Weekend swim retreat, Stanwell House Hotel, Hampshire

Editor Ella Foote shares her experience of a spa weekend at Stanwell House Hotel on the edge of the New Forest

Lymington on the edge of the New Forest might not be an obvious choice for a weekend away for swimmers but there are some enticing watery opportunities nearby as well as plenty of space to explore, roam and discover. The historic town is an ancient seaport situated on the bank of the Lymington River with ferry connections to the Isle of Wight. Much of the town is Georgian or Victorian and Stanwell House Hotel is a Grade II listed Georgian building on the High Street. Within minutes you can be out of town and into the New Forest National Park or looking out at the Solent along the Solent Way, a 60-mile footpath. As well as sea swimming, indulgent spas and river dips Lymington is home to the oldest open air sea water baths in the UK.

The accommodation

Stanwell House Hotel was once a private residence and then a finishing school for girls. It still holds much character and detail across the hospitality spaces as well as the bedrooms. While it has been a boutique hotel for many years, the current owners redeveloped the property back in 2023. The refurbishment enhanced the historic character and elegance of the listed building while adding luxury comfort. The stone slabs on the main stairwell are smooth, curved and worn from decades of use. Finding your bedroom is a maze of steps and corridors all beautifully decorated. As well as a cosy bar and quirky restaurant there are 27 bedrooms all with their own personality. There is something for all everyone from family and dog-friendly rooms to suites and loft rooms. We stayed in a luxury room, which had an extra seated area, king size bed and freestanding bathtub in the bathroom. It was warm, comfortable and indulgent – perfect for a weekend escape.

The swimming

Just a short walk from the hotel is Lymington Sea Baths, the oldest in the UK. Built in 1833, the baths are very popular in the summer months offering swimming, paddle sports and the South Coast’s biggest inflatable obstacle course. It is 110 metres long, 50 metres wide and fed by the sea. Historically, it only opened in the summer season but this year a new sauna opened on the site. Operated by Hello Outdoors, the sauna enables swimmers and dippers to enjoy the pool during the winter months. The new offer ensures safe and supported swimming when the weather is raging on the coast.

We visited the area to visit the Herb House Spa at Lime Wood in the New Forest. Here you can enjoy usual spa offers like sauna, steam and treatments. There are also three pools – a lap pool, hydrotherapy pool and outdoor bubble pool. This is one of many spas in the area. If you wanted something wilder, the coastline offers the usual sea swimming, conditions allowing. Join the Hampshire Open Water Swimmers (HOWS) who meet and swim regularly in a number of locations in the area, you can find them on Facebook.

The food

Stanwell House Hotel offers a bed and breakfast option when booking, the breakfast is fantastic. I enjoyed the Eggy Brioche with bacon, berries and maple syrup, but the full-English was impressive, too. The Samphire bistro restaurant offers lunch and evening meals with local and seasonal food. The Orangery is a more relaxed space, which offers afternoon tea and light lunches. Lymington itself also has a range of restaurants and cafes for food and drink.

Best of the rest

The Solent Way is a 60-mile footpath that links Milford on Sea with Emsworth Harbour, following the coastline through Hampshire and the New Forest. For experienced swimmers, if you time your walk correctly with the tide you can find lots of places for dips and swims in the right conditions. You do need to do your research though as at low tide access to the water is limited. The Solent Way website has some great section guides breaking down the route into chunks, which is worth a look if you plan to visit the area. You are also on the edge of the Dorset coast, which offers even more swimming opportunity and sandy beaches!

Our fave thing

Exploring and seeing roaming wild ponies in the New Forest. We loved the forest even on a wet weekend in January!