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Westover Hall is one of the UK's top 200 hotels, family run and without the slightest hint of stuffiness. It was built on the edge of the New Forest for the German industrialist Alexandra Siemens in 1897 to be the most luxurious house on the south coast; a fortune was lavished on wood alone. It is still vibrant with gleaming oak and exquisite stained glass and it's hard to stifle a gasp when you enter the hall - complete with minstrel's gallery, an interesting collection of modern art, and amazing views of the sea. The family are generous and open minded, keen that people should come to unwind and treat the place as home. Bedrooms are exemplary: some have sea views, all are furnished with a mix of the old and the contemporary; bathrooms are spotless. The whole place indulges you. Romantics can take to the bar or award-winning restaurant and gaze out to sea. The more active can stroll outside and walk up the beach to Hurst Castle. Alternatively, sink into a sofa on the sunny balcony for great views of the Needles, or listen to the sea from the hotel's own beach hut.
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