Press Room

Launch Release - Lime Wood: A new luxury Country House Hotel and Spa

This Autumn sees the unveiling of Lime Wood, a new luxury country house hotel and spa set in the heart of the New Forest National Park, 1.5 miles from the small town of Lyndhurst and just an hour and half drive from London.

Five years in the making, Lime Wood offers an exciting and unique collaboration of experts; stunning architectural design by Charles Morris and Ben Pentreath is teamed perfectly with classic David Collins interiors, food by local Michelin starred chef Alex Aitken and the very best in service and facilities, creating the ultimate countryside getaway in a breathtaking and tranquil setting. 

Architecture and Interiors

Lime Wood is a country house hotel with a difference – classic in design and structure but enlivened with contemporary twists. From the exterior, the hotel is an architectural triumph – created from the renovation of a stunning Regency country manor originally established as a hunting lodge in the 13^th Century. Ben Pentreath of Working Group Design restored the main house and its extensions, comprising 16 bedrooms, a series of classically designed sitting rooms, a library, dining room, informal eatery, bar, wine cellar and billiard room. Charles Morris, whose previous work includes the Orchard Room at Highgrove, designed Lime Wood’s ancillary buildings which offer a further 11 suites and two guest rooms.

Inside Lime Wood, David Collins’s interiors reinvent the so-called English country style. The look (the first hotel Collins has completed in its entirety) is laid back yet luxurious - relaxed but not without attention to detail and the odd eccentric touch. Local materials such as ash and stone are teamed with simple, subtle colour shades reflecting Lime Wood’s landscape creating an interior of quality, integrity and style. The furniture is an eclectic mix of antique and bespoke, combined with carefully selected artwork, ceramics and objets which imbue the rooms with the welcoming character of a private country residence that has evolved over time. Lime Wood’s guest rooms are beautifully appointed, enriched with natural textures from hand knotted rugs to silk curtains, with many boasting free standing tubs.

Food

Director of Cuisine at Lime Wood is Alex Aitken, former head chef and proprietor of the Michelin starred restaurant Le Poussin. Guests will have the choice of two restaurants – ‘Alex Aitken at Lime Wood’ – a glamorous, fine-dining experience, and ‘The Scullery’ - a more informal setting with a country house kitchen feel. The food at Lime Wood will be hearty British fare, focusing on local, organic produce and real ‘forest food’ including wild mushrooms and garlic, local venison and home-reared beef and lamb.

Service and Facilities 

Service at Lime Wood, let by Hotel Director Justin Pinchbeck, formerly of the Zetter Hotel in London, will operate at a luxury level delivering superb facilities in a relaxed but sophisticated ambience. Guests will be able to take advantage of an array of activities on-site including a cookery school and food foraging masterclasses, as well as yoga lessons, spa treatments and mountain biking. Sailing, shooting, horse-riding and fishing are all available nearby.

Lime Wood will also be available for exclusive hire, for weddings and corporate events, private dinners and celebrations. An impressive 16,000 sqft spa adjacent to the main house and featuring a swimming pool, hydro therapy pool, eight treatment rooms, saunas, hamman, steam room and fully equipped gym will open in summer 2010. 

Offering the very best in service, design and craftsmanship in a magnificent setting, Lime Wood is the perfect combination of original charm and modern luxury and the ideal countryside escape.

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