Lifestyle -- 1 month ago
Words: Violet
Set deep in the heart of the New Forest National Park, a mere hour and half from London, lies a boutique country to rival even the most luxurious of city retreats. Lime Wood is the ultimate location for a secluded luxury getaway – the perfect escape from reality, even it is just for a weekend.
But before we delve into the details, how, you might wonder, should a gentleman travel to such a place? Well, there is a helipad should you be inclined to make use of it, then be our guest – it does, we are told, see regular use. However, with so much choice from the world of luxury cars these days, we thought it only polite to accept the kind offer to test drive Bentley’s latest Flying Spur.
The Flying Spur, just out of Crewe, was the perfect mode of transport to peruse through the Hampshire countryside and onto the joys that awaited at Lime Wood. Originally developed in the 1950s along side the Mulina (named after the straight on the le man circuit), Bentley has established a new luxury sedan benchmark. The Flying Spur 6.0 litre twin tubro W12 engine generates 616bhp, featuring more power than any other Bentley four-door in history. Its power to weight ratio delivery is a breath taking 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 200. With its unrivaled blend of effortless driveability, exquisite luxury and craftsmanship, sculpted design and state-of-the-art technology, the new Flying Spur takes the worldwide success of its iconic predecessor even further.
Designed for exceptional comfort and sharp featured lines, whether driving yourself or reclining as a passenger, drivers and passengers alike interface with the car and outside world through touch-screen infotainment, mobile connectivity including Wi-Fi, a rear seat entertainment suite and a new hand-held touch screen remote to control an intensive range of features from the temperature to watching the speedometer.
Sitting back in luxurious comfort, travelling though the ever picturesque New Forest whilst observing some of England’s finest countryside, we noticed upon arrival at the beautiful 5 star hotel, that they’ve certainly made the most of local materials in order to ensure that the interiors ‘go’ with their surroundings. In doing so this ensures that Lime Wood’s original charm is most definitely not lost.
A far cry from the slap-dash nature of a Faulty-Towers-esq country house hotel, Lime Wood is the ultimate in understated opulence. The furniture is an eclectic mix of antique and bespoke pieces alike, while the hand-picked artwork and objects d’art add the perfect amount of glamour to the rooms. Now all you have to do is kick back, relax and soak up the atmosphere to your heart’s delight and there is no better place for this than their spa, set over an incredible three floors including hot pools, thermal rooms (the Forest Sauna, the Steam House, the Mud House, the Caldarium), the Hands and Feet Room for manicures and pedicures, and private soak baths in changing rooms that feel more like a decadent bedroom suites fit for royalty. The treats in store don’t end there, with a state-of-the-art roof top gym complete with forest views and the very latest in Technogym equipment, a 16 metre Ozone treated indoor lap pool with retracting glass doors to the garden and a workout studio offering fabulous classes from Body Pump and Zumba to Yoga and Tai Chi.
After a day of oh-so-exhausting pampering, you can take your pick from a choice of bedrooms, either within the Main House, take over the Coach House or feel truly at one with nature and go for one of the Garden Lodges, which simply ooze with rustic charm.
Lime Wood is the result of a collaboration of creative talents at its very best, having evolved over the past few years this breathtaking country house hotel has a unique character that we simply can’t get enough of.
For more information visit: limewoodhotel.co.uk
By George Askew
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