The Ultimate Guide to New Forest Short Breaks in Winter
Find your romance in the depths of winter; in the long winter walks, the romantic dinners for two that are shaped by the season and moments of calm beside the fire. Here in the New Forest National Park, you will find a quieter beauty, and before you know it, you’ll fall in love with this season once again.
What does the ultimate New Forest winter break look like? Here’s just one guide on capturing some of your own winter magic…
A short winter break in the New Forest will reignite the spark of excitement for time spent in nature; by slowing the pace of life you’ll be gifted time to notice, to be more present and to reconnect with the one you love.
Spend real time together, without distraction, away from screens, chatter, work and the demands that come with life, and offer this time, this break away, the attention it deserves.
Couples love to escape to our National Park because they can let go of the everyday and step into a magical place where decisions are about where to walk, what to eat and whether to enjoy another glass of wine.
You can spend a couple of days just like this; simply enjoy dog walks (if you bring your four-legged friend), exploring new areas of our wild woodland, strolls on the beach or afternoons reading in the lounge watching the weather from the comfort of an armchair.
Walks and wanders
Winter walks in the New Forest are about embracing the weather as it comes, rain or shine, for the joy you will find in wild explorations will be well worth a bit of muddy meandering.
Unforgettable sunsets over vast heathland, the sparkle of the winter’s afternoon sun through the canopy, the crunch of crispy, frost-bitten leaves on a chilly morning. You can’t beat it.
Our dog-friendly hotel has a host of wonderful dog walks from the doorstep, local dog walker Lauren has some great recommendations, so whether you have a dog or not, don the wellies or the hiking boots, wrap up and get out there!
Stress-free dog-friendly stays
It is possible to enjoy a romantic couples break with your four-legged friend in tow, because finding a dog-friendly hotel makes all the difference to you enjoying a stress-free escape. Somewhere you and your pup can truly relax and feel at home.
Not only will our Hampshire hotel welcome your four-legged friend, it’ll provide a variety of amenities to ensure a happy, relaxed stay for your dog, including dog beds, bowls and their very own hamper.
Your dog-friendly break includes luxury accommodation in a Hayloft Suite, Courtyard Retreat, Courtyard Suite or selected Snug rooms in the main house. And dogs are welcome throughout the Montagu Arms hotel except in The Terrace Restaurant, but must be kept on a lead at all times. For more details about holidaying with your dog, please download our 'Petiquette' guidelines.
Something extra special for Valentines
Did you know that on your next romantic break for two you can book some wellness extras to make your stay that little bit…extra.
A romantic gesture goes a long way; surprise the one you love by booking them an in-room massage with an expert therapist, available exclusively to guests staying in our Courtyard Retreats, Courtyard Suite, and Hayloft Barn.
Bring the spa to you after a day of woodland walking; peruse the massage menu and choose a Deep Tissue Massage to target deep muscle tension, strains and sports injuries, or perhaps a more relaxing, Swedish Massage which uses relaxing sweeping movements to increase circulation and relax the whole body.
When a break for two just won’t do
We understand it may not be possible to book a couple’s getaway with February half-term on the way. Instead, plan a relaxing family break to spend quality time together; enjoy muddy forest days, relaxed dining in Monty’s with menus designed for kids, that even the fussiest eaters will love, and we have some extra fun up our sleeve…
During half term we’ll have a kids play room, with movies, space for colouring, a teepee, a dress-up box, and a host of board games – the fun is endless, all you need is a burst of imagination! Our pick and mix station will be in full swing and in the garden, we’ve got the wildlife bingo, encouraging little ones to scour and search to find plants and birds through the garden.
When it’s time to get out and explore, you can’t get anymore local than the family-friendly attraction of the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. And don’t miss their latest exhibition bringing Disney and Pixar’s Cars to life.
Until April only, see your favourite characters from the Disney and Pixar Cars films; life-size models of Lightning McQueen, Mater, Jackson Storm and Finn McMissile — fabulous family fun and this popular attraction is part of a general admission ticket to Beaulieu.
Sample and share the best of the season
There’s nothing like reconnecting and rekindling over delicious food and handpicked wines from a country house hotel in the heart of an ancient woodland.
Sharing dining experiences; unknown flavours, new combinations, reinvented dishes – inspires and excites the soul.
Our dishes are the result of passion; our chefs, inspired by the season and the New Forest, their larder. Flavours of the forest are intertwined in everything they do, from ingredients grown in our very own kitchen garden to produce selected from a few miles down the road. We celebrate local, seasonal, homely dishes with heart that reflect the beautiful landscape we call home.
Head to our hotel pub, Monty’s Inn for an afternoon tipple, then spend a romantic evening in the wood panelled dining room of The Terrace; a table set for two awaits.
When you’re not relaxing in your room, sipping a pint in Monty’s or roaming the New Forest with the ponies, make time to simply be. In this busy world there’s no longer time to day-dream; the chance to sit and watch the flames dance, let conversation flow into the evening and reminisce, renew and reinspire.
Perhaps it’s time to slow things down and return to analogue, even for just a few days away this winter.
We’ll pop another log on the fire and hope to see you soon.