Hampshire is such a varied county to holiday in. For city breaks you’ve got the ancient capital of Winchester and the lively harbour city of Southampton, among others; for country pursuits you’ve got some of the best fly fishing in the UK on the pure chalk streams of the River Test (the birthplace of modern-day fly fishing) and the South Downs National Park.
If you’re looking for a “beaker full of the warm South”, there are nine vineyards to explore and local gins and beers jostle with the wines behind the bars of the region’s characterful pubs. Whether you have your heart set on a stay in a country house hotel with falconry and fine dining, or would rather bed down in a boutique room above a memorabilia-filled city pub, we’ve picked the best hotels in Hampshire to suit.
The best hotels in Hampshire are:
Get your foodie on with Lainston House’s fusion menu
(Lainston House)
Neighbourhood: Sparsholt
This handsome red-brick country house hotel is the kind of place you want to pull up to in an Aston Martin. You can leave your wellies at home and help yourself to a pair of Hunters, which are lined up by the fireplace in reception. You’ll need them to explore the extensive grounds, which include the country’s longest avenue of lime trees, a Victorian kitchen garden, a sundial and the ruins of a 12th-century chapel. The six-course tasting menu with wine-pairing in the wood-panelled Avenue restaurant and the wood-fired fusion menu in Wellhouse, which is also home to a cookery school, makes this a popular choice for foodies.
Price: Doubles from £300, B&B
Relax and unwind in Old Thorns’ luxury spa
(Old Thorns)
Neighbourhood: Liphook
This is Hampshire’s answer to a resort hotel, with so much to do on-site you may not want to leave (although it’s worth popping into Gilbert White’s house, which is 15-minute drive away). Perfect for sporty types: the gym here is a Matrix equipment showroom and has all the latest hi-tech equipment, studio classes include Spivi immersive spinning classes and there’s an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, 20-metre indoor pool, thermal suite and a spa offering Germaine de Capuccini treatments. Choose between normal hotel rooms, upmarket penthouse apartments or charming eco pods out in the grounds. Dine in either the onsite Chinese or the carvery-style main restaurant and drink cocktails in the glamorous champagne bar or pints in the sports bar.
Price: Doubles from £129, room only
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