Chewton Glen & Treehouses

For lovers of great hotels, Chewton Glen, situated on the edge of the New Forest,  probably needs no introduction: it's won any number of awards, including 'UK's best hotel' more times than it's decent to mention, and refreshingly it is still the country's only privately owned luxury hotel, which makes us love it all the more.  Not only that, it's big enough and gracious enough to be both a perfect retreat for couples but also a great place to take your family, with family suites and kids' clubs, a walled garden,  croquet lawn, putting green and two pools: a large heated outdoor one and a classically inspired indoor one too, plus an amazing and renowned spa. You're also well placed for the delights of the New Forest as well as South Milton's sandy beach, which is twenty minutes' walk away. As for the rooms,  the Garden and Classic rooms are large and traditionally furnished, with king-size beds and big bathrooms with separate baths and showers and twin sinks; the next notch-up Estate rooms are larger, with easy chairs and a more contemporary look and feel; and there are the even more spacious Croquet Lawn rooms, plus over 20 sumptuous suites and 12 impeccable tree house suites in the grounds, which may just be our favourites. The hotel's light and airy restaurant serves impeccably prepared and seasonally sourced Modern British meals overseen by executive chef Luke Matthews – always interesting and extremely scrummy. Much like the rooms, it ain't cheap but somehow that's not the point in such a beautiful space, which is made for special occasions – and during the week they do serve a fabulous value three-course lunch menu for £26.50 as well as a three-course lunch on Sunday for £39.