 minute walk away (all guests receive a map to the beach in their bedrooms), or if you have a car with you (or hire one through Expedia), it’s worth taking a coastal drive and exploring some of the nearby seaside towns.
For those that prefer to stay indoors, the hotel also boasts an onsite cookery school inside The Kitchen (one of the hotel’s two restaurants) with a range of courses on offer, including kid-friendly ones: classes include how to whip up classic desserts, or learning how to create curries from across the globe. And of course, it would remiss not to mention the hotel’s famed spa; sadly part of it was under renovation during our stay, but it usually boasts two pools (an indoor pool and a hydrotherapy pool), as well as individual treatment rooms (couple rooms feature private showers and saunas), a gym, and a dance studio where daily classes take place.
Food and drink:
Breakfast is served in the Dining Room every day, which has sweeping views across the estate (or you can order breakfast in bed!). Besides the continental buffet (featuring pastries, cheeses, cereals etc), there are a variety of classic cooked options to order too; the Dining Room is also where a more sophisticated menu is served during lunch and dinner every day.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s second restaurant, The Kitchen, is located a short buggy ride from the main house, and right by the entrance to the estate, and serves a casual British menu in a very relaxed setting. Expect options such as burgers and pizzas here, and a view right onto the open kitchen.
Comfort and service:
We found staff throughout the hotel extremely professional, and clearly proud of the property. From the friendly members of staff on the front desk, to Paul, the butler who showed us around the estate, everyone was clearly willing to please, and each guest receives a personal welcome letter from the general manager upon arrival.
The hotel was at full occupancy during our stay, but it didn’t feel hectic or too busy, thanks to the mainly older clientele staying. Whilst we didn’t get to enjoy the hotel facilities to their full potential (thanks to the weather and spa renovations), I’ll definitely need to revisit and make use of those at some future opportunity; I think next time I’d definitely book far ahead and stay in one of the Treehouse Suites, as these provide an extremely private, romantic, and luxurious stay - all the more reason to start saving up my Expedia Rewards for my next stay! You can sign up and start earning points here.
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