If you're looking for good food, comfy rooms, endless woodlands, and a warm welcome (for kids and dogs too), then the Potter's Heron will tick all your boxes. The heart of the hotel is a century-old thatched inn, its central bar glinting with glasses and colourful bottles, with several cosy sitting areas and a large diner-style extension at the back. It's all nice and buzzy - even midweek in October when we stayed - especially given that you are (or at least you feel) miles from anywhere. Where you actually are is between the pretty village of Romsey and the handsome town of Winchester, just north of Southampton, with the New Forest and the Test Valley a short drive away, and only 2 hours from London (or Bristol, or Oxford).
The bedrooms - 58 of them, not that you'd guess - are housed in a two-storey 1970s extension to the rear. So while you don't get soot-blackened beams and wonky floors, you do get plenty of space, private balconies, and a stylishly retro refurb courtesy of Heartwood, who acquired it in 2025. Plus, all the trappings of a boutique hotel - including Bramley toiletries, Roberts radios, and superb Silent Night beds (most of them kingsize or bigger). We came looking for a lung cleansing, palate-pleasing, sleep-restoring short break, and came away feeling we'd been gifted all that - and a little bit more.