I have a bit of a love affair with the Pig Hotels. They’re my go-to escape when getting out of London for a few days becomes necessary, and I’ve been to all but two. They are my favourite English countryside hotel. They’re generally listed as either 3 or 4 stars, but I find they are all almost identical in service and amenities, which only adds to the easy comfort. But where they excel is that they’re so laid back as to feel homely, and despite their setting in a large manor estate, they are never stuffy — and most guests are there to relax, take in the comfort of the snugs, embark on the walking trails or to simply exist in wonderful, oinking, pigly comfort for a few days.
They have Wellingtons lined up at the door, maps printed on a4, copies of Private Eye are in the rooms, and a big cast iron pig statue is usually the first to greet guests. It’s just the right amount of Englishness, with a smidgin of luxury and an equal shot of eccentricity.
This one, the Pig in the South Downs, sits just off the South Downs Way, with a vineyard growing 4,000 vines of chardonnay, pinot noir and Gamay next to an alfresco dining area cutting out of the main house as a big maximalist flower and pickle filled greenhouse. As it’s within the south Downs Dark Sky area, there are so very many stars.
The main house is everything a rural country home should be. It beckons with a warmly lit interior, just beyond an iron canopy laced with vines, and almost every room has an open fireplace, roaring with the snaps and clacks of fresh wood splitting and a suite of chairs plunging leather sofas.
The Rooms at The Pig in The South Downs
We opted for a gipsy hut (garden wagon) perched in the garden, and they’re as cosy as a button, with a log burner a few feet from the bed. The interiors are intentionally rustic — with an English Hygge aesthetic, but there’s an outside shower clumsily encircled by some rickety wood fences, the local trees peering over, and we frequently jump in there before soaking in the freestanding bath. The log burner adds a touch of romance and ambience, perfect for huddling around after staring at the stars from the hut’s pitch-black terrace. The in-room fridge is one of my favourite mini bars anywhere because, unlike almost every other hotel, the Pigs include cocktails bottled from their bar — and, for the most part, wonderfully delicious.
As with all the Pig Hotels, the room selection is large, with a collection of rooms in the house and a bundle of outbuildings. If you want privacy, go with the Garden Wagons or the almost identical field wagons, but if you want more space, the beautifully named Gracie’s Store, the Apple Store, Chicken Shack, or Hayloft will suffice, too. The latter has a big olive-coloured stone bath and a beamed roof, and we’ve stayed in variations of this room at several pigs and always enjoyed our experience.
The Restaurant and Bar at The Pig in The South Downs
The bar chooses a maximalist approach with glasses piled high against a window (as is signature) in a kaleidoscopic range of frequencies, while velvets, linens, and piles of vintage furniture glue it all together.
The restaurant serves a delicious 25-mile or less menu and is dimly lit and elegant with that same purposefully mismatched, orderly chaos as the bar. The food is generous, generally English cuisine, but with modern tweaks, French flare and a whole starting menu of various Piggy bits —which make excellent sides to starting cocktails.
Outside, there are two fire pits to extend the warmth and ambience to the outdoors — making an evening digestif in the open air an atmospheric delight — all the better for all those stunning stars.
The Location of The Pig in The South Downs
THE PIG-in the South Downs is located in the tranquil hamlet of Madehurst inside the South Downs National Park. Here’s a map link. After a short walk on the country lane that leads to the Pig, there are various walking routes, some connecting to the South Downs Way and Haunton.
Arundel and its castle and quaint market square is a short drive away too.
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