Holiday rentals and lettings in the New Forest

• Choice of holiday homes: From thatched cottages and log cabins to spacious lodges with gardens, the New Forest offers self-catering stays for all kinds of travellers.
• Best areas to stay: Base yourself in Lyndhurst for attractions, Brockenhurst for village charm, or Lymington and Milford-on-Sea for easy access to the coast.
• Highly rated by guests: Recent guests praise New Forest cottages for peaceful settings, welcoming gardens and quick access to forest walks and sandy beaches.
• When to visit: Late spring and summer bring warm weather and roaming ponies, whilst autumn offers golden colour and quieter trails.
• Things to do: Walk the Lyndhurst Parish Walk, meet wildlife at the New Forest Reptile Centre, ride at Burley Villa, or take the family to Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World.

The New Forest offers a wonderful variety of self-catering accommodation. Traditional thatched cottages sit alongside cosy log cabins, characterful holiday homes and welcoming bed and breakfasts. Many are spacious and rural, with private gardens and room for the whole family. Whichever you choose, you can expect a generous range of amenities:

• Private gardens and outdoor space
• Fast Wi-Fi throughout
• Barbecue facilities
• Hot tubs and added comforts at many luxury rentals
• On-site parking

A large number of New Forest properties are dog-friendly, making them perfect for anyone whose holiday would be incomplete without their four-legged friends.

What are the best areas to stay in the New Forest?

The best base depends on your plans, but Lyndhurst sits at the heart of the park and makes an excellent starting point. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Holiday homes in the New Forest are consistently well reviewed, with guests highlighting the peaceful rural settings, comfortable interiors and the warm welcome from local hosts. Pet owners in particular praise the number of dog-friendly cottages with enclosed gardens.

Here are our top-rated holiday rentals from the past year:

1. Picket Hill Cottage - 10.0: A charming cottage for four in Ringwood, with a private garden and a warm welcome for dogs, set within easy reach of the open forest.
2. The Old Cart Shed - 10.0: A spacious, pet-friendly cottage for six in Rockbourne, praised for its peaceful setting, generous garden and traditional New Forest character.
3. Flanders Cottage - 10.0: A roomy four-bedroom cottage for eight in Hordle, ideal for larger groups, with a lovely garden and quick access to the coast at Milford-on-Sea.

The New Forest lies in the far south of England, roughly 90 minutes from London and flanked by Southampton and Bournemouth, covering some 550 square kilometres of heath, woodland and coast.

✈️What is the best way to get to the New Forest?

Getting to the New Forest is straightforward, with options by air, rail and road. Here are the most common ways to get to the national park:

• By air: Southampton Airport sits just 9 miles from Lyndhurst at the heart of the park, with Bournemouth Airport a similar distance to the west. Pick up a hire car or catch a train onward into the forest.
• By rail: Direct trains from London Waterloo reach Brockenhurst in around 90 minutes, with Ashurst, Beaulieu Road and Sway also on the line. Brockenhurst makes a handy hub; from there you can hire bicycles or hop on the local bus to explore the villages and coast.
• By car: The M27 skirts the northern edge of the forest, linking to the M3 from London and the A31 towards Dorset, making the New Forest an easy drive from much of southern England. Do take care on the unfenced roads, where ponies, donkeys and cattle roam freely and always have right of way.

🥗Where to eat in the New Forest?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant is the best-rated restaurant in the New Forest. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers Lucy and Sam recommend The Beach Hut Café at Mudeford, which lies just beyond the park: they say it's a relaxed spot to enjoy sea views whilst savouring fresh crab sandwiches.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

The New Forest is a year-round destination, but late spring and summer (May to September) are the most popular, with warm weather, long days and ponies grazing on the lawns. For golden colour and quieter trails, autumn is hard to beat, whilst winter offers crisp, peaceful walks and cosy evenings by the fire.

Spring (March to May)

• Best for: Wildflowers, newborn foals and quieter walking trails.
• Weather: Mild and fresh, with occasional showers.
• Atmosphere: Calm and uncrowded, as the park wakes up for the season.

Summer (June to September)

• Best for: Families, beach days at Milford-on-Sea and long forest walks.
• Weather: Warm and largely dry, with the longest daylight hours of the year.
• Atmosphere: Lively and busy, especially during the school holidays and at the weekend.

Autumn (October to November)

• Best for: Photographers, fungi forays and peaceful cycling.
• Weather: Cooler and often crisp, with beautiful golden light.
• Atmosphere: Relaxed and atmospheric, with far fewer visitors than summer.

⭐Our hosts' recommendation: Our New Forest local expert, Margaret of The Old Cart Shed, recommends an early-morning walk from Rockbourne to watch deer at the edge of the heath before the trails fill up.

1. Walk the Lyndhurst Parish Walk
2. Meet wildlife at the New Forest Reptile Centre
3. Take the family to Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World
4. Saddle up at Burley Villa School of Riding
5. Discover Brockenhurst, the archetypal English village

1. Walk the Lyndhurst Parish Walk

   The Lyndhurst Parish Walk is a gentle 13-kilometre route through the heart of the park, passing several traditional pubs that are perfect for a well-earned rest. It is just one of nearly 200 kilometres of waymarked trails criss-crossing the forest, from short strolls to long-distance hikes. Keep an eye out for the famous New Forest ponies grazing freely along the way.

2. Meet wildlife at the New Forest Reptile Centre

   The New Forest Reptile Centre near Lyndhurst is a free, family-friendly spot where you can see native snakes, lizards and amphibians in naturalistic enclosures. Nearby, the New Forest Wildlife Park is home to otters, deer and wildcats, whilst Longdown Activity Farm lets little ones feed the animals and ride a tractor.

3. Take the family to Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World

   Just outside the park, Paultons Park is one of southern England's favourite family attractions, home to the much-loved Peppa Pig World. With gentle rides for toddlers and bigger thrills for older children, it makes an easy day out whatever the weather.

4. Saddle up at Burley Villa School of Riding

   Burley Villa School of Riding offers both English and Western-style trails through gorgeous forest scenery, finishing with a barbecue at the end of the day. The New Forest's gentle landscape makes it one of the best places in England to explore on horseback, whatever your level of experience.

5. Discover Brockenhurst, the archetypal English village

   Brockenhurst is the New Forest at its most picturesque, a village of Tudor houses and a secret ford once named 'Britain's Most Beautiful Place to Live'. Ponies, donkeys and cows wander freely along its lanes, and there are welcoming tea rooms and pubs at every turn. Each July the nearby Hampshire Food Fair celebrates the region's produce, fruity ales and young wines.