Hotel TerraVina

Stylish gastro bolthole surrounded by the trees, ponies and beauty of the New Forest, less than 2 hours from London

This project was always going to be scrutinised: Gerard and Nina Basset, co-founders of the highly successful Hotels du Vin (and, to boot, a Master of Wine and former hotel inspector respectively), sell up to pursue a labour of love - renovating a bland-beyond-belief hotel which happened to have a fantastic location. The aptly named area of Woodlands is a leafy hamlet just inside the New Forest National Park, where ponies wander freely along quiet roads all the way down to the coast.

The 11-roomed hotel definitely lives up to expectations. Despite being a few years old, it still looks fresh, and is quietly stylish, efficiently and warmly run, with a top-notch restaurant and amazing wine cellar. Indeed, in April 2010 Gerard was nominated Best Sommelier in the World, and in 2011 he was awarded an OBE for services to the hospitality industry. Staying here is rather like stumbling across a secret club whose members have discovered, in the peace of the countryside, a quality of food and wine usually found in the chaos of the city. But of course this isn't the back of beyond: one of the joys of TerraVina is that it's spitting distance to the M27 and under 2 hours from London. Locals flock to the restaurant and you get the impression that they would like to keep it to themselves - but word is out!

Highs

• Gerard and Nina are experienced hoteliers who've employed an army of staff to run the place, and this really shows in the service and attention to detail. What's more, everyone is genuinely warm and friendly
• Comfy and stylish bedrooms, with great bathrooms and a spoiling vibe (roll-top baths, Vi-Spring matresses, towelling robes). Most have outside space, too
• Thoughtful touches such as reading glasses in the lounge, wellies by the door and complimentary water and Nespresso machines in the rooms
• Fantastic, gourmet food in a relaxed setting, and a bevy of wines available by the glass. Ask award-winning head sommelier Laura to wine match each of your courses; her recommendations for our meal were suberb
• The stunning New Forest is literally on your doorstep, for stunning walks and bike rides. Feeling lazy? The heated outdoor pool injects glamour and luxury and is perfect for lounging around in the summer months

Lows

• You'll need to drive if you want to eat elsewhere, though why would you?
• A couple of rooms overlook the car park, a couple are over the kitchens, making them warm at night (air con is in all the rooms though), and the ground-floor rooms are a little dark and noisy
• It's not a cheap treat - but it's definitely worth the splurge. Book a midweek Dinner Bed and Breakfast package if possible, as they are excellent value