12 August, 2016
If Jay Gatsby were to hold a modern day British house party, it would undoubtedly be at one of The Pig's expanding litter of hotels where decadence, indulgence and gluttony prevail in the most British of ways. Now with a whole brood of properties in Bath, Southampton, Dorset and Devon, their original Brockenhurst pile invites you to kick your shoes off and dive into the type of hedonistic escape that will leave you satiated, rested and hankering for more. S
et in the depths of the New Forest and surrounded by wild horses, the grand exterior is softened by leisurely lawns dotted with rustic Adirondack chairs filled with well-soused guests. The downstairs of the main house is a sprawl of rooms that take the name lounge to its full extent. Deep sofas, roaring log fires and multiple nooks for hiding away. The individually sourced furniture and quirky décor offset the formality of the building and tempt you to wander around in your dressing gown and slippers, sipping champagne in the manner of an eccentric aristocrat.
The Pig's whole premise centres on the food, with locally sourced and homegrown being the operation's heart. But the hotel part doesn't play second fiddle. Anticipating guests' every need before they know it themselves, The Pig avoids being generic and instead provides an inimitable luxury retreat that prioritises comfort above all else.
Each of the 30 rooms is individually styled but all promise a continuation of the country home away from home theme. Oversized showers, your own in room larder, enveloping beds and quirky layouts ensure you will leave well rested and most likely benefitting from one of your most enjoyable lie ins ever.
While not included in the room rates, the daily feast is worth the extra expense. With a base charge for the decadent buffet, granolas, oversized croissants and the like overflowing off a central table, it is the surchargable cooked offerings that really shine. Bacon, as you would expect, takes pride of place alongside homegrown, local produce.
In the Pig's own words, they're "a restaurant with rooms rather than a hotel". A stay here really is all about the food. Whet your appetite with a walk around the abundant kitchen garden before settling down in the plant filled conservatory for a feast of hearty British fare. With wonderfully local touches such as home smoked salt and a section on the menu dedicated to items picked 'literally that morning', it is British food at its finest. And for lingering summer evenings sample the wood-fired pizzas served up in the delightful courtyard.
Indeed. Carrying on the homegrown theme, cocktails make the most of herbs and delights from the kitchen garden. Choose a sofa, snuggle on down and sip on a delightful concoction all whilst congratulating yourself on reaching the pinnacle of indulgence.
Food comas can be lifted either by walking through the grounds, complete with kitchen garden, renting bikes for a more energetic cycle through the surrounding deer filled forests or if it's true idleness you're after, soothed out of you with a treatment in their affably named Potting Shed spa.
The restaurant is a local favourite making it advisable to book your table in advance to secure a spot. Newly launched cabins and lodges make for the perfect family or group retreat. Great for longer stays too.
The New Forest is a nature lover's paradise. Cycle, walk or ride your way through the forest itself or take yourself off on a jaunt to one of the nearby quaint but slightly archaic local villages. The Pig can sort you out with a fishing trip, otherwise head for a rather civilised tea at sister property, Lime Wood.
