Celebrity Spotlight: Jon Ridgeon Visits New Park Manor

On a getaway with their two children, Jhansi and her husband, former athlete, Jon Ridgeon, visited New Park Manor for a bit of relaxation that the whole family could enjoy …

First Impressions

Well, what can I say about the New Forest? It’s simply divine. We decided to venture out of the big smoke with our two children Noah and Seth (aged seven and five) for a weekend of recuperation and relaxation. I know most of you reading this would wonder why we would therefore take our children along, however it was a much needed family break.

The Hotel

We arrived at New Park Manor late afternoon, having had a shockingly long journey in traffic and what we arrived to was a clean and very friendly hotel. The children were welcomed by name and we were shown to our room. The family suite consisted of two bedrooms, a double for us and a twin for the boys. The boys wasted no time at all in finding a secret cupboard walkway where they found toys and books to play with. Our room was a king size bed with a huge old wardrobe and the bathroom was spacious and clean.

The Restaurant

Children’s’ tea time was in the main restaurant which catered to all the family, the meals were nutritious and balanced and not the usual chips and something and a glass of wine for adults, which made the mealtime a whole lot more enjoyable.  On the second evening we took advantage of the baby listening service. While the children watched television in the room we retreated for an adult-only meal in the main dining room, which although small was very cosy.  The food was good value and there was a lot of choice. (We had to move table as soon as we sat down in order to pick up reception on the baby listening monitor).

The Spa

Our first full day at the hotel started with spa treatments. I opted for the back, neck and shoulder massage whilst Jon went for a head massage. All the while the children were booked in for a two-hour slot in the complimentary den. The spa treatments were heaven and just the ticket to relax away from the kids. We finished this off with a dip in the luxuriously warm heated pool. When it was time to get the kids they did not want to leave the den until we said we could all go swimming which was the biggest hit of the weekend. The pool is so warm it was like taking a bath so not so good if you are into lane swimming but perfect for the family.

The Verdict

The break wasn’t a five star couple only relaxation break but it was exactly what we wanted for us and our children to enjoy being together as a family where everyone could do what they wanted. I can’t wait to try out more in the collection!

Top Tips:

•  Take all toiletries (the bathroom was not stocked with hand soap, show cap etc).
• Make sure you take a walk in the beautiful New Forest to see the pigs - a huge highlight.
• Do not follow the satnav to the hotel - we ended up going around the whole of the New Forest instead of the straight line to the hotel that the map suggested!