The Red Lion, Hampshire

Overview

Located on Odiham's pretty high street, the historic Red Lion has an infectious and buzzing atmosphere, complete with a lively bar and stylishly refurbished dining rooms.

Featuring grey and green hues, wooden floors and cushioned bench seating, this historic inn simultaneously merges stylish chic with a rustic atmosphere, welcoming locals and visitors alike to relax in its warm interior. It's the perfect pitstop for M3 travellers, just 2 miles from Junction 5.

In the bar, peruse sepia photos of the village and nearby RAF Odiham. The aircraft theme continues upstairs with all the bedrooms named after planes that have flown from the airfield over the years. Grab a table on the pavement and watch the world go by over a pint of local ale or a glass of something special.

Rooms from

Doubles: £85

Good to know

All major credit cards accepted
Disabled access on the ground floor
Alfresco dining
Parking available
Dog stay: £15

Family favourite
There's a kids menu, plenty of toys to play with and interconnecting rooms available for families.

Town and city
Boasting plenty of picturesque cafe and shops, Odiham is a quintessentially English market town to explore.

Dog-friendly

Selected rooms are dog-friendly and your pooch will be well looked after as a dog bed, blanket, food and water bowls, treats and poop bags will be in the room on arrival.

Rooms

The seven rooms are tastefully kitted out in contemporary style with natural wood furnishings, smartly dressed beds, tartan bed throws, fresh flowers and a fully-stocked mini-bar.

On arrival, enjoy a little complimentary treat in the shape of a homemade tablet of fudge, and all rooms come with bathrobes, luxury toiletries and spacious walk-in showers in smart tiled bathrooms. You are welcome to bring your canine friend as selected rooms are dog-friendly, with dog bed, blanket, food and water bowls, treats and poop bags supplied during your stay.

Book the Chinnook room for period charm - expect exposed beams, wall timbers and an enchanting old fireplace. On the weekends, relax with the papers over a full English breakfast.

Restaurant & bar

Seasonal menus and the daily chalkboard specials champion locally sourced ingredients, including hearty pub classics with a twist and more adventurous modern dishes.

Meat is sourced locally and nearby Secretts Farm in Surrey provides the inn with the very best salads, vegetables and herbs around. Kick-off with a sharing Butcher's board, sample one of their legendary pies or indulge in a plate of Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire cheeses. Leave room for Meadow Cottage Farm (Headley) ice creams, or perhaps apple and vanilla crumble tart. For light lunch, try the delicious sirloin steak sandwich (Sussex nutty bread) with onion jam and wild rocket and accompany with some fat chips.

The excellent drinks menu features interesting beers, spirits and coffee from local producers - Hogs Back ales (Tongham), Bombay Sapphire gin (Laverstoke), Mozzo Coffee (Southampton), and wines from Albury Vineyard.

Things to do

Nearby Wellington Country Park provides a fun day out for all the family. Set in 350 acres of beautiful park lands, there are year-round events to keep kiddies and dogs happy - choose from nature trails to adventure play areas to an animal farm, mini golf and a miniature railway.

There are plenty of historical attractions too in this part of the world with Odiham Castle being a particular highlight. Known locally as 'King John's Castle', the site witnessed the signing of the Magna Carta and is a stunning, atmospheric ruin. It's also just next to the tranquil Basingstoke Canal - a great spot to have a stroll after a day of sightseeing.

Bird enthusiasts shouldn't miss Bird World - an amazing place with over 2000 species of birds. Check out Penguin Island, get chatting to a parrot or get involved with one of their daily events - from penguin feeding or watching an outdoor flying display. As well as birds, there's a fabulous aquarium with crocodiles, piranha and seahorses, as well as a farm housing rabbits, goats and even reindeer.