Lyndhurst House

About Lyndhurst House

Lyndhurst House is a five-bedroom bed and breakfast in the middle of Lyndhurst, the village that serves as the administrative centre of the New Forest. It is run personally by its owners, Alison and Nick, and has been fully refurbished in recent years, so while the building is traditional the interiors and bathrooms are not. At this size the experience is closer to staying in a well-kept private house than in a hotel.

Each of the five bedrooms has been decorated individually, in muted colours with good fabrics, new beds, crisp linen and proper towels. All are en suite, with washstands made from New Forest oak and either a bath or a walk-in shower. Rooms vary in size and outlook, and the largest are worth the small extra outlay if you are staying more than a night. There is free wi-fi throughout and a private terrace where guests can sit out in warmer weather.

Breakfast is cooked to order using local suppliers and is one of the things guests reliably mention afterwards. The owners know the area well and are useful on where to walk, where the ponies gather, which pubs are worth the drive and how to avoid the worst of the summer traffic. There is off-road parking on site, which is a genuine advantage in Lyndhurst, where the one-way system and public car parks fill up quickly.

The village centre is less than five minutes' walk, with a good spread of restaurants, pubs and tea rooms, plus the New Forest Heritage Centre. Open forest is on the doorstep for walking and cycling, and Lyndhurst's position near the middle of the national park makes it an efficient base for reaching Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Burley and the coast without long drives. A two-night minimum usually applies at weekends. It suits couples and walkers rather than families with young children.