The Drift Inn - New Forest

We booked a table for but when we got there they told us that the kitchen was closing at We felt rushed and we had the last bits of the roast, which was not worth the money. Such a shame, as a local...it’s good to find places that you want to go to again and again but we will not return.

We stayed at the Beaulieu Inn this weekend and had such a great stay. We was going to find somewhere in the New Forest to eat out but ended up eating in this pub located on site. So pleased we did, the food was stunning...and the service was really good. Very attentive and friendly staff. Its not often me and my partner come away and both agree on the experience. Shes a fussy eater and im a stickler for good service. We both came away agreeing for the first time!! Will be back again soon.

I've known this pub/restaurant for your years, and the downfall of this establishment is nothing to do with COVID, its the management!! During and since COVID there's been a strong emphasis on booking, so I telephoned beforehand just to make sure for a midweek lunch... Yes highly recommend to book they said! Me thinking it was going to be busy. Turned up at the door and as intructed waitied to be seated. Hung around for about minutes, no one around, no one at the bar, no waitress on the floor, no manager, no customers to be precise! Finally a young girl appeared from the kitchen and sat us down. Food and drinks arrived OK and fairly quickly, but then other customers tuned up, hung around to be seated and again no staff to be seen. As we were seated by the door, we spoke and suggested to these customers to move on down the raad to the Bold Forester where the service and attention is much better. We must have turned away about people during the course of our lunch and the staff hadn't even noticed and had no idea! There was only the chef, one waiter and a manager on shift, and we were the only customers, so where and what the hell these staff were doing, God only knows? In its heyday, this place hinged upon its managers who'd pack this pub with walkers, cyclists and those wanting a lunch. This place is owned by Forest Inns and my message to the MD, Gary Baldwin, is buck up! and let the Lydhurst Park Hotel be a memorial and reminder, of what happens when you let complaincy take over and let things slip.

We visited for a Christmas Eve family lunch and it was lovely. Staff were very friendly, accommodating and managed well considering there was of us! We pre ordered food the week before and it all come out correct and was delicious.

We visited on Sunday for a roast and overall, we had a lovely time but there was a few things I feel I need to express. The team were very friendly and pleasant but they seemed to lack communication with each other. We were asked...how our meal was by separate staff, asked for more drinks by separate staff (whilst the first one was getting our drinks) and asked about dessert by another A little communication could have gone a long way! The staff also did not have their hair tied up… working in hospitality myself, long hair down whilst serving food is a big no, for many reasons! The waitresses had lovely hair but please have your tied up when serving food! Finding hairs on plates can really jeopardise the reputation of New Forest Hotels. Alongside this, I wish the menus elaborated a tad more on the Sunday Roast Menu... “Vegetarian Wellington” .. what type of vegetarian wellington? I’m aware I could have asked but I was put off so went for something else. If the ingredients change per week then name it: “vegetarian wellington of the day ask staff for more info” no harm in being more transparent!