If

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.

Rooms

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.

What’s for breakfast

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.

How about lunch and dinner?

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.

Is there a bar?

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.

Amenities

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.

Things you should know

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.

Within a short walk you can find…

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.