The Bell Inn, New Forest — Hotel in New Forest

Me, my partner and our dog went here with another couple whilst out for a walk in the new forest to have a drink and a chat as it started raining. We were made to feel very uncomfortable and like we didn’t belong from the start. It is next to a golf course so I understand that people here are going to be of a higher tax bracket than a lot of other pubs in the area but I don’t think that’s any excuse for a lack of manners, we are not exactly uncivilised people ourselves but we understand that manners don’t cost anything! We went in and looked for somewhere to sit at which point two other dogs started barking at our dog. Our dog is very calm and just ignored them, but, for some reason, we were quickly ‘shown’ into another area and my partner was actually physically pushed through the archway (I was not made aware of this until after we had left). We decided to stay and have a drink anyway. We then asked where we could sit and were told we would have to share a a small 2 seater sofa and an armchair between the 4 of us. At this point we were getting quite frustrated and feeling very judged and discriminated against. The visit was salvaged to some degree by a female member of staff, I am really annoyed that I can’t remember her name, who said that we could sit at a table and made the time to come over and make a fuss of our dog and even brought him treats. I really wish I could remember her name so that she could get some credit for actually saving our business. She was working on the afternoon of the 15th March and had a European accent. I will not be visiting here again and would advise anybody I know to avoid it which is a shame because the place itself is beautiful and clearly does have some good staff working there. I hope the management can take note of this and maybe help The Bell Inn to become a less...

We stayed here for a birthday getaway in July.

The location is great, and the inn is very nicely decorated.

In terms of the room. We got a double - it was very tiny with not much space to store your luggage and stuff. The worst part was the heat. Despite opening the window and using the provided fan all night, it was still boiling in there, like 26° C plus. My partner and I could not sleep for our entire stay. The window led to a walkable roof that anyone could access from the street, which did not feel safe. I understand that this was a very hot week, however this is impossible to stay in. Prehaps the small size of the room and location made it worse.

The shower pressure was incredibly low to the point that it made showering difficult. It took 5 mins of running the shower before it got warm. We were also only provided with one large towel for 2 people 2 nights.

The food was ok but overpriced, it looked and sounded great, but it was mostly tastless. I'm glad we had the breakfast included through a deal and did not pay for it. The all British breakfast (both regular and veggie) was average at most, but it would cost £20 per person if bought. The eggs benedict breakfast with hollandaise sause was sickly (at least for us).

The continental breakfast had only fruits, yougurt, cereals, and croissants. Could definitely be improved.

The staff were generally nice but very slow, and they would not do table service outside, despite being in the middle of summer. The garden was great, but the tables and floor were dirty with food and bird poop. The cocktails were expensive and quite bad. Selection of food was small. Desserts were nice.

I would not recommend this place for the summer, and in terms of food, I...

A warning to disabled potential clients...

My wheelchair-bound husband and I booked a disabled-friendly room for a few days to celebrate his birthday. We clarified our mobility situation multiple times via emails and phone conversations. Upon arrival, we discovered that the room only catered to certain types of mobility issues. Please bear in mind: if you are unable to walk - i.e. if you need to wheel yourself to the shower and use a commode - you will be better off staying at home rather than booking this place.

We were obviously shocked when we arrived, so we challenged the receptionist about the room being advertised as disabled-friendly. In response, the receptionist pointed to the golf fields nearby and explained that their 'disabled' clientele consisted mainly of elderly gentlemen playing golf and having difficulties walking.

There was absolutely no way another place or hotel could be found for us at the time, especially that we travelled with four dogs (hence we'd booked this place months in advance based on the offer we received).

Be assured that nothing, not least the 'have a drink on us' that was offered, can make up for the effort and energy spent preparing for such a trip and having to go back home straight away. This is especially true if you deal with severe disabilities.

Honestly, it's best to stick to places you have already tried, but if you are still trying to find some suitable spots for your vacations, make sure to ask the hotel staff to send you the picture of the bathroom and the whole layout, despite of what the hotel is saying in...