How is it that in a wonderful Country House located in the New Forest it is Italian cuisine that reigns

Whilst thinking of England we cannot exclude from our imagination the New Forest: vast expanses, scattered woods, an enchanting fauna, including cattles and horses, free enough to even block the most isolated of roads, creating rare traffic phenomena along those routes that, like zips, run from one end to the other of this extraordinary natural heritage.

And it could only be this green and golden scrub, the cradle of a hospitality project that has revolutionized its long-perpetuated image in this corner of England, a model that now copes grandly even without the presence of stiff service, shiny silverware, and smothering rigor, in favor of the welcoming spirit of a grand country house. As if the splendour of the place, with such an attractively dramatic landscape, has outlined the contours of comfort enclosed within the spaces of the 5 star Lime Wood Hotel, just a few kilometers from the center of Lyndhurst, a key hub of the park in southeastern Britain.

All photos are by Helen Cathcart except where otherwise noted

Were it not for that red sign by the roadside, one would hardly spot the entrance drive (and this is not at all a flaw), a gentle hill to be climbed slowly, a call to the marvel that begins to unfold around: the greenhouse where all sorts of herbs are grown and which, on several occasions, becomes the setting for memorable lunches; a smokehouse; the Lake Cabin, one of the latest suites to be added to the collection of the existing ones (33 in total)—not just rooms, but also entire cottages and duplexes equipped with every comfort. On the opposite side, to the right, lies the Herb House spa, among the most exclusive in the Country, both for the services it offers - including a restaurant serving natural cuisine - and for what makes this place a true destination of good living, a unique connection with the outside. The forest literally enters the spa, and you can experience it, breathe it, as it slowly heals, rehabilitates, and relaxes.

HH&CO home smoked Loch Duart salmon. Photo by Marialuisa Iannuzzi

A detail of the Herb House Spa

All of this would already be enough, yet we haven’t even set foot in what, in the 13th century, was born as a hunter’s lodge, until 1740 when the Duke of Clarence took possession of it and turned it into a majestic residence—the same one that, since 2009, after a massive renovation, has hosted Lime Wood Hotel.

A design that doesn’t alienate, that through a patchwork of colors, antiques, and a few eccentric touches, injects a warm Britishness that doesn’t stiffen guests but rather melts them and fuses them with the place, so it can be explored, lived in, and fully enjoyed.

The Courtyard

Reading a book barefoot while the fire warms you; sipping a drink on the armchairs in the Courtyard (which is also the stage for a superb Afternoon Tea), the heart of the main house, a space illuminated by natural light from above, leading straight to where the bar is located, finally reaching a unique district, the ultimate form of hospitality, the epicenter of taste: the kitchen. Because if it's true that at Lime Wood you sleep well, you eat even better.

One of the recently renovated suites at the Lime Wood Hotel

Credit for this goes to the long-standing synergy between Angela Hartnett, from the Gordon Ramsey school, a solid chef who makes Italian cuisine shine at her Murano, and Luke Holder, rooted in the Forest after years in hectic London, happy to live in this place and transform it into thought and thus into flavor, with a background cultivated in our beautiful country under the tutelage of Enoteca Pinchiorri, three Michelin stars in Florence.

Luke Holder and Angela Hartnett

They are the soul, heart, and guiding taste of the restaurant  HH&Co, Hartnett Holder &Co.

The dining room at HH&Co

Italy, in the heart of the New Forest; Italy, in gestures. Italy in an authenticity that is spread not by replicating our traditional recipes verbatim, but by rewriting them, adding local nuances and combining Italian excellence with outstanding local ingredients, thus amplifying the sense of genuineness that, above all, embodies Italian dining.

Alcune tra le irresistibili preparazioni che è possibile gustare alla tavola del ristorante HH&CO: un vero must sono gli Agnolotti ripieni di faraona

Here, all pasta is handmade, enabling you to sample all shapes, forms and closures from the north and the south of the boot with rich sauces generously poured over agnolotti, plin, gnocchi, and tagliatelle, staples of the menu. Gestures that become part of everyday life for those who, unlike us, have never cultivated the memory of following the handiwork of grandmothers during childhood, making them all the more precious. In short, what is second nature to us is perpetuated with logic and passion, contaminating an already rich scenography of flavors and ingredients: Dover sole, succulent fish and sublime shellfish from Cornwall, juicy meats that return in cooking stocks and introduce the great English tradition of roasts, and also vegetables, in season, that reach every dish, bringing the right spatial and temporal coordinates to the table.

Here, where transcendence is unnecessary, where the chefs cook for people —just as they would for their family— and not to succumb to the allure of their egos and where the concept of fine dining translates into high comprehensibility and impeccable quality.

Risotto alla milanese. Photo by Marialuisa Iannuzzi

This is how you absorb hospitality, the same as the fragrant vapors of a slow-cooked ragù; this is how you absorb elegance, both in the setting and in the essence of a Risotto alla Milanese prepared with all the proper rituals, with that ideal balance between the aromaticity of saffron and a decisive acidity, almost unexpected beyond the Italian border, yet resonant and in its own way surprising.

And again, gestures, not part of any fake theatricality, but the freedom to express oneself through identity, both in the kitchen and in the dining room: because there is one rule that prevails within the walls of Lime Wood Hotel. It’s not enough to give 100%; rather, it’s in that extra 10% that you find the essence of hospitality, in its finest form.