The Pig at Brockenhurst Review (Not Sponsored)

After a fantastic stay at The Pig at Bridge (unsponsored), I wanted to try more country hotels so booked a stay at the original Pig at Brockenhurst. Here's my review of The Pig at Brockenhurst so you can decide for yourself. (Also an unsponsored review as I (sadly :P) paid for my own stay.)

There are places you stay at, and there are places where you escape to. Brockenhurst, nestled in the heart of the New Forest National Park, is firmly the latter. It’s a village where the forest doesn’t just stop at the edge of town, it carries on right into the streets, with ponies and donkeys roaming as if they own the place.

My Mum & I recently spent two nights at the country hotel, The Pig at Brockenhurst, and we both enjoyed it, but to different extents. (One of us would return; and the other is more ambivalent.)

Our taxi crunched up the windling drive of THE PIG, anchored by sweeping grounds and ancient oak trees. Upon arrival, the vibe is immediately one of comfort. The staff at The Pig at Brockenhurst are extra helpful, eager to share the history of the property, and greet you familiarly every time you return.

Our room was charming, but on the cozy side (a common theme in English old buildings.) To be fair, we did book a snug room, but I guess we just weren't prepared for how small it would be after the amazing stay at The Pig at Bridge.

However, the bed at The Pig at Brockenhurst was very comfortable, dressed in linens that make you want to linger all morning. I also love the radio playing classical music when you arrive, and the turn down service, with complimentary tea bags and Tunnocks caramel wafer (a class British treat.)

Note: there is NO lift. (There are ground floor rooms outside the main house but those are usually a bit pricier.)

We were shown to our room in the main house of The Pig at Brockenhurst. (Some rooms are in lodges and spread across the grounds away from the main house.)

The room was charming but VERY cozy- I wasn't quite prepared for how small it was. (You can see how little space there is on both sides of the bed, though there is space for a dresser and table across from it.) The size wouldn't have been a deal-breaker, as the bathroom was modern and bed comfortable. In addition, hanging out in the communal areas is relaxing.

Unfortunately the acoustics weren't great and we could hear people in the hallway/ neighbouring rooms so it wasn't a very restful evening...

The signature “25-Mile Menu” of The Pig at Brockenhurst focuses on locally produce (all within 25 miles of the hotel, and some from the kitchen gardens themselves.)

The food was very good but not amazing- for example, I wouldn't care to eat the pasta above again but the meat was good. (Note the the pork is cooked pink, which not everyone cares for- thankfully, the waiter let us know us before we ordered, as my Mom is 1 of those.)

The conservatory dining room with its colourful mosaic floor, mismatched vintage crockery and potted herbs provide an attractive but unusual ambience for dining.

The breakfast spread at The Pig at Brockenhurst was pretty good- there's a buffet portion and a "to-order' portion (where you can order eggs, or English breakfast etc.) However, note that it's usually not included in the price of the room.

Lounge

Unlike The Pig at Bridge, there wasn't complimentary afternoon tea in the lounge for the guests at The Pig at Brockenhurst. We still ended up ordering a piece of cake in the lounge instead (very inexpensive at under £5)

The cozy lounges had crackling open-fires ad were a welcome sight after a day out exploring Brockenhurst and the surrounding villages. It felt like there was more lounge space than at Bridge, and they were my favorite part of the house.

This is 1 of my favorite things about The Pig hotels.

Guests of The Pig at Brockenhurst enjoy a daily free guided tour of the walled kitchen gardens, which lasts about an hour. I've done it at both Bridge and here in brockenhurst- on both tours, we were the only participants (even though the weather was clear.)

The tour was very educational. The plants in beds are constantly changed to suit the season: herbs, various edible flowers, sprouts, and so on.

There were even 2 black pigs behind the gardens which we were welcome to interact with (they were more interested in eating though!)

Before checking out, we indulged in facials in the quaint, treatment shreds which were pure bliss.

In fact, the facial is the reason my Mother wants to return to The Pig at Brockenhurst, something I'm more ambivalent about- I enjoyed the treatment but I might stay somewhere else the next time I visit Brockenhurst as the experience didn't blow me away (and it was quite a bit more expensive than the other places in the area.)

Tips:

• Borrow a pair of Hunter Wellies if going on a walk
• Ask for a map of the best walking trails- for some reason, the receptionist doesn't mention or offer it when you check in to the hotel

The Pig is set in Brockenhurst (meaning “badger’s wood” in Old English), a small village in Hampshire.

The best part of Brockenhurst is that you can step out of a hotel and be on a forest trail in minutes. (Bikes can be hired from a local shop in the village if you want to cycle.)

However, unfortunately you can't do that with The Pig at Brockenhurst- when you step out, you're on the road, as shown above (that cars travel on as there is no pavement- and cars can go pretty fast in the country...) so it's not a great walk. (You can walk 5-10 minutes to the country path, but I'd prefer a hotel which opened up to either the country walk directly or on to a road with a pavement.)

Particularly in the evenings, I wouldn't dare walk back to the hotel, as the paths aren't well-lit up. (i.e. you would need to keep forking out for the taxi, which can cost anything between £5-£10. The cab company suggested by The Pig charged us £10- it felt like a "tourist price" as it was just a few minutes' in the car- AND another company only charged £5!)

Getting There

Take the train from London Waterloo directly to Brockenhurst.

From there, you'll need a cab to get to The Pig at Brockenhurst, as it's about a 30 minute walk away and NO dedicated pedestrian path. (You share part of the journey on a very narrow country lane with cars, so I wouldn't recommend risking it.)

I'd definitely recommend visiting The Pig at Brockenhurst to foodies and people who enjoy slow travel, quirky British style, gardening, and home interiors.

Not recommended if you want a sleek modern hotel, nightlight, or have a tight budget.

Any questions about staying at The Pig in New Forest, Hampshire? Let me know in the comments!