10 No-Screen Activities To Unplug During Your New Forest Hotel Retreat

Digital detox

So many of our guests are looking to unplug and make their break with us a digital detox.
Whether you’re away on a short family break or a romantic last minute autumn getaway, you can retreat for peace and quiet in the heart of the National Park we call home.
Leave the phones in your room or simply turn off all notifications so you can reconnect with nature, and one another. This is the time of year to nourish mind and body before winter sets in.
Spend time away from the things that encourage negative distractions and steal your attention from those who matter.

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Walks and wanders

One of the best no-screen activities in the New Forest is walking… Spend days walking and wandering through our ancient woodland, or head to the coast for sea views and beach strolls. There is nothing like walking in nature to rest a busy mind and reset; improving sleep, easing tension, and reducing levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Find walks here

Do ‘nothing’ but relax

The activity of ‘doing nothing’ is underrated. We are all so busy these days and somehow feeling guilt around relaxation has become a social norm. We really ought to take some time out, to slow down, to spend a couple of hours sitting in a garden listening to the birds and enjoying a pot of tea. Or, reading a book in a cosy lounge or do we dare to suggest, drifting off to sleep without setting an alarm.
If we don’t make time to relax, we don’t rest and recover and we are less prepared for what life throws at us next. Just like eating and sleeping, rest is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.
Families love to visit our Hampshire hotel because they find a home away from home, space to spread out a little but more importantly, a retreat where they can come to play, experience and relax together. Spending afternoons doing nothing but playing board games, wandering along the Beaulieu River or catching up over a shared afternoon tea.

Discover SenSpa

If there is one way to detox from the digital, it’s to make your autumn break in the New Forest a wellness retreat. Sleep, eat and spa, incorporating your stay at our Hampshire hotel with a visit to SenSpa, the five-bubble Thai spa at our sister hotel, Careys Manor, just six miles away.
At SenSpa, guests of The Montagu Arms are treated to complimentary access to the leisure club, with exclusive rates for full spa access, including experience showers, Rhassoul, and thermal rooms, which means you can make your no-screen stay a spa break.

‘Wild New Forest’

The New Forest is a larder of wonderful flavours! As you know, we love celebrating all that is homegrown and cultivated in our very own kitchen garden and supporting local producers in the campaign for eating seasonal, local and sustainable food whenever and wherever possible, which is why you’re invited to learn more about our New Forest larder with our ‘Wild New Forest’ sessions. Taking place on Friday mornings from the 24th October throughout autumn and winter, ‘Wild New Forest’s knowledgeable guides will lead you through the stunning landscape on our very doorstep, unveiling the mysteries of mushrooms and toadstools during the winter season, and the beauty of flora, butterflies, and birds up close in spring.’

Take to the water

The best activities to avoid screens are the ones on the water. When you visit the New Forest National Park and decide to reconnect with the great outdoors take it all in from the serene and peaceful waters of the tidal Beaulieu River.
Travel by canoe with the expert guidance of New Forest Activities. Couples, families and groups can enjoy the New Forest River Explorer experience with qualified coaches who will take you out in open Canadian canoes or kayaks, teaching you how to paddle confidently and safely, inviting you to explore hidden creeks and travel along the water’s edge looking out for wildlife as you meander and enjoy the tranquillity of the forest from the water.

Foodie feasts

If you visit our country hotel to spend a weekend simply eating and relaxing, we get it. What better way to enjoy time away from screens than to experience the flavours of the forest. Every menu celebrates local, seasonal and thoughtfully sourced ingredients, our chefs are inspired by the abundance of our Hampshire location.
Ensure you have time for all of our dining experiences during your foodie break. Get cosy in our country pub, Monty’s Inn, dine alfresco in our English country garden or sit down to an afternoon tea in our lounge. And be sure to book a table at The Terrace, our wood-panelled dining room, showcasing the very best of British with infusions of handpicked produce, provided by the forest and inspired by the seasons.

Try something new

Detox from the digital and try something new this winter… Our popular one-day Flower Arranging Workshop on 10th December promises to be packed with professional floristry tips from Florist, Mala Williams, and will cover everything you need to know to create your very own beautiful flower arrangement.
A hands-on, informal and friendly workshop helping you bring Christmas into your home. The day includes a buffet lunch with coffee, all materials and a self-created festive arrangement.
Find out more.

Local attractions

A wonderful no-screen activity just a short walk from our Hampshire hotel is a visit to the local attraction, The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. An award-winning family-friendly visitor attraction in the heart of our New Forest National Park.

Interactive, interesting and fun for everyone, you needn’t be a motor-enthusiast to enjoy its wonderful collections of motoring memorabilia and exhibits that combine history, entertainment and fine collections.

Cycling

Take to our winding forest roads or beautiful meandering forest tracks by bike. Thinking of nothing but the moment, sharing the experience with loved ones, friends or the whole family. You can hire bikes nearby and head out on traffic-free, gravel paths, with more than 100-miles of cycle routes, making it available, inclusive and safe for all ages and abilities.
If it’s time for a digital detox and you’re looking for a reason to getaway this autumn, you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s no place for screens when you’re making time to reconnect, relax and adventure in the New Forest National Park. Save scrolling for later, instead choose a mindful retreat in an ancient woodland; a home from home where you can explore new activities and local attractions, share great dining experiences and memories, or simply rest and do nothing.