Long weekend with family less than 2 hrs from London?

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My ILs are coming from abroad. Normally their visits consist of them sitting around waiting for the kids to get home from school and commenting on Every. Bloody. Thing. I do. To preserve my sanity this time we want to take them away for a few nights. It will be early May bank holiday so a lot of places are booked but there still seem to be things available. ILs are late 60s and very physically fit and active, happy to do long walks/hikes. They like luxurious places and luckily they are paying so cost isn’t a huge factor.

Criteria are:
—Within 2 hr drive of west London (could push this a bit)
—Naice, and not too crowded, area in/near some sort of natural beauty or interest
—Comfortable cottage/airbnb/hotel available within distance of a lovely beach, lake, forest, or other outdoor area that we can explore with our kids (ages 5 and 10)
—Ideally also walkable to a few pubs and shops, maybe even a cute village
—Historical significance would be a plus

Please help! We’ve lived in the U.K. for six years but there’s still a lot we don’t know...

Another to recommend New Forest or Cotswolds. Some beautiful scenery and accommodation and a great contrast to London.

I was going to say West Wittering too; beautiful sandy beach either for sunny days or brisk walks around geographically significant East Head. Plus you have Old Portsmouth within easy driving distance for the historic ships and fortifications if that's their interest, or Fishbourne and Bignor Roman villas, or Amberley Industrial Museum all within easy reach.

Chichester and Arundel. Dependent on budget Goodwood Hotel is quite nice as has the pool and golf with good walking from door. Alternatively the White Horse at Chilgrove which in South Downs National Park. Or stay in Chichester or West Wittering.
You have one of the most beautiful beach walks in the country at East head with chips or bacon rolls from the van afterwards.
History wise you have Chichester with roman wallls, a cathedral and a Roman Palace. Very good places to eat and country pubs.

Half an hour to Arundel with the castle, riverside walks etc Half an hour to Portsmouth with the fabulous historic dockyard, Southsea Castle, seafront walks and very good beach cafes.