Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa

An iconic and picturesque location with staff that were always friendly with a pleasing attitude was marred by substandard and erratic food (both breakfast and dinner). We were there for two weeks and for example at breakfast the mushrooms and poached eggs were usually served lukewarm/cold, and at dinner we experienced overcooked chicken breast, undercooked and cold T-bone steak though the fish (Dover sole) was excellent. The Kitchen (James Martin) was altogether much better though they struggled to serve a pizza that was hot if it had an extra topping. The Spa was well equipped though it would have been appreciated if we had been informed about the closure of the ladies sauna for 5 out of 7 days for three weeks in September. The grounds were immaculate and our lawn room was large, very comfortable with a great double aspect. Despite asking to speak with the manager (Guy) before we left we never met him nor had any communication either after voicing our concerns to his assistant. Avoid this hotel at present if you want a consistent 5 star experience.

So this was the second time we stayed at the hotel for a weekend. We were there in September 2024 for a big birthday for my wife. Unfortunately, we did have a few issues but went back again this September for my big birthday. On the positive side the treehouses are wonderful and the staff there very attentive. We ate out at the kitchen on the Friday night and the meal and service were excellent. On the Saturday we ate in the hotels main restaurant our starters came relatively quickly but then we had to wait over an hour for our main courses. The waiter did apologise and said we would not be charged for the main courses however it spoilt the whole meal and we did pay for wine, starters and dessert. There was a wedding group dining which took priority and we felt side lined. It is such a pity when you go somewhere with expectations and you leave feeling let down. The hotel is in a lovely location and whilst the staff are friendly, there are too many young staff who seem to struggle. An example would be ordering tea for breakfast only to find the milk was missing. It would then appear 10 minutes later. So two visits and sadly two disappointments.

This was our second visit to Chewton Glen, so my comments are based on both past and recent experiences. We previously stayed in the summer peak season, and this time we visited in autumn (October). Firstly, a note for anyone booking …while Hotels.com or Booking.com may state “pay at hotel,” Chewton Glen’s policy is to take at least a one-night deposit in advance, which was also the case when we booked directly for our two-night stay last year. Understandable, but worth being aware of. So we returned because the hotel has such a lovely, homely feel, more like a welcoming country house than a grand hotel. The soft carpets in the hallways and staircases give it warmth, and we’ve always appreciated that everyone is treated equally and without pretension. This time, we were using CG as a base (almost like a luxury New Forest B&B), as we had family and friends to see locally. We arrived around 4:30 p.m. with luggage, and while it was a little surprising that no one was there to greet or assist at the doors across the cobbled courtyard, check-in was smooth. On arrival to our room, we found a lovely birthday card and half bottle of champagne on ice, such a thoughtful touch that was genuinely appreciated. The porter also kindly declined a tip, explaining that service is already included and covered by the hotel’s discretionary 5% service charge shared among staff. Our Garden Room was just as we remembered from last year, although now a touch tired. I won’t share every detail here, as I discussed this directly with an Assistant Front of House Manager on departure, but I must commend Jane at reception, who genuinely encouraged us to share feedback and was a delight to speak with. We did find the Garden Room rather cold, with only one small radiator hidden behind the curtains impossible to adjust temperature. Understandably, it’s autumn, and at home we already have heating on mornings and evenings, so it felt chilly. The water pressure in the shower was also weaker than we’d expect from a five-star property. For dinner, we chose to eat off-site at Pebble Beach, Barton-on-Sea, mainly because the Chewton Glen menus lacked variety for vegetarians. While the Dining Room offers a vegetarian tasting menu, it felt uninspiring, and “The Kitchen” mostly offers pizza and one other vegetarian option. For anyone staying, I’d recommend checking menus in advance. Breakfast the next morning was, unfortunately, where the biggest changes were noticeable. We were told breakfast ran until 10:30 a.m. at weekends and arrived at 9:45, only to find guests queuing with no host on the door (as we then quickly remembered from last year!). We seated ourselves in the Atrium and requested a table be laid. Previously, breakfast was a highlight an excellent hot and cold buffet with the best scrambled eggs I’d told many friends and clients about over the past year. However, since the Dining Room refurbishment, it’s now cold buffet only, and it felt sparse, with no replenishment of items such as butter, margarine, or juice. The few glasses available were unclean, and staff seemed to ignore the area, usually in a 5 star you see presence of a kitchen chef / staff checking everything is just so. We ordered à la carte, but the food arrived cold, and the toast was overcooked and brittle. Tables were slow to be cleared, and overall the breakfast experience simply didn’t reflect the high standards we’ve come to associate with CG. On our second morning, we skipped breakfast altogether and checked out instead! It’s clear some cost-cutting measures have been introduced, but they may have gone a step too far and I hope management reconsiders this, as breakfast used to be exceptional. On checkout, we were kindly asked if we’d like the car brought over (a thoughtful touch, and a first for us). Jane, who checked us out, was wonderful she offered us fudge and water for the journey and warmly encouraged us to share our feedback. Overall, Chewton Glen remains a beautiful property with caring, professional front-of-house staff and a special charm that keeps guests coming back. However, the breakfast experience and housekeeping standards need some renewed attention to maintain the five-star reputation this hotel so rightly deserves. A special thank you to Mr. Panagopoulos for his time and generosity and to the team for making our stay, while imperfect, still memorable.

My wife and I were married at the hotel so decided to celebrate our anniversary with another stay. We were upgraded to a garden room (number92) which was superb - very large living room with TV etc, outside table and garden with its own gate, and upstairs a giant Alaskan king size bed, separate shower as well as a bath and outside balcony with table and chairs. We had stayed in a Tree House on our honey moon and we felt the garden room was very comparable and far less cost with only the hot tub missing. We dined in the main restaurant and my wife asked for a baked salmon (which was not on the menu but they accommodated her) and I had the Dover sole on the bone and enjoyed our server dissecting the bone out at our table. The dinner was delicious as well as our breakfast next day. All the staff were very attentive and we had a wonderful celebration of our anniversary.

Treated to a 2 night stay for my birthday, and we had the best time. Arrived at 1pm, had a light lunch in The Pool Bar, and was able to get into our suite at 2pm which was a nice touch. Beautiful room, lovely little touches and very clean. I didn’t want to leave the room! Used the spa pools and had a fabulous massage in the afternoon - a lovely way to unwind. Superb meal in The Dining Room, very attentive staff, excellent sommelier helped us choose a nice Italian red to go with our T Bone which was cooked to perfection. No complaints at all. Breakfast was plentiful, no request too big! Enjoyed both the continental and the cooked.We grabbed an estate map and enjoyed an albeit windy walk around the grounds and down to the beach to walk it all off! We decided to try The Kitchen for Saturdays meal, loved the buggy ride to the restaurant, again a nice touch even though it’s a pleasant walk along the drive. Unfortunately I became unwell during the meal and had to leave quite quickly without eating my main meal. So I guess we’ll have to return another day! I must thank the staff for their help during this unfortunate situation, they were very kind. Luckily I was okay Sunday morning to enjoy the par 3 golf course - a tricky little course but we had it to ourselves so could take our time which was needed as we’re a bit rusty! All in all we had the best time here at Chewton Glen and hope that we can return again soon, even if it’s only to visit The Kitchen.