The natural beauty of the New Forest is well-known to everyone living in our part of the world.

But nestled in its depths is a hidden treasure that is far less well known – the Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu.

This hotel offers unrivalled elegance, beautifully furnished rooms and a Michelin-starred restaurant that simply has to be experienced.

Arriving at the hotel after a quick 45 minute drive, we instantly felt as though we were miles from home.

The Montagu Arms is high-class yet homely and it doesn’t have the intimidating air you might expect – or fear!

We were staying in a suite, which was decorated in a traditional style. The bed was four poster and ridiculously comfortable, and the lounge area would have been the perfect place to sit, unwind and sample the hotel’s award-winning afternoon tea.

But we had arrived in time for dinner and were more than ready to sample the food of head chef and Roux scholar Matthew Tomkinson.

Although there’s a comprehensive a la carte menu, the Terrace restaurant offers a seven-course tasting menu to showcase the chef’s skills and it would have been rude not to try it.

Other than requesting no shellfish, we left it up to the chef’s discretion to decide what we should eat. The standard was set with an amuse bouche of salmon mousse with a delicate garnish of caviar, followed by a dish of Lymington sea bass with artichoke purée and home-cured ham that was so fantastic even the memory makes my mouth water.

An oxtail lasagne followed, the slow-cooked meat meltingly soft and packed full of flavour, and then a piece of honey-roasted Merrifield duck, which was cooked pink but not rare. It simply could not be faulted.

We somehow managed to work our way through a selection of cheeses, chosen with assistance from our knowledgeable waitress.

And though it sounds like a lot of food, each dish was so well balanced and proportioned we still had room to fit in not just one, but two puddings.

The first was a twist on lemon meringue pie, served with blood orange and a striking deep green basil sorbet.

And the finale was my personal favourite, a deliciously decadent warm salted caramel fondant.

I’m no stranger to a chocolate fondant, which is a staple of many restaurants, but this was so much better. The restaurant was full and it was clear we weren’t the only ones seriously impressed with the food. It really was a meal to remember.

The next morning, we enjoyed a full English breakfast before reluctantly checking out and heading over to Beaulieu motor museum just a couple of minutes down the road.

Apparently I had been to Beaulieu as a child but I couldn’t remember it and I didn’t really know what to expect. Not being a big car fan I wasn’t sure there would be that much there for me.

But I was pleasantly surprised. It was a beautiful crisp day, perfect for strolling around the estate and there’s an amazing selection of vehicles, charting the history of the motor car from its humble beginnings to modern day luxury.

The James Bond exhibition, which features 100 iconic vehicles from the films, is well worth a look and I was intrigued by the Top Gear exhibit that showcases the weird and wonderful contraptions devised by Jeremy Clarkson and co.

We couldn’t resist going on the monorail and the Wheels ride and we loved the calm and tranquil atmosphere of Beaulieu Abbey, which was founded in 1204 by Cistercian monks, and of the Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538.

Before we realised it, the best part of the day had gone.

I never thought I could spend so long looking at cars but Beaulieu really is far more than just motors.

Getaway

Beaulieu is open daily from 10am to 6pm and the admission price includes entrance to the National
Motor Museum, BOND IN MOTION, Palace House and Gardens, Beaulieu Abbey, the World of Top Gear, the Monorail, London bus and Wheels pod rides. For further information visit beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 612345.

The Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu houses the only Michelin star restaurant in the New Forest and was awarded the Top City & Country Hotel Tea Award in 2013 by the Tea Guild. For more information or to book see montaguarmshotel.co.uk or call 01590 612324.