Our Dorset Life

You might have noticed I love The NICI Bournemouth, so when I heard they had recently opened two new hotels, one in Newquay and one in the New Forest, I was really excited to visit.

We stayed at The NICI New Forest, near Lymington recently and I was in love pretty much as soon as we arrived.

It has that same laid-back, coastal feel I love about The NICI brand, but in a very different setting. The hotel was gorgeous, set in a manor house, surrounded by peaceful gardens, sea views, lovely interiors with good food, and a relaxed Hamptons-inspired style.

The hotel itself is absolutely beautiful.

From the outside, it has a grand manor house feel, with gorgeous gardens and views out towards the water. Inside, it feels stylish with interiors that have been inspired by the laid-back elegance of the Hamptons, and there is a gorgeous coastal feel running throughout the whole hotel.

The views are a big part of what makes it feel special. There are little spots around the hotel where you can sit and look out across the water, and I could have stayed there all day watching the boats.

We stayed in one of the rooms in the manor house, and if you love interiors, The NICI rooms are always beautifully designed.

The room had a calm coastal feel, with blue tones, lovely details, beautiful bathroom products and, very importantly, amazing air con.

And the food…

The food was and always is a big part of where we stay when we holiday.

We had breakfast in the sunshine at Elms Bar & Café, which was such a lovely way to start the day, we had eggs royale, good coffee and enjoyed the views from the deck.

We also ate dinner at Elms Bar & Café, and everything we had was delicious.

Some of the dishes we tried included prawn and saffron arancini, beef carpaccio with parmigiano, crab loaded fries, ribeye with a garlic prawn skewer, The NICI Caesar salad, and a lovely bottle of rosé.

For my main, I had to try The NICI Caesar salad, which is made tableside. I loved that they made it tableside, it was a really fun experience and was one of the best salads I’ve had!

The new restaurant space, Martha’s, looked stunning when we had a look, this is set to open in the next few days so watch this space!

What’s still to come

There is also lots more coming to The NICI New Forest. A spa and indoor pool are coming soon, the outdoor pool is also coming soon, and another restaurant was opening just after our visit.

I think once everything is fully open, it’s going to be even more of a destination hotel. It already feels beautiful, but those extra facilities will make it work even better for a proper weekend stay.

How it compares to The NICI Bournemouth

I still absolutely love The NICI Bournemouth. It has that sunny, fun, seaside energy, and it feels like a hotel that instantly puts you in holiday mode.

The NICI New Forest feels a little more peaceful and romantic. It has the same design-led, coastal style, but with more of a manor house and garden setting.

If I wanted a fun seaside hotel break, I’d choose Bournemouth.

If I wanted a slower, calmer stay with beautiful views, good food and a more relaxed pace, I’d choose New Forest.

And now that there is also a NICI in Newquay, I’m very excited to see how that one develops too.

It already feels like a very special place, and I think it’s only going to get better as the spa, pools and additional restaurant open.

If you love The NICI Bournemouth, I think you’ll really enjoy seeing how the New Forest hotel brings that same style into a completely different setting.

Sarah x