Old Thorns Hotel & Resort

You know what struck me first about Old Thorns? It’s one of those places that actually feels like it belongs where it is. Tucked away on Longmoor Road in this tiny hamlet called Griggs Green – which honestly, most people drive right through without noticing – the hotel sits comfortably in proper Hampshire countryside. I mean, we’re talking about the kind of setting where you’ll hear more birdsong than traffic, and the biggest decision you’ll face is whether to take the footpath through the woods or around the golf course for your morning walk. The building itself has that solid, unhurried feel of a place that’s been welcoming guests for years without feeling the need to reinvent itself every season.

What I really appreciate here is how they’ve managed to keep things comfortable without going overboard on the fancy factor. The rooms are genuinely spacious – not that cramped “executive” nonsense you get in city hotels – and there’s proper storage space for when you’ve overpacked (guilty as charged). The spa facilities are honestly quite good, though I’d recommend booking treatments early if you’re visiting during golf tournament weekends when the place fills up with groups. Speaking of golf, even if you’re not into it, the course makes for brilliant views from the restaurant, especially in the evening when the light hits those rolling fairways just right. The food’s solid too – they do a particularly good job with local ingredients, and their Sunday roast actually lives up to the hype, which around here is saying something.

Here’s the thing about Old Thorns that you won’t get from the official photos – it’s genuinely peaceful in a way that’s hard to find these days. Yes, you’re only about ten minutes from Liphook station if you need to dart up to London, and Petersfield’s just down the A3 for proper shopping, but once you’re settled in, there’s this lovely sense of being properly away from everything. The staff seem to understand this too – they’re helpful without being hovering, if you know what I mean. Parking’s easy (thank goodness), and check-in is refreshingly straightforward. I will say the WiFi can be a bit patchy in some of the older wings, but honestly, that might be a feature rather than a bug depending on what you’re after. If you’re looking for somewhere that feels like a proper retreat without the pretension – somewhere you can actually relax rather than worry about whether your shoes are posh enough for the lobby – Old Thorns delivers exactly that.