By Eve Hartridge - Follow Eve on Twitter here
The Pig Hotel and Restaurant to me, sums up what The New Forest is all about; it is woodland country living at it’s luxurious best. The hotel is about a mile from the small town of Brockenhurt and a little off of the beaten track on Beaulieu Road. The hotel has just 26 rooms but all are beautifully appointed in muted colours with crisp white cotton linen, fresh fruit baskets and drench showers. It is very easy to feel calm and at home at The Pig, the lounge sofas are comfortable and inviting, the bar relaxed and the stunning gardens, so green with acres of lawn best enjoyed under a barefoot. If you are feeling energetic bicycles can be borrowed from reception as can tennis rackets to play on the hard court, there are even wellington boots to borrow should the weather behave as expected.
The best thing about The Pig is the food, some believe it is more a restaurant with rooms, either way dining is superb and overseen by head chef James Golding (formerly of The Ivy and Soho House, New York to name but two). The menu changes with the seasons and is dependent of what is seasonal and good from the hotel’s very own kitchen garden, quite simply you cannot get fresher ingredients. The Pig also has a 25 mile radius menu as a commitment to local farmers and growers where 80% of produce comes from the local area. In August I enjoyed locally caught scallops and wood pigeon, both were utterly delicious.
Formal dining at The Pig is in the conservatory, but in the courtyard there is a fantastic outdoor area complete with pizza and flatbread oven. This is a great place to enjoy a long leisurely lunch or a glass of wine at sunset with some “piggy bits” (canapés) from the kitchen. The service at The Pig is spot on, the staff are casually dressed in jeans and crisp white shirts and offer just the right amount of attention, be it joining in a joke or providing expert knowledge on a wine or dish selection. The team is headed by Laura, a founding member of the Du Vin chain and there is no questioning this lady’s charm and absolute confidence in her latest project.
The Pig is located about an hour and a half from London and has certainly become one of my favourite 24 hour stops this year.
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