The Nici Group have a knack of turning ducklings into swans!
The Nici Group have their own style, which is a sophisticated, neutral, but not bland colour scheme with a touch of London too. It’s that blend of business in a smart relaxed environment … partly helped by the fact that you could smell the sea and that always makes me think holidays.
You can imagine whole hotel buy out cocktail parties, brand activations, corporate incentive events, board meetings, sales launches, photo shoots and everything in between.
Life before Nici
Previously the Elmers Court Hotel in Lymington, The Nici Group took over the hotel in September 2025, I visited in July 2026 just after it opened and, my they’ve come a long way in a short time.
So, let’s talk where we are today, well more in terms of what I was able to see and what I know the group will continue to add over the next coming months.
Use the “Get In Touch” button, contact form (scroll down) or email me your venue requirements/brief to helen@mdem.co.uk and I’ll email venue options to your inbox.
Arrival
The driveway was being remodeled while I was at the hotel. It’s going to be a beautiful entrance with a jink to the left for the hotel main entrance and to the right for the meeting space with its own dedicated entrance.
There’s plenty of parking (250 cars) which can be found directly in front of the hotel and additional parking just a minute’s quick walk on the other side of the lane which proved a very pretty drive on a hot summers day, you literally pass one of the Wight Link ports with the smell of the sea hitting you which is very summer holiday-esque.
Reception & The Elms Cafe
The main reception is ready to receive guests and there is a lovely, serene feeling to the hotel, it’s very welcoming and quietly elegant.
To the left is the first of the hotel’s restaurants, the Elms Café, think all-day, informal dining for wholesome breakfasts, light lunches, or comfort food favourites with indoor seating (x100 covers), outdoor terrace space (x50 covers) and the ability to offer hosted DJ sets. The Elms can be booked for exclusive use.
Use the “Get In Touch” button, contact form (scroll down) or email me your venue requirements/brief to helen@mdem.co.uk and I’ll email venue options to your inbox.
Gym, spa, pool and Little Lobsters
Further beyond the restaurant is the hotel’s amazing gym, the largest in the New Forest, compliment by a Spa and the hotel’s simply stunning indoor pool complete with a fireplace, sauna and steam room. I mean who doesn’t have a fireplace in their indoor pool?
Adjacent to all this you’ll find Little Lobsters, the hotel’s kids club!
Honestly this hotel ticks so many boxes!!
There’s also a fitness studio and a Cinema (12-15 seats) more aimed at entertaining children, but nonetheless you could use it as part of an event.
While on the topic of leisure, the hotel will have two outdoor pools. The current pool was being refurbished for use this summer (starting from 14th August 2026), but this will become the children’s pool when one of the final additions to the hotel is complete.
The hotel will be installing a second outdoor infinity pool which will stretch from the centre rear of the hotel right down to the sea.
Both pools will be heated for all year-round use.
Further beyond the children’s pool and to the left of the infinity pool will be the hotel’s third restaurant, River Rocks, capacity, etc., will be available later on as this will be a new build within the grounds.
But let’s talk accommodation next …
Accommodation
The bedrooms are beautiful, and you have three main types.
There are the Manor House rooms (x 36) and the Garden Deck rooms (x 44), both pretty self-explanatory; manor house rooms are in the hotel and garden suites are, well, beautifully appointed suites some with hot tubs and others with small, intimate terraces in the grounds.
And there are more plans afoot as within the grounds to the rear of the property (closer to the sea front) is, well, a mini apartment block. Private lets are coming to an end, won’t be renewed and these will become Nici Apartments (x 13) in due course. Refurbished and beautified in true Nici style.
More dining – Martha’s Bar and Restaurant
Back to the main hotel and to the hotels second restaurant (located to the right of reception), you have Martha’s Bar and Restaurant.
Again with this dining option, you have the choice to sit inside the beautifully decorated bar or outside on the terrace with views currently overlooking the lawn (but where the infinity pool will ultimately sit) out onto the Lymington River and the Solent beyond.
Martha’s Bar and Restaurant is the elevated dining experience available in the hotel, think social meals and long lunches, seating x 80 indoors and x 40 on the terrace. The terrace is accessible via both the restaurant and the bar.
To the right of the view from this spot, you have the hotels tennis courts but if you look further into the distance towards the Solent, you’ll see the hotel also has a pontoon. Currently this doesn’t reach the water at low tide but there are plans to extend the pontoon making the water permanently accessible and for the hotel to include water sports as one of its many activity options irrespective of whether the tide wants to fit in with the organisers plans or not.
Talking of activities, the hotel also has an activity lawn which is a prime spot not just for team building but also for a marquee.
Use the “Get In Touch” button, contact form (scroll down) or email me your venue requirements/brief to helen@mdem.co.uk and I’ll email venue options to your inbox.
Meetings & Events Spaces
So, the terrace accessed via Martha’s Bar and Restaurant is also shared with one of the hotels two meeting rooms with plans to section the terrace with large planters which will obviously be moveable and give the hotel the option to extend or reduce the share of the terrace.
The meeting rooms both have natural daylight and are at the far end of the terrace so there will be no footfall directly outside the function space.
The smaller of the two rooms is the Neap.
The Neap
Set within the manor house, The Neap is a refined, wood-panelled space ideal for smaller meetings, private dining and intimate receptions. With a relaxed yet polished atmosphere and its own private bar, it works beautifully for board meetings, presentations and hosted gatherings that call for discretion and comfort.
Maximum capacities:
- Theatre-style seating for up to 90 guests
- Boardroom layout for up to 20 guests
- U-shape seating for up to 16 guests
The larger room, Hide Tides is adjacent to the Neap and interconnecting.
High Tides
A grand Victorian-era space defined by soaring sculpted ceilings, generous proportions and a striking central fireplace. Hide Tides is the largest and most versatile venue, suited to conferences, banquets, weddings and large-scale celebrations. Opening onto the Queen Mary lawn terrace, it offers a seamless flow between indoor elegance and outdoor space.
Maximum capacities:
- Theatre-style seating for up to 120 guests
- Banqueting for up to 100 guests
- Cabaret-style for up to 50 guests
- Boardroom layout for up to 50 guests
- U-shape seating for up to 40 guests
- Classroom-style for up to 60 guests
Rate-wise subject to availability, lo/hi season, etc, you’re looking at circa £70 inc. VAT DDR and £350 inc. VAT 24hour rate with a room hire potentially circa £250 inc. VAT if you wanted to take both rooms, ie, Hide Tides for the meeting and the Neap for catering.
Let me know if we can get a quote for a specific event for you.
Summary
A really lovely hotel, proper duckling to swan refurbishment, which is only going to get better as the final additions are added (which include River Rocks restaurant, apartment refurbishment and infinity pool, all estimated to be finished by September 2027).
This property had so much to offer from a meeting, dining, team building perspective. An hotel where you can, not just have a meeting, but a full experience.
Meeting Space
x 2 function rooms, interconnecting, natural daylight, private bar, private events entrance, access to terrace from Hide Tides, max capacity x 120 theatre style.
Accommodation
x 36 manor rooms, x 44 garden deck rooms, x 13 apartments (coming soon)
Leisure
Gym, sauna, steam, spa with treatment rooms, Little Lobsters kids club, fitness suite, tennis, indoor pool, children’s pool, infinity pool (coming soon), activity lawn, sea/water-based activities.
Travel
- Lymington Pier Station: 5 minute walk
- Lymington Town Centre: 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk
- Brockenhurst Station: 10-15 minute drive
- Southampton Airport: 35 minute drive
- London Waterloo: 2 hour train (via Brockenhurst)
See FAQ’s below for more information.
I specialise in venue’s for events.
Drop me the details of your next event(s) and I’ll provide you with some venue options.
Fill in the form, email me or phone/WhatsApp and there’s always the big “planning an event” button on the left too 🤙
Frequently Asked Questions about The Nici, New Forest
Where is the Nici New Forest?
The Nici New Forest is in Lymington, just a short walk from the main picturesque town.
How many hotels are there in the Nici Group?
Currently (July 2026) there are three hotels, the other two are one in Bournemouth and one in Newquay.
I also understand there are plans for a new build additional hotel in Southampton.
What gym facitilities does the hotel have?
From running machines and spin bikes, to free weights and yoga mats, the fully equipped gym is available during opening hours.
Does the venue have its own website?
Yes and here’s the link:https://thenici.com/new-forest/
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