The Retreat New Forest

The room itself was clean enough, but the bed and pillows weren’t comfortable. Sleep was the main problem here. Even though we were away from the road, traffic came through the thin windows all night, and we could hear someone walking a dog over the gravel. Noise carries throughout this old building, and the doors do little to block it. We heard people coming and going, plus a class in a downstairs function room that ran late. Afterwards, people stood chatting loudly in the lobby, clearly audible from bed. There was even a sign asking guests to keep quiet and not disturb the class. The earplugs beside the bed should have tipped me off. I wish I’d read the reviews about the noise first.

My stay at The Retreat New Forest was a letdown. The room and shared areas were dirty and badly maintained, and what I found didn’t match the online photos or description. Staff were rude and unhelpful from the moment I arrived, which made a bad impression straight away. It felt like a waste of money, and I wouldn’t recommend The Retreat New Forest to anyone hoping for a relaxing or enjoyable stay.

The room was well kept and clean, the bed was comfortable, and the location was idyllic. It made for a really nice one-night stop, and I’d keep the place in mind for another visit. The only frustration was the self check-in. My work had made the booking, so I couldn’t access the email with the room code. When I arrived at 6:30 in the evening, all I found was a sign on the door telling me to check my email and giving a number to call if there was a problem. I went next door to the pub for a pint while I tried. It took a few calls to get through, and for a while I thought I might be sleeping in my car. I got in within about half an hour and was pleasantly surprised by the high standard.

We spent five nights here and had a wonderful time. Our large room was excellent, and they’d already set out a comfy bed and bowls for our dog. The staff were incredibly helpful, and everyone at the Colin Nash restaurant was fabulous. The food was delicious and the service was great. We couldn’t fault it and will definitely return.