THE PIG, SOUTH DOWNS
After being lucky enough to visit a number of Pig hotels – the charming boltholes owned by hoteliers and design duo Robin and Judy Hutson – I think the motto must be, ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. Every new Pig I’ve experienced feels as beautiful and convivial as the last – and when you have discovered the secret of success, why mess with it? Yet despite having a shared aesthetic – classic and comfortable, with lots of botanical colours and motifs, stunning antiques and quirky vintage pieces – each Pig has its own identity. This one in Madehurst, West Sussex, is memorable for its bedrooms nestled in wagons dotted around the courtyard.
I visit with two girlfriends – we book two small but perfectly formed wagons, with king-size beds, bathrooms with roll-top baths, private outdoor monsoon showers and wooden Adirondack chairs in which you can look out over the bountiful kitchen garden. Wood-panelled, with tiny velvet sofas and wood burners, the bedrooms are delightfully cosy. Anyone who’s visited a Pig hotel knows its famous 25-Mile Menu is one of the USPS – and a guarantee that the produce is local and seasonal. In the greenhouse restaurant, you can dine on chicory and Brighton blue salad, chargrilled Chichester Tenderstem broccoli, Nutbourne tomato polenta and Selsey handpicked crab cavatelli – plus, 4,000 vines of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier have been planted in the grounds. Breakfast here is a groaning table with its garden fruits, smoothies, granolas and baked goods, or a cooked breakfast.
We stroll in the countryside, have cocktails at the bar, take alfresco showers and enjoy wine in our garden chairs. A Pig is a place made for escapes with friends, or a loved one, or even just yourself for that matter.
SARAH TOMCZAK
ROOMS START FROM £195 A NIGHT. THEPIGHOTEL.COM