My parents enjoy travelling a lot, whether that be to the other side of the world or to a nearby town. Therefore, for my mum's Christmas present in 2023, my brother and I gifted her a weekend away for two in the New Forest in a 'Hand Picked Hotel' (some of her favourite places to stay in the UK). In true mum fashion, she then invited us along as well.
The weekend was booked for mid-January, however neither me nor my brother could get the Friday off work, so my parents went on the Friday at lunchtime (in order to avoid the London traffic), enjoying a cream tea on arrival, whilst my brother and I woke up early on the Saturday to meet them down there.
Saturday
I left London at 7am, picked my brother up, then arrived at the hotel just in time for breakfast at 9am (with a quick coffee stop en route). As we approached the hotel, we drove through roads lined with evergreens, which was beautiful despite it being January. For breakfast, I enjoyed eggs Benedict with coffee and orange juice, which did the job, and then my dad and brother headed off to see some Ferraris nearby whilst my mum and I went on a walk through the countryside. After a slight mishap, which consisted of us heading into flooded plains, we eventually found a walking trail in which we spotted many dogs and horses, which was lovely. It was sunny but chilly - my favourite weather for a walk!
At lunchtime, my brother had to head back to London due to other commitments, however I had a massage booked, which I was very much looking forward to. Something to know about me is that I have had many odd experiences with massages in my life, from having a masseuse thrust on top of me to being slapped (gently) repeatedly in the face. Therefore, I usually stick to facials, which I (for the most part) enjoy and lack any surprises. My mum had other ideas however, so I ended up being booked in for a 'facial and body combo', which my mum had said meant a facial with an additional shoulder and neck massage. Imagine my surprise when the spa receptionist handed me a robe and told me to just leave on my underwear. The massage ended up being a full body massage and express facial, with a focus on the back. The masseuse came in early specifically for my massage as it was otherwise fully booked, and I came out feeling very relaxed and taken care of. I also was given a choice of tea post-massage (alongside cucumber water and a shortbread biscuit), as well as given tea before the massage, which was divine.
For lunch, I enjoyed a mac & cheese, my dad a bacon and avocado salad (which was delicious) and my mum a goats cheese and pepper sandwich. We then spent the afternoon walking through another trail in the New Forest, which was gorgeous, with its river and waterways mostly frozen over, and wildlife along the path, including robins!
After returning to the hotel, we relaxed for a bit, then headed to the bar, where my dad ordered a coffee and my mum a Chambord Royale. Thinking my mum had ordered a glass of white wine, I asked the waiter to make it two, before realising that what I'd ordered was in fact a cocktail! That said, it was delectable and the waiter brought out some snacks (cheesy popcorn, caramel popcorn, and olives), which were very much welcomed. We enjoyed a delicious dinner in the Armada restaurant, with a mixed selection of scallops, roast chicken, pork belly, and venison, followed by a chocolate fondant. The evening was spent reading and relaxing, ready to enjoy another day in the New Forest the following day.
Sunday
We awoke nice and early, ready for a pre-breakfast swim. The spa facilities opened at 8am, and we were there at 8 on the dot, with the whole place to ourselves. I swam 10 laps in the pool, then relaxed in the jacuzzi, before visiting the steam room (where breathing felt rather strenuous) and the sauna, before completing another 10 laps in the swimming pool. It was a great way to start the morning and made the (short) stay worthwhile.
After a quick shower, we headed for breakfast, where each morning there was a different 'smoothie shot' of the day and special. My mum decided to go with the special, which was blueberry cheesecake French toast, and was honestly incredible. Having ordered a full English, I was envious (even though my breakfast was also delicious). The service was great, with a selection of juices, smoothies, and coffees brought to the table, and our principal waiter even spoke a bit of Portuguese when he learnt that we were from Portugal.
As we left the restaurant, we passed an extravagant room called 'the Alhambra room', an exact copy of the Alhambra Palace in Granada. It was set for roughly 12 people and was very impressive. We spent the morning walking along the Tall Trees Trail in Blackwater, where the water streams had now melted and it was considerably warmer, though more cloudy.
The initial plan was to have a roast on the route back to London but we ended up just heading straight home. It was my first time in the New Forest and was a perfect weekend - if you haven't yet been, I'd strongly recommend a visit!
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