Finding family friendly hotels in the New Forest means you can enjoy this fabulous part of the world without sleeping under canvas, or in a campervan or caravan. Why shouldn’t busy parents have a little luxury now and then?
With such lovely hotels in the area, anyone visiting the New Forest National Park can stay in some of the best family hotels in the UK. There are family friendly New Forest hotels to fit all budgets, and they’re located in or near to some of the park’s best towns and villages – such as Brockenhurst, Beaulieu and Lyndhurst.
Want a quick answer? See my pick of the family friendly hotels in the New Forest here
I love the Balmer Lawn and have stayed there a few times – with and without kids. The setting on the edge of the forest and village is spectacular, and this family-owned property with great facilities is slickly run and very welcoming.
Whether you want family hotels in the New Forest with a swimming pool outdoors, luxury family friendly hotels in the New Forest or a more pocket-friendly pub or B&B, this guide showcases seven of my favourite properties in the region.
From cheap hotels in the New Forest, Hampshire to family hotels in the New Forest with an indoor swimming pool, these are the best hotels in the New Forest for anyone travelling with children – and in some cases, pets.
Top picks include a B&B with shepherd’s huts, a five star deluxe hotel with treehouses and properties with pools, spas, bars, restaurants and more. Read on to choose your place to stay.
Best family friendly hotels New Forest contents
- Best family hotels in the New Forest comparison chart
- Best kid friendly hotels in the New Forest – Top options
- Choosing child friendly hotels in the New Forest – What to look for
- Best New Forest hotels for families – reviews & recommendations
Best family hotels in the New Forest comparison chart
| Name | Star rating | Location | Room types | Family features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chewton Glen | 5 star | Barton-on-Sea | Rooms, suites & treehouses | Top-drawer hotel, near beach, great facilities | Check here |
| Balmer Lawn | 4 star | Brockenhurst | Rooms & family rooms | Near forest & village, welcoming vibe, peaceful | Check here |
| Crown Manor House | 4 star | Lyndhurst | Rooms, family rooms & suites | Town centre location, bar & grill, free parking | Check here |
| The Mayflower | 4 star | Lymington | Rooms & family rooms | Sea views, close to town, smart nautical look | Check here |
| The White Buck | 4 star | Burley | Rooms & suites | Big beer garden, woodland setting, near village | Check here |
| New Park Manor | 3 star | Brockenhurst | Rooms, suites & 2-bed suite | Award-winning restaurant, 2 pools, sports facilities | Check here |
| Spot in the Woods | B&B | Lymington | Rooms & shepherd’s huts | Pet-friendly, boutique style, countryside setting | Check here |
Best kid friendly hotels in the New Forest – Top options
- Chewton Glen, Barton-on-Sea – Best for a bucket list stay
- Balmer Lawn, Brockenhurst – Best of both worlds
- Crown Manor House, Lyndhurst – Best for the town centre
- The Mayflower, Lymington – Best for a coastal location
- The White Buck, Burley – Best for running wild & free
- New Park Manor, Brockenhurst – Best for sports & swimming
- Spot in the Woods, Netley Marsh – Best for a pet-friendly break
Choosing child friendly hotels in the New Forest – What to look for
Location
Where you stay can make a massive difference to how you spend your time in the New Forest, especially if you don’t want to rely on the car. Would you like to be based in a town, a village or among open countryside?
If you’ll arriving by train, Brockenhurst has a station right in the centre of the village, for example, and there are stations fairly close to the hotels featured in Lymington and Barton-on-Sea.
Staying near a town means more access to amenities like shops, pubs and cafes, but the location may not be as peaceful.
Facilities
What sort of amenities would really make your family stay special? Some hotels have indoor or outdoor pools, plus other sports facilities like a croquet lawn, tennis or squash courts, or a games room.
Consider the adults too, who may appreciate a deluxe spa or a convivial bar very much. How about dining? Having a restaurant on site is convenient, but doesn’t mean you must eat there every evening!
Budget
How much do you want to spend? Options listed here range from shepherd’s huts in the garden of a B&B to incredibly luxurious treehouses in the vast grounds of a five star hotel.
Spending a little more money to have a better time could be very worthwhile, so don’t skimp if you could stretch to what you really want!
Room types
Accommodation may be in a cosy shepherd’s hut or room, or a large suite with a couple of bedrooms. If you like the look of a property, click the link beneath to find out what it offers in terms of room types.
7 of the best New Forest hotels for families
Chewton Glen
Best for a bucket-list stay
- Star rating: *****
- Location: Barton-on-Sea, New Milton
This is an incredibly luxurious property, often winning awards as one of the UK’s best hotels. The setting is unparalleled.
The Chewton Glen is about a mile from where I live – and I have a confession to make. I cycle through the grounds from time to time, just to enjoy the meadows, the views and seeing how the other half live.
The amount of outdoor space available makes this one of the top New Forest family friendly accommodation options. It’s not cheap, but it’s a bucket-list property that’s won multiple awards, and is close to the coast as well as the forest.
Kids will love the pools, tennis courts and The Kitchen, a laid-back eatery at the edge of the grounds that offers plenty of family-friendly favourites like burgers and pizza. There’s a James Martin cookery school here, and adults will also adore the deluxe spa, the on-site golf course and the sumptuous afternoon teas served at the more formal restaurant.
Family highs:
- One of the best hotels in the UK
- Spacious grounds & superlative amenities
- Great range of rooms including treehouses
Family lows:
- It’s not cheap
Click here to book the Chewton Glen
Balmer Lawn Hotel
Best of both worlds
Star rating: ****
Location: Brockenhurst
Smart yet far from stuffy, the Balmer Lawn is a favourite of mine. Staff are very welcoming, and the place has a very relaxed feel.
I love the Balmer Lawn – it’s one of my favourite local properties, and what’s great about it is that it’s a grand building with a wonderful outlook, yet is completely unstuffy. There are wellies by the door for guests to use, and dogs are allowed to stay too.
The Balmer Lawn has a great restaurant, serves a mean afternoon tea and is staffed by a dedicated team who can’t do enough for you. Its quiet location is perfect – right on the edge of Brockenhurst, with forest runs, walks and cycling trails close by. The New Forest tour bus even stops here.
Amenities at this pick of the luxury family hotels in the New Forest include a fitness centre, two swimming pools, a spa and squash courts. The bar has a lovely cosy feel and the facilities of Brockenhurst are just a minute’s walk from the entrance.
Family highs:
- Peaceful position
- Smart yet unstuffy
- Right by village & forest trails
Family lows:
- Family rooms book up quickly
Click here to book the Balmer Lawn
Crown Manor House Hotel
Best for the town centre
- Star rating: ****
- Location: Lyndhurst
Right in the centre of Lyndhurst, you can’t miss this attractive hotel when driving through, and there’s free parking for guests.
When you have older kids who want to strike out on their own, the best family friendly accommodation in the New Forest is a place that’s slap-bang in the centre of things. This is the case with the Crown Manor House Hotel, so they can have free rein to wander around a reasonably-sized town centre.
The hotel also has a range of family rooms, and offers free guest parking, which is a real plus given the location. Housed in a 15th century building, accommodation is boutique-style with free WiFi, flatscreen TV and rainfall showers.
With a bar and grill on site you won’t need to wander far, but if you want to all the amenities of the town are literally right on the doorstep.
Family highs:
- Unbeatable town centre location
- Boutique accommodation
- Free guest parking
Family lows:
- Not the most peaceful position
Click here to book the Crown Manor House Hotel
The Mayflower
Best for a coastal location
Star rating: ****
Location: Lymington
The Mayflower is situated by the water in the smart, nautical New Forest town of Lymington and some rooms have sea views.
The Mayflower in Lymington has a big factor in common with the Crown Manor House Hotel in Lyndhurst – both are located in scenic, medium-sized towns with plenty of local shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.
The Mayflower is a little further from the town centre, but what it lacks in proximity to retail outlets and eateries it makes up for in terms of its coastal location by the mouth of the river and the coast.
This is one of the best family friendly hotels for those who crave town life, and is kitted out in a stylish nautical theme. There is a pub, restaurant and car park on site, and some rooms have sea views.
Family highs:
- Waterside location
- Smart nautical look
- Lots of amenities in Lymington
Family lows:
- No pool or sports facilities
Click here to book The Mayflower
The White Buck
Best for running wild & free
- Star rating: ****
- Location: Burley
In a sylvan setting, The White Buck is in the beautiful village of Burley where New Forest local ponies roam freely.
If you have the kind of kids who need to let off a lot of steam, the fact that the White Buck is surrounded by woodland they can play in places it among the top New Forest family friendly hotels.
The village of Burley is close by and this is one of the New Forest’s most appealing locations. It’s set among heathland and trees, often has the local ponies wandering through it and there are intriguing witchcraft references dotted about.
There are several pubs and tea rooms, a scattering of shops and a bike hire place in the village, and the surrounding area provides kids with a wonderful natural playground.
Family highs:
- Large beer garden
- Close to Burley village
- Woodland setting with wandering ponies
Family lows:
- Relatively limited amenities
Click here to book The White Buck
New Park Manor Hotel
Best for swimming & sports
Star rating: ***
Location: Brockenhurst
A deluxe spa, outdoor hot tub, sports facilities and a good restaurant make this Brockenhurst hotel appealing to adults and kids.
There are lots of indoor and outdoor amenities at New Park Manor, making it one of those hotels in the New Forest that are family friendly. The name is misleading: this property was once the King’s hunting lodge, so it’s not exactly new! Just like the New Forest itself.
Kids will appreciate the two swimming pools, cinema and games room, and the whole family can get out and have fun on the croquet lawn or tennis courts. The Bath House spa is a big draw for adults in search of relaxation, as is the outdoor hot tub.
The award-winning Stag restaurant means you don’t have to go far to enjoy a delicious meal, and luxurious in-room amenities include Elemis toiletries, free WiFi and very comfy beds.
Family highs:
- Award-winning restaurant
- Games & sports facilities
- Indoor & outdoor pools
Family lows:
- Not in central Brockenhurst
Click here to book the New Park Manor Hotel
Spot in the Woods
Best for a pet-friendly break
- Star rating: B&B
- Location: Netley Marsh, Lyndhurst
Perfect for pet owners, the boutoque-style Spot in the Woods offers charming rooms or shepherd’s huts in the country.
If you want to find New Forest hotels that are both dog friendly and affordable, enter the Spot in the Woods. This B&B is one of those kid friendly hotels that won’t break the bank. You can stay in a room or a Shepherd’s Hut in the garden, which will really appeal to children.
There are 11 rooms and 5 huts in all, and all offer relatively cheap accommodation in the New Forest when you compare the prices to other options.
Many rooms have their own outdoor terrace or balcony, and accommodation is boutique-style with rainfall showers, retro radios and coffee machines. There’s plenty of space and peace here for kids, pets and parents alike.
Family highs:
- Pets permitted
- Boutique-style B&B
- Rooms & Shepherd’s Huts
Family lows:
- Not the most central location
Click here to book Spot in the Woods
Which is the best family hotel in the New Forest for you?
If you wanted to find the best New Forest hotels that are family friendly, I hope this article has given you some guidance. This part of Hampshire is well worth exploring, and also provides the ideal setting for a relaxing break. How lucky am I that it’s just on my doorstep?
Want to find more places to stay? Check out the ultimate New Forest accommodation guide, the best New Forest glamping sites, the finest New Forest hotels with swimming pools, the top 20 New Forest cottages or gastropubs in the New Forest with rooms.
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