The Old Vicarage Country House Hotel & Restaurant in New Forest

We had our wedding here on the 28 August 2024. What a fabulous day from start to finish. Everything was perfect. Tom and his staff were very professional but friendly and accommodating. All our guest guests thought it was the perfect venue very relaxed. Even the weather was perfect and we were able to have our ceremony outside, but even if we needed to be inside the venue would still have been perfect. A really big thank you to Tom and his team for making our special day perfect.

There for a wedding. A beautiful venue and a brilliant wedding. Everything was perfect with lovely grounds, staff and food.

Just wanted to send a quick message to say a massive Thank you. The whole process of wedding planning at The Old Vicarage we were made to feel so at ease. We had a wonderful day that to us seemed to run so smoothly. Lewis’s only one concern is that…. The day was over to quickly! We are so glad we had our wedding at your beautiful venue. Thank you again. Lydia & Lewis

I just want to say a massive thank you to laura and all the team at the old vicarage for hosting are amazing wedding day. The whole team worked tirelessly and nothing was to much trouble . We cannot recommend this place enough for anyone looking for the perfect venue. Thanks you so much everyone. Love paul& gary

I had such a lovely day at my daughters christening on 12th September, the venue looked amazing and fitted what I had in mind, the food was also lovely. However, the management and how the old vicarage is run was appalling. It felt as soon as a deposit was made or a payment was made for the day, you would not hear back from them. I rung several times to receive a receipt, however there was never anybody who picked up the phone so I had to then go in which it was then claimed “the email address was down” however later that day I then got a response from that email address. We were told we only had 3 hours at the venue, but we was late arriving from the church meaning we only had then 2 and a half hours, therefore promptly at 4:30pm, the ladies who were working started telling us we needed to leave and started taking down all of our decorations and just putting them outside whilst all of our guests were still there. I felt it was a hell of a lot of money for what it actually was in the end. Apparently at the end there was last orders at the bar, however nobody knew and all of a sudden it was just closed. Some family had just brought some drinks towards the end, put them down, spoke to someone and the bar staff had cleared full glasses away. If you’d like all your guests to be kicked out and all of your decorations to be removed, with full and expensive drinks to be thrown away then this is the venue for you!

There are absolutely no words to express our gratitude to Laura and the team. In the face of all that 2020 has hit us with they all made our wedding (rearranged at 36 hours notice) the best day of our lives. From responding to every email, to keeping me as up to date as they are with the daily changes, to making me feel as special a bride as I could with everything going on. I just cannot thank them all enough. I also cannot recommend them enough as a wonderful and beautiful wedding venue with the most cooperative and helpful staff I have ever experienced. Thank you xxx

We were disappointed with the lack of Hospitality. But more so lack of facilities in the rooms. No Tea/Coffee. No Hairdryer making it feel very basic. Very Amateurish, Lack of Professionalism. We won’t be going back.

Clearly owned by ignorant gits with no concern for their neighbours and yes when your music can be heard loud and clear at the station (Cyndi Lauper blasting out at around 10.30 on Thursday 29th August) you do have neighbours. We were staying near the station for a few nights and had to listen to this crap nearly every evening.

My Husband and I married at The Old Vicarage on Sunday so this review is for their food. Our first meal as Husband and Wife was superb, I’m always a little reserved when venues have to cater in quantities larger than 10 as to whether the food will be tasty, hot and served well but I was left with nothing to worry about at all. Every guest was served promptly after the top table, all our food was hot and every dietary requirement catered for. We had a few celiac and gluten free options and all was dealt with no fuss and discreetly. The children had mains and dessert which were served with the adult starters so all ate together and we had many compliments from our guests on the food choice and quality so we were delighted! Absolutely chuffed with The Old Vicarage as our wedding venue choice and the food is certainly worth visiting for.

I was somewhat surprised that the guest rooms do not have tea and coffee making facilities. Having arrived at about 5pm after a long drive I enquired at reception to discover that these would be provided when the bar opened at 6pm. I went to the garage opposite to get two Costa coffees. Great first impressions! The room was clean but basic. No hangers or hair dryer, but otherwise OK. So in summary budget accommodation at premium prices! The event facilities were excellent and would have justified a four or five star rating. We enjoyed the evening. Breakfast was from 9am so it was back over to the garage for a Costas at 8am. Not good! Overall this was such a shame. The venue deserves better and the staff try hard. How much would coffee, tea, a kettle, a hair dryer and a few hangers cost?

It is hard to believe this venue has a TA four star rating. The lady in charge told us, retrospectively, that it was not actually a B&B but a series of rooms above the function room … Okay … but priced from £150 a night for a basic room is a bit pricey even for the New Forest. We suggest it should not be described on other websites as a hotel with B&B. First impression, as you drive in, shows a home and grounds looking a bit dilapidated on a main road with limited parking for a function. The rooms where a terrible disappointment. Apart from being a bit grubby, there were no hangers, no hairdryer and no kettle, forget tissues, bathroom shelves and the usual comforts. Two of the small ceiling lights in our bathroom, which had no natural light, did not work and the shower attachment was so bunged up with scale that it did not work to wash hair but managed to squirt its meagre spray at all other angles to soak the walls and floor of this dark little en-suite. So having missed rinsing hair adequately you were faced with the no hairdryer situation. For some (psychic) reason I had brought mine but that blew the fuses and we were left in darkness. There were other niggles not worth mentioning here. A close relative of the bride-to-be had driven over five hours and expected to find coffee/tea making facilities in her superior room (£160 per night) and when she asked how she could get cup of tea was told to cross the busy main road outside and go to the garage. We have just returned from Ireland where each of our three B&Bs greeted us by name with a smile and with a pot of tea or coffee and a cake. Thank goodness this guest did not require a hair dryer (like the rest of us), as they would probably have been asked her to take a trip to Robert Dyas …. Another guest needing an iron, had to ask a relative leave the party to drive to the bride-to-be’s home to fetch one. If they do not supply the normal basic hotel room accoutrements which you would expect from a function venue which serves breakfast the next day, then tell guests on their website before they arrive unequipped. We could then shower at home or book a nearby proper hotel for the same price but with facilities. There was just one young man behind the function room bar. His manner lacked charm as he busied himself sorting glasses and ignoring us as we waited to order a round. Eventually when we did get served, the bill was circa £20 too high. Admittedly their drink prices were at a premium but £20 extra in addition seemed way too much so we asked for a till receipt. This could not be produced so we asked the lady, who we assumed to be his manager, to work out the prices. This took a good half an hour for her to establish that this lad ‘may have pressed the wrong button in error’ to make a glass of Prossecco the price of a bottle. Error or no, and possibly easily done, surely anybody could realise if they had overcharged a small round by over twenty quid even on these inflated prices ……. Basic continental breakfast was served for twelve guests around a small table. Luckily our party were not overweight otherwise it would have been even more of an intimate squeeze of first time acquaintances. The only choice for breakfast was 09.00 am, so hard luck for those who would have wanted a different time. The lady in charge of breakfast was nice and friendly. As indeed the lady we assumed to be the manager who who was prompt to try to sort things out for us, but nice and friendly is not enough. We think this covers our particular disappointment but it is important to say because the price £150 a night for a basic room off a main road is far too high and the place needs TLC and someone skilled in hotel management and or common sense to give a sprinkle of magic and this place would be lovely and befitting of any occasion. Regardless of these small gripes, a good time was had by all and the actual function rooms worked and I am sure on a sunny day the outdoor area would be lovely.

Beautiful location and grounds just the food wasnt to the standard I would have expected. Poor choices for the afternoon tea and all the cakes were bland and a bit dry to be honest. The chocolate cake was the worst :( sandwichs were okay but not the greatest.

We just went to the Old Vicarage for our cousin’s wedding. What a beautiful place, it is nicely decorated, clean and they were very organised. The food was deliciously cooked and plentiful. The only downside was the bar staff, they were pretty appalling. They should have been better at keeping an eye on the queue and there should have been more than one person behind the bar at all times. Apart from that, we were blessed with good weather at a beautiful venue.

We Had our wedding in this beautiful place.. The food was outstanding,the service could not foult it. Every thing went absolutely as we have planned,it was the best day of our life and would not imagine anywhere else Many thanks to the time !!

Attended a friends wedding, lovely location with various areas outside and in. The grounds are superb and the location is handy for other hotels for guests. The bar wasn't overly priced, a bottle of ale for £3.80, I've seen some venues charge over a fiver! The groom put on a cask of Ringwood for the guests but this was provided by the venue. Not sure it was set up properly and some of the bar staff, although friendly, were a little inexperienced. All in all, we had a great evening in a beautiful setting so no complaints.

What a great venue for a wedding. Everything about the venue was perfect. The Marquee was exactly what you would want for a wedding adding a romantic element. The dance floor and music was absolutely correct. Some weddings have the music volume up too loud so you cannot chat easily. The weather contributed perfectly to this style of wedding reception. Couldn't fault it

Fuimos a la boda de nuestro amigo en la calle 1 de junio. La boda fue maravillosa ubicada en un hermoso jardín (secreto) y el personal muy atento durante todo el día.

Visité El Viejo Vicaria para un amigo boda familiar. El lugar es precioso y a pesar de estar en el 35 y cerca de la línea ferroviaria, no hay duda de que estás tan cerca del bullicio y el ajetreo de la vida cotidiana. Se siente como si estuvieras en medio de la campiña.

Fuimos a una boda en este hotel. Desde la carretera principal la entrada al aparcamiento por la granja de fruta y es bastante fácil perderse. El aparcamiento es de hierba y luego a través de la pérgola bajo un jardines que son muy maduros y ofrecen muchas oportunidades para tomar fotos y para niños.

What a spectacular place we attended for the Howes Wedding the staff were so pipe and friendly and grounds to the place were stunning the kids loved playing on the activity area and running inbetween the grounds. I would highly recommend this place to everyone

Reservamos el Old Vicarage para el té de la tarde después de un enterramiento in situ en Woodlands. Sé que tiene una reputación de bodas, pero no había estado allí por años.

The food was really good, entrees priced $15+ and the mains around 32 to 44+, desserts $14-15. The only thing lacking was the atmosphere, no ambience, candles on some tables but very bright lighting no drapes. No atmosphere, far to bright for a intimate dinner and same for a larger group. Given I had experienced fine food and atmosphere the night before at Fiddlesticks, I would return there before here. I think for a fine food experience and great ambience you have better options in Christchurch. However if you live in Halswell, then a good choice. Beautiful old building extended with a elegant bar out the back. Heaps of parking.

I chose this place for my daughters birthday venue. They helped in organising what I wanted in that was a disco, and also a buffet. There was plentiful of food for everyone. The owner was really friendly and would recommend this venue.

Tuvimos la suerte de ser invitado a venir para la boda de un amigo, y nos lo pasamos de maravilla durante las celebraciones. Le pregunté si comida sin gluten podría proporcionarse - se té de la tarde, seguido de pizza en la noche. No me...

Wow!!!! Came here for a wedding had an amazing time! Beautiful venue, staff are fantastic cannot fault them so kind and helpful!!! Food was delicious first wedding I've attended (other than my own) where I have eaten everything!!!!! Highly highly recommend!!!!

We had an afternoon tea yesterday for my Mum's birthday and it was absolutely brilliant. There were about 30 of us and the food was brilliant and the staff were absolutely excellent. It is set in beautiful grounds and would be the ideal place to have a wedding. Could not fault it

Celebration of friends life on 6th July. Although overflow parking not well signed - not a real issue - venue lovely. Cups very badly tea stained - was surprised at how such a well run venue could put out cups that are so badly stained - not just one or two either. Can I suggest that even with fine china (which some of the cups were), they need either a proper wash on inside, or can go in dishwasher each time - mine do and are absolutely OK .Please be assured however that this didn't spoil our afternoon - and thank you for lovely venue.

The Old Vicarage provides guests with excellent accommodation and a fabulous breakfast. The staff are very attentive and the rooms are excellent . I loved my stay there.

My fiance and I are getting married here next year and we decided to dine in the restaurant as a valentines treat.We were blown away by the quality of food and can honestly say it was one of the best meals out we have ever had.We cannot wait for the wedding and I think we will be making a few more visit before hand!

We celebrated our Daughter and Son in Law's wedding at the Old Vicarage last week. We worked closely with Julie our wedding coordinator and were very happy with the way the whole day went.They were able to tailor things to our requirements and they accommodated all our requests. It is a lovely venue and particularly nice to have sole use the house and grounds so that the occasion seemed really special.The food was brilliant and staff are very pleasant and hardworking. Great wine list too!Many thanks to all at the Old Vicarage

I know everybody says this but I have to start by saying I'm not the kind of person who usually writes reviews but just had to in this instance! We had our wedding day here in September and Laura, Julie and the team were so helpful and accommodating. I had visions of my perfect wedding and wasn't at all disappointed! The afternoon tea was delicious and served on the prettiest vintage china and worked perfectly with the marquee garden party vibe we were going for. From my first meeting with Laura and Julie I really felt they understood what I wanted and helped me achieve it. Not only that but we were lucky with the weather on the day too so got to enjoy the lovely gardens. I'm only sorry I can't recreate the day again, it really was one of the best days of my life. Thank you!

Lovely private room, service excellent, food all home baked lots of it and of high quality. Delightful afternoon.

The food was terrible and very plain, customer service extremely poor. The two ladies who were in charge of the venue were very snooty and up themselves. Drink prices an absolute rip off, trying to get as much money as possible "Money Grabbing Business".Overall poor experience and will not be returning.

We were lucky enough to spend our wedding day here in Late August.The day was perfect from start to finish.The food was great, the venue looked amazing (luckily the weather held out for us), and the staff were outstanding.Special thanks to Laura, Julie & Josie and the rest of the staff who were professional, friendly and made the whole day run like clockwork.This is a gem of a wedding venue, and you could do a lot worse that hold your special day here.

We had our wedding here in March '14 and it was a beautiful day. Staff so very friendly and helpful and they are very accommodating. We had a winter package so it was a great price for what we got, food was amazing and the whole day flowed really well thanks to the staffs great organisation. Very comfortable and clean rooms and the gardens surrounding the manor are beautiful.Belated review but we are very thankful for an amazing day.

Went on the off chance and was delighted with the rare roast beef selected. Not very busy for Sunday lunch but good value at £25 or thereabouts for three courses.

Everyone had a lovely time at the Old Vicarage. Ideal for us as the whole venue is hired out exclusively for your party. This event was for the wake after my mother-in-laws funeral. The owner and staff could not have been more helpful. We arrived the day before to set up a tribute. Buffet food was of good quality and plenty for all the guests. ordered mixed sandwiches, vegetable crudities and dips, individual quiche, Greek salad, smoked salmon, pate and bread, followed by Eton mess or Chocolate brownie and ice cream or fresh fruit.The guests were able to sit inside or outside or wander round the expansive gardens. Laura helped with menu choice and wine selection. There seemed to be lots of tea and coffee available. Fruit Juice and water. Did not hire any of the bedrooms but were shown round and they were of a good standard. Would visit again for another family occasion. Venue could suit businesses for private meetings or team building. Would recommend to friends.

Overall, my wedding day at The Old Vicarage was amazing. The venue is stunning however considering we paid the best part of £7000 for our day, there were a few areas that I felt could have been dealt with better. Firstly, they took over an hour to serve all 100 guests with a hog roast - two people serving would have sped this whole process up. Secondly, the wine on the tables was lovely however the wine served behind the bar was barely drinkable - I've heard from more than 50% of my guests that they also thought this. Last but not least, once our day was over, all customer care went out of the window. I asked for the left over wedding cake to take home the following morning (it hadn't been covered up by the kitchen staff so had dried out and was thrown away). There was also a mountain of cheese and ham left which I feel we should have been offered to take home as we had paid for it. Once again, this disappeared. Until we paid, customer service was fabulous. Once we had paid, customer service went down hill. If this was a regular pub or restaurant, there would be repeat business. My family and I came away with the distinct feeling that once they have your money, then there is no love which is a shame as the staff were lovely and the day was excellent however these few points did leave us feeling a little miffed. We also called the hotel a couple of times after the wedding to ask about lost items to which the general manager was very short and not at all helpful - once again, leaving us with the feeling that once they have your business, there is no care in the after service because to be honest, how ofter do most of us get married?

What can we say - We had our wedding at the Old Vicarage and from the moment we saw the venue and met the team we have been treated to the most amazing service. Nothing has ever been too much trouble, the staff are absolutely brilliant and helped make the day the stress free event that we wanted. We had our ceremony in the Orangery, which was gorgeous with the sun flooding in, then an afternoon tea and evening hog roast - both of which were the main talking point of guests as the food was exceptional. We had family and friends staying with us and each of the bedrooms was exceptionally clean and beautifully presented - with a well needed and very tasty Full English breakfast the next morning. With such a charming atmosphere and a homely 'open house' feel we could not recommend The Old Vicarage enough. Thank you to everyone one there - we had an amazing day!

As usual, the carvery is the same - good and convenient and well worth the money. On Sunday's it is packed and so hot... but the rest of the week is better.

A Sunday lunch to avoid. Cold meat; rock hard potatoes; no gravy; ghastly vegetables and a management who are too superior to the clients to apologise. I was offered a complimentary coffee by a confused waitress. Management were present but seemed to deem us unworthy of a decent apology. This is Christchurch where there are many fine restaurants and pubs with polite staff and management. The Old Vicarage needs to learn for their example.

We have just returned from our Honeymoon, and have finally had the time to write about our wonderful wedding day!We had our wedding ceremony in the Orangery at The Old Vicarage. The room looked stunning, and lots of guests commented on what an unusual room it was, with the high ceilings - full of light - surrounded by garden.The Wedding Co-ordinator is so lovely. On hand through out the day, with all fine details under control. It was great to not have to worry about thing, everything flowed really well.Being a November wedding, we were nervous about the weather on the day. Raining in the morning, it soon brightened up by afternoon. Perfect for photos with backdrops of autumn leaves.We held the whole vent in the Main House with Exclusive Use. Lots of our friends thought it was so unusual to have the whole place to ourselves.For our Wedding Breakfast we had designed our own Menu, having 3 Courses of the most gorgeous food. All of the dishes were presented beautifully.We took out all 6 bedrooms for our friends and family. Each room is beautifully furnished, just wish I could make my house look like this place! The following morning we were presented with a large breakfast table laid up for our 11 Guests in The Orangery. We had a great morning catching up n the day before - with our hangovers!I originally discovered this Venue, and my Husband was delighted with the relaxed atmosphere, down to the fact it is family-run with people who really care. It was fabulous to find somewhere unique and most importantly somewhere which lots of guests had never been to before, making it even more special & individual.Thank you to everyone at The Old Vicarage Mr & Mrs Stevens x

My partner and I moved from London to New Milton in August, and being lovers of a traditional Sunday roast, we were thrilled to find this fabulous establishment close-by. On our initial visit the roast was served as a carvery, much to our delight as we prefer to choose what goes on our plate. The meat was tender, the potatoes perfectly crisp (surprisingly difficult to find in most establishments) and the selection of vegetables plentiful and delicious. Having grown weary of bland and mediocre Sunday roasts served in so many pubs/restaurants, we resolved to make The Old Vicarage our regular haunt. What a find!We returned a few weeks later, disappointed to discover the carvery had been replaced by a plated serving, yet happy with the quality and quantity of the food. I did, however, have an issue with the way it was served. The meat was tender as before, and the potatoes were lovely and crisp, yet they were served with a very watery cauliflower cheese which left the potatoes soggy on the bottom. The gravy and other vegetables were served separately. In my humble opinion, it would have been wise to serve the cauliflower cheese in a separate dish, to avoid drenching other items on the plate. Better still, improve the recipe to achieve a richer, thicker sauce. I gave my feedback to the Management via their website, however never received a response so not sure if my comments were noted. I'm due to return for Sunday lunch soon with friends, so hopefully these minor improvements have been made. Only then can I recommend this is as the perfect Sunday Roast, deserved of the top rating.

My daughters wedding was a great day at the vicarage and their are so many good things to say but I could say as many things they need to address quickly, £15 for s childs breakfast!!

Had a wonderful day recently for my Daughter's wedding.The weather was very kind to us considering the dreadful forecast.The food was very good and served hot the rooms very clean and comfortable and a good choice for breakfast.A lot of work was done by the staff which was much appreaciated and contributed to making it a wonderful day.If they manage to get the improvements they are trying to do agreed by the council they will make an already wonderful location into an even better one, we had many comments from guests on the day regarding how lovely the location is.

Visited for a cream tea with friends. Delicious hot scones with homemade raspberry jam, thick clotted cream and plenty of tea. All served on assorted floral china in a light airy conservatory, gardens were beautiful too. Highly recommended.

Had a 2 night stay, the room was lovey, big comfortable bed every thing very clean a well presented. Best breakfast ever and was served hot. would defiantly stay again.

Recentlly visited this lovely hotel for lunch with elderly grandmother to book 100th birthday party. Had lunch whilst there. Fish and chips, tempura prawns and cream tea with sandwiches. Really lovely food. The Tempura prawns were divine, mouthwatering and delicious, so much so that we have chosen it on our menu.The staff couldn't have been more helpful in deciding details for our celebration taking time,great care and flexibility in menu choices and deatails for the great day. I was very impressed.The venue itself is quiet, comfortable with lovely gardens. We also had a look at the rooms with a view to any of our guests wanting to stay overnight. My goodness they are lovely. A very high standard of finish. Lovely decor. Looked very comfortable.I look forward to writing another review after our do in November. Somerset Foodie

Great decor and cosy atmosphere, but disappointed to be charged £9 for a very poor ploughman's lunch. Home baked bread was advertised on the menu but the bread served was a thinly sliced piece of bread and no way home baked! Very very expensive , I have never paid this much for a ploughman's lunch! The salad was poor as was the small amount of ham. Would have been happy to pay £4.95 but not £9! I won't be going back which is a shame as I am a local and it could be a fab spot for lunching, seems to be very focused on weddings.

Had a meal here in March and have waited to see if my friends who went last week fared any better. Apparently not, Sunday lunch was poor, not good value and my friends felt like they weren't wanted. For me and my partner, we took some friends who visited us from London and I was concerned that they didn't enjoy the experience, so I tested it with them. No they wouldn't go back, they thought it was a lovely venue, but service was poor and the food was not up to the standard it professes to be. Would we all go back, no, and its a shame because the venue is lovely.

Spent a lovely night at The Old Vicarage - breakfast included in the room rate and it was excellentthis is a lovely boutique hotel - our suite was very comfortable and spotlesslovely bath tub - but missed a shower

We went for my birthday treat a few Sundays ago, service was polite but very slow, and they took other groups orders first who had arrived after us, never good. We all ordered roast, mine was a vegetarian strudel which sounded a nice change to vegetarian lasagne that all pubs seem to offer. As I dug in I saw pink bits in the cabbage, yuck! Bacon! I was almost sick, they apologised, re-plated, sent apologies from the head chef but obviously as a vegetarian I felt a little sick and disgusted. Pudding wasn't much to write home about. One was free due to the earlier mistake. We will not be back.

We called in for Sunday lunch. I had roast pork, my daughter roast beef. Service was good and they were very helpful with off menu options for our toddler.The vegetable part of the roast dinner was great, clearly plated up before the meat was put on top, but the meat was very dissappointing. Each plate had a few very thin slices of meat, tough in spite of being thin. They reminded me of the frozen meat in ready meal roasts - or wafer thin ham. At £10.99 each, the price is high enough to expect proper roast meat from a proper roast joint. An economy which means we won't be going back.

Slow down as you drive through Hinton, turn off the main road toward the station for a bite at the restaurant here. I dined in three places in the area during my stay and this one was a clear winner.

This was our fourth visit for Sunday lunch. On the three previous occasions we found the roastsand vegetables nicely presented, well cooked and hot. However on this occasion the vegetableswere bland, warm and my cauliflower looked as if it had been left over from the day before. Yes another portion of perfectly cooked cauliflower was provided when I complained but should have been on my plate to begin with. This experience will make us think twice about returning for another Sunday lunch

We decided to try out the old vicarage for a Sunday roast... would we return? No.Menu: At first glance a really good menu though 90% of the starters featured corriander, not a herb i'm fond of! Kids: the only option they have is a roast, we thought this was pretty odd as the adults were offered quite a few. Having asked the waitress if they do half portions for the kids she informed us the only other option we could have was fish and chips. Our son was quite happy with that and I must say that the meal was lovely with good batter and handcut chips. Our other son, however went for the roast, this was a huge portion for a child, it looked dry and the veg was quite hard. It didn't appeal to him at all so we ended up having to re order another fish and chips and paying double! Starters: I had the ham hock terrine, which was nice but i wouldnt call it a terrine, more like plain gammon, the chutney was tasty but could have done with some sort of moisture that most chutneys have to bind it together, it was hard to keep it on the crisp breads. My partner had the spring roll which he was happy with.Main: We both had a roast, pork and beef... pork was nice and moist, beef again moist but lots of sinue running through it which was a chore to cut around and chewy to eat. Creamy leeks and cauliflower cheese were both lovely its a shame the same amount of love didn't go into the rest of the dinner, roasters were under cooked, gravy tastless, parsnips undercooked. The whole meal needed a lot of seasoning which i've never had to do before in a restaurant making me feel that the food wasnt seasoned at all. Overall they have the right ingredients and the right idea but just not pulling it off. A touch more love and preparation should get people coming back.Dessert: Creme brule- more like a panacotta. Chocolate brownie was like mush, one edge was cooked! Ice-cream was nice.Service: Girl was nice and polite, felt sorry for her as she was the only member of waiting staff and she couldn't keep up with the service making it rather slow. A 'chef' came out a couple of times to serve never asking who had what and consiquently giving us the wrong dishes with his guess work. He was just wearing an apron, no chef whites giving us the impression they may have spent to much on renovating and not enough on staff.Toilets: Nice and clean, soap and cream with hand towellsOverall, we wouldn't come back, having the play equipment in the gardens gives the wrong impression that this place is family friendly but to not even have a few options for the children was shocking. It also wasn't cheap at over 80 quid for 2 adults 2 children (no alchohol). Food standards need to improve.

Great service and ambience... Lovely starters top quality....I had pate..beautiful ..guest had mussels which were great.. Main course I had fish and Chips and my guest had fag*ots both thoroughly enjoyable.p.. Give it a try...

My friends and I went here for our Christmas meal and we had a terrible time.We called ahead to prebook the Christmas menu and we were told that we didn't have to pre book and we could just order on the day. At the meal we were told that this wasn't the case and made to feel like we were meant to be lying about being told that on the phone. Secondly, the lighting kept flickering and caused no end of irritations among the group. Next, we had water spilt across one of our laps by one of the waiting staff.All in all terrible and the food was in no way as good as the price we paid for it would have suggested.I really wanted to like this place, and it was meant to be an enjoyable night out with friends that hadn't seen each other in sometime but it wasnt

My husband and I visited on a miserable November evening. We phoned to book prior but did not need to as when we arrived there was only one other couple and a small family. The place and lovely charm, and the hostess was very lovely. The music seemed a bit out of place (modern chart hits) and was quite loud, but I suppose this is very subjective.We both had three courses each. I personally felt that it was slightly over priced, but our food was lovely. Hubby was very pleased with his moules mariniere and beef bourguignon, I was a bit disappointed with my veggie main, and was still hungry afterwards, would have been good to have some extra veg or potato with it? Our desserts however were very yummy, with delicious ice creams.Would visit again, but would try and catch one of their set menu deals.

We have passed this restaurant on several occasions, but never had the desire to go in.Anyway on the off chance my wife and I decided to pop in for lunch. We hadn't booked but were lucky enough to get a table adjacent to the fire.We had the 3 courses - including a fantastic beof bourginon.Try it, enjoy it and write your opinion on Trip Advisor - I would like to have your views.

I visited the Old Vicarage for Sunday lunch with my In Laws, Husband and children. We all thoroughly enjoyed it, my Father In Law (who is extremely well travelled) actually said it was one of the best Sunday lunches he has ever had! I had the roast pork and it was absolutely delcious, the vegetables were extrelely varied (not your bog standard) and all cooked very well. I went on to have a desert which was amazing. On a Sunday the childrens menu is a little restricted as they can only have a roast, but that was fine for us. I highly recommend the Old Vicarage. The price is quite average, we couldn't afford to come here every week, but I will definitely be returning. Looks like a lovely place to stay as well.

We met some good friends here recently for a Friday evening dinner together in the Restaurant.The 4 of us received a very warm welcome from the friendly staff and the log fire in the dining room made it very cosy and warm on a fairly miserable November evening. However, we were surprised that there was only one other couple dining in the restaurant, although the atmosphere was still very pleasant.The meal and drinks were of excellent quality although we felt a little expensive for what we had. Our friend is very partial to Whitebait, which, although is only avaialble on the Lunch Menu, the Chef was happy to prepare them for him - He was very pleased!We would be happy to recommend this restaurant based on this visit.

We stayed here overnight. The accommodation is excelllent - it is tastefully decorated throughout and in excellent condition. Our evening meal was fabulous and at a good price, too. The menu covered an appropriate range. We had the crab starter and halibut on a bed of squid ink pasta. Both courses were wonderful. The breakfast menu was comprehensive and from it we had eggs royale. These were very enjoyable. Drinks were reasonably priced. The hotel is in a good position as a base for visiting both the coast and the New Forest interior.Thoroughly recommended.

We booked a table for 4,one of our guest had a special food requirement in which, with plenty of warning the chef was pleased to do.The food was excellent and the service was very good.The drinks were cheaper as we arived in happy hour 16.00-19.00Our guests where very impressed and they will be returning.All in all a good country hotel/restaraunt with friendly very accomadating staff.Have also been on a 2for1 night that was equally good.

My wife and I attend our friends wedding and wedding reception at The Old Vicarage on 1st September 2012. From arrival on the Saturday afternoon to departure late on Sunday morning we were made to feel at home by the staff who were welcoming, friendly and attentive without being 'in your face'. The wedding was in the new extension and was a perfect setting for the ceremony. Afterwards a delicious afternoon tea was served in the beautiful gardens, again the staff working unobtrusively to set it up, serve and clear away. There was a hog roast in the evening served in a lovely courtyard area and guest had use of the dining area, bar area and gardens for the whole evening. All in all it was a superb day, most importantly for the happy couple, but also for everyone we spoke to. As already mentioned the staff were really good and the owner/manager was very friendly and accessible and seemed to enjoy the event as much as the guests and certainly couldn't do enough for our friends.The bedroom we had at The Old Chapel was excellent, large room and large en-suite. Spotlessly clean and very comfortable.Breakfast the next morning was delicious with a good, varied menu of locally sourced food. The staff were friendly and chatty and their was no pressure to finish up and leave and indeed we stayed around chatting till late morning.If you are looking for a place to stay or a venue for a wedding/party we can recommend The Old Chapel very, very highly and encourage you to go see for yourselves.

We live locally and thought we'd give this newly renovated hotel/restaurant a try, and were not disappointed. Freshly cooked, tasty food with some superb wine. The only criticism would be that the waitress did not invite us to taste the wine before pouring it out, but this is a minor point - the wine was excellent. We will be back!

We went to The Old Vicarage specially for their 2 for 1 offer on Fish & Chips on a Tuesday evening. Whilst the meal itself was great, the service needs improving. Our welcome was less than enthusiastic and a smile would have been nice. Having chosen where we were to sit we were given the menu - no mention of the Fish & Chip special by either the waitress or in the menu! Our waitress asked if we would like a drink, but we had to ask for the wine/drinks list which should have been offered to us. We have no complaints about the food at all - the chocolate dessert was wonderful. We did have to ask for our bill after an unacceptable time lag, and having to interrupt a private conversation between the 2 waitresses didn't bless us. I would have given the restaurant 5 if the service had been better.

Having looked at the online offers page of this restaurant and spotting a two course meal for £12.95 our group of five was looking forward to a lovely meal.It turned out to be a very disappointing evening when we were told as it was curry night the £12.95 offer was not available. This certainly was not made clear on their website as there was no mention of a curry night on the offers page.After we queried this the waitress actually came back and said she had checked online and that it was made clear on the site that the offer was not available on curry night.After we got home and checked the website again that turned out to be untrue. Having already had curry that week as a vegetarian I was only left with one meal option and it took quite a while before the waitress managed to find out if that was suitable as it contained cheese.My meal was a real let down and the couscous had an awful taste.Even the fish and chips that the restaurant is meant to do really well, was disappointing according to another of the group. The chips were very dark and soggy.I have since sent 3 emails to suggest the website details should be changed. The first email was ignored and when I resent it I received a reply saying the site had been changed when it actually had not. There was no mention of the fact that we thought the food was not up to standard. I sent another email saying that the offer was still showing and although I did not receive a reply at least they have at last changed the details online. In the one reply I actually did receive it said that there was a mention of menus were subject to change and I understand different dishes may not be on the menu but would never have taken that to mean that an advertised offer was not available. Our group meets up once a month and this is the first restaurant that we have been to that we would never go to again.Very disappointing

Had Sunday lunch here, the food was excellent and well priced. I had Roast Beef which was tender and perfectly cooked with well cooked and presented vegetables. (Not everywhere gets the veg right) The white chocolate and Pistashio Bread and Butter Pudding came as a big portion and was a nice combination. The Lemon Tart was rather a small portion but lovely. The service was friendly and helpful and the decor stylish with nice view of the garden from the dining room. Will return if in area again.

Just returned from this charming unpretentious hotel where i attended friends wedding. I was so impressed by the hard work and effort the owner and staff team put in to making this day a real success for the couple. The quality of food and the effort put in behind the scenes was unbelievable. It is such a homely cosy and unpretentious venue and for those on a tight budget a real find. A big thank you to everyone who made this a wedding to remember. Ps breakfast was outstanding.

A couple of months ago I took a trip to the new forest with my partner and 5 week old baby. On our way we stopped to eat in this restaurant as there was a sign outside advertising a 2 for 1 offer so we decided to try it out. We are so pleased we did as its now our favorite place to eat. It has such a brilliant atmosphere, the staff are very friendly and the hotel and gardens are beautiful.The food has been excellent every time, although the 2 for 1 offer is only on tuesdays, its still well worth the money!We would highly recommend!

Recently, we held our daughters 1st birthday & naming ceremony at The Old Vicarage Hotel. Firstly I would like to thank everyone at the hotel for making the whole day so special. The staff were all so kind, helpful and welcoming, nothing was too much trouble. Compliments to the chef, the food was delicious; we ordered a hog roast for the party, which was cooked to perfection and served with fresh salads, home-made coleslaw, potato salad and home-made chips. A very tasty buffet was also put on for the children which included fresh fruit and vegetables. We made the most of the beautiful weather and decided to hold the party outside; we had full use of the beautiful gardens, gazebo and marquee; this was ideal for the kids (and some of the adults) to run about and have fun. We set some decks up, bouncy castle, decorated the garden with balloons and held lots of fun and games for everyone. For many of our guests it was their first visit to The Old Vicarage, they all commented on the lovely atmosphere, great food and how beautifully decorated the hotel was. Everyone left thoroughly impressed and said that they will most certainly be returning. Just a minutes walk from the hotel is Hinton Admiral Station, this was very handy for our guests who did not drive.Overall we are very, very happy with the service that was provided, thanks once again for making our special day so wonderful. I would be happy to hold future functions at this hotel and will be returning soon to enjoy a tasty meal in the lovely restaurant. Kindest regards,A very pleased Lizzy!

We have driven past frequently and noticed the recent improvements going on, so as we only live a short walk down the road decided to visit.The restaurant is fairly small and cosy with a bar at one end and doors leading out onto the large garden which has a gazebo were you can sit outside weather permitting. The service was friendly and efficient but with only one person covering the bar, taking orders and serving they are up against it. The menu is more suited to a lunchtime than an evening such as burger, ham egg and chips, fish & chips etc. The food was ok but not great, for example the ribs were a very large rack of tender ribs that came with fries and a tasty coleslaw but with barbecue sauce just smeared on the top instead of being marinated which meant they lacked flavour. The burger was tender but dry and lacked a good relish or accompaniments. Overall I would say this is a nice place to go for a lunch but they need to up there game to improve the quality of the food if they are to get repeat business.

Like dining in someone's house. A bit charmingly old fashioned. Food was good. An interesting venue.

We asked the hotel to create a Spanish themed night for us we had amazing paella and tapas with sangria - wonderful!!

Many thanks to you and your staff for making our daughter's wedding reception on Friday such a pleasant and memorable occasion. Food, service, (even the weather) first class. We've also had many nice responses from our guests for the location and food, very good time had by all. Those of us who stayed overnight also enjoyed your comfortable bedrooms, and a few even managed the splendid full 'English' as well.Keep up the good work, and see you again soon.

We live locally and following a shopping trip to Ringwood we dropped into The Old Vicarage on impulse as time was getting on for preparing lunch at home.It was fairly busy but they found us a table and we took advantage of the 2 for 1 offer of fish and chips. It was well cooked and well presented, staff were very cheerful and attentive, surroundings comfortable and we would certainly go back for another visit with family and friends.While we were there there was a party of very elderly folk and I was extremely impressed with how kind,patient and helpful their staff were to them. Reassuring for MY future visits!Oh yes, don't forget to look out for the amazing wall covering in the reception area.Your eyes will deceive you .

We visited here for a meal on our wedding anniversary and had a lovely time - nothing was too much trouble. The staff were attentive and cheerful and the meal was faultless.We shall return very soon!

Lunch here was a great disappointment. Living locally and on the recommendation of a friend who had previously sampled the Tuesday special of fish and chips, the Old Vicarage seemed an ideal venue for our Tuesday outing. The table was booked the day before as Tuesdays could be busy. On arrival there was no one to greet us and with another couple we wandered around looking for assistance. Eventually a member of staff arrived and we were shown (ie a pointed finger in the direction of) to our table for two ,which was literally squeezed into a tight corner inches away from a table with a large party of 10 to 12 people. A waitress took our drinks order and after a reasonable wait they arrived. Then the really long wait began. Suffice to say this went on for a WHOLE HOUR before our meal arrived with apologies. No-one came to address us during our marathon wait (I had to go looking for staff when eventually it was possible to squeeze out of the corner) for simple fish and chips and the result of my enquiry was that the fryer had broken down! Could not an alternative been offered? Pasta for example? Not rocket science! The batter on the fish was not of the best and better can be had at Browns in Somerford. Coffee was a disappointment too, tasteless to the degree it was undrinkable. Staff need to smile more and make customers feel they are enjoying their job? Only pleased we were not having a celebration meal - it would have been a disaster. Will not be returning in a hurry.

I wanted a surprise (for my wife) dinner party to celebrate our Ruby Wedding Anniversary - just 16 - 20 people and an intimate family atmosphere. Everything was organised by Lauren and the incredibly helpful and friendly owners & staff - nothing was too much trouble.The bar and atmosphere, the 5 course meal, the bedrooms and the breakfast next day were all impeccable, while the overall service was informal and attentive.Costs were clearly defined initially, and there were no diversions or "hidden extras" - It was just perfect.

We went for a meal on a Thursday there were 6 of us the food was great my lamb was cooked to perfection and my partner had the burger that she raved on to everyone about all week the staff were very helpful and welcoming I would highly recommend this place can't wait to go back

Lovely house with beautiful decor.I was not overly happy with my meal as my burger was served completely rare in the middle. Whilst I'm ok with steak being on the rare side I prefer dishes with mince to be cooked throughout. I did mention i was not too happy but was told that this is how they are served. So if ordering this dish then mention at the time of ordering if you are not happy with this. The rest of our party found their meals to be nice but could have been served a bit warmer.Desserts and coffee were great.Friendly staff, relaxing atmosphere.

We had 60 people for a buffet lunch after a family funeral. the food was delicious and plentiful. The service was attentive and very friendly but unobtrusive. We enjoyed the cosy atmosphere and although it was march we enjoyed the lovely gardens. Would definatly recommend to others!

We went for an evening dinner for a family members birthday and the new owners have done a fantastic job with the Old Vicarage. Very tastefully decorated with a relaxing and inviting atmosphere, it makes for a lovely setting for a romantic meal or a family gathering. The food that we had was on the whole very good, well presented and tasty. It also does not break the bank, with a good selection of wines and beers to complement the meal.The grounds are also fabulous and would imagine once spring and summer come round with their decking outdoor area, it will be an amazing place to have a meal or even spend a weekend at as we did get a sneak peak at the rooms there and they were also finished off to a high standard.These new owners have done wonders for the Old Vicarage and it is a vast improvement on what was there before, highly recommended.

Visited today on the off chance for Sunday lunch with the family. High quality standard of food with faultless service. Great value for money and a nice homely / friendly atmosphere. We would highly recommend eating here.

We arrived at The Old Vicarage on a damp and wet day but the staff and the food were wonderful,We all were shown to are seats infront of a blazing log fire, what a real old fashion way to enjoy your food.We will be returning soon.

I have visit the \old Vicarage twice once on a Sunday & one evening visit both time with friends & family I can only say that on both occasions we were more than happy. Very good menus, & friendly service. Will certainly be visiting there again.

It was lovely to come accross a country restaurant that welcomes children, that also offers good food. So often when we go out we must compromise on either quality of food or child friendly. The Sunday Roast was delicious with an abundance of fresh vegetables on the side, accompanied with individual jugs of gravy. The children's roast was great value at £5.50, including a drink and ice-cream.After our lunch, we had a wander round the extensive grounds, through the forest, and onto the cricket pitch. The Old Vicarage is not far from our holiday home, so we look forward to returning in the summer to enjoy the gardens. A lucky find - fresh, seasonal food, and welcoming atmosphere.

My Partner and I booked 4 tickets for their New Year's eve party - - we had friends staying over and thought it would be nice to go somewhere with live music and light buffet. We wished we had never bothered - we were advised to arrive around 9pm which we did - however we had to fight through an incredibly over crowded room to get to the bar, there was nowhere in the room to stand yet alone sit. We ended up standing next to the reception desk in the hall, where everyone who wanted food had to queue. We were offered one chair for 4 of us - so we had no option but to leave - as we weren't prepared to stand in a hall way all night.We have since emailed the hotel but they didn't even have the decency to reply.This may be a nice place to eat - but we'll never know because we weren't prepared to wait 30 minutes in a queue and after the lack of service we have received we won't ever return. The evening between us cost £55 for one drink + the ticket.So our advise would be to avoid any special events here as the management are SO greedy they over sell tickets with no possibility of accommodating the numbers.

I visited this week with my wife. We were last at The Old Vicarage a few years ago, celebrating an anniversary, and pleased to hear it had re-opened.The place looks great, and the food was very enjoyable. It is family-run, and this reflects in the friendly service. Several Chickens running free on the lawn provided some entertainment.I had a pint of ringwood best, but that was the only ale on. I hope to see more real-ales next time. Definately worth a visit.

We were passing and decided to call into the restaurant to see how it was looking under new management etc. We were charmed by the lovely views over the back, and the open fire, and decided it might be the place to take my Mother in Law for a birthday meal the follwoing day. We asked what would be on the menu for vegetarians the following day, as there is only one vegetarian option and it appears to change daily. The waitress was unsure but helpfully went to speak to the chef to ask. She returned to say that he had not decided, but it would be pasta or a mushroom and nut tatin, and showed us the latter on a old menu. We are not fans of pasta, but the tatin looked good and came with a couple of interesting mashes. We communicated this to the waitress and said that we would book a table, as long as it would not be pasta on the menu. She said that would not be a problem. When we turned up for lunch the following day the vegetarian option was...pasta. When I reminded the waitress of our conversation the previous day she said that she had noticed it was pasta on teh menu, but we could still have the Tatin, I asked if it would be the same as on the old menu (ie with the same side dishes) and she said yes, so we all ordered the Tatin. Shortly after we were told there were only 2 Tatins, and there were three of us. They said I could have a "Vegetarian Roast Dinner" instead, and so I ordered this. When they arrived, the Tatins were a disappointment, somewhat tasteless burned nuts on a circle of pastry. They did not come witth the side dishes we expected, but rather just with the vegetables from the roast dinners. ie a couple of roast potatoes, a yorkshire pudding, and some cauliflower with some carrots and kale in bowl on the side to share. My Vegetarian Roast Dinner was just the vegetables as above. There was nothing wrong with the vegetables, but there was also nothing special about them, and they certainly were not worth the £9.50 they were charging for the plate (£1 less than the Roast with meat). All in all not a good birthday dining experience, and I felt embarrsemt that I had brought my Mother in Law there as a birthday treat . We had coffee and cream afterwards, which was very good, and came with a lovely home made biscottoi. The staff's attitude seemed to have changed from the previous day, and now we seemed to be "just a problem" to them and we did not feel very welcome, and so we decided to go elsewhere for pudding, and won't be back.

Four of us went to the newly re-opened Old Vicarage, Hinton, Christchurch yesterday for lunch. It proved to be an excellent experience. A fairly rustic ambience, lovely grounds, good service and really nice food all combined to make it a memorable event. We shall certainly return. The food and wine were also reasonably priced, so it didn't break the bank! The new owners deserve to succeed.