The Pig

The first of Robin Hutston’s ‘Pig’ mini-chain of hip, countryside hotels, this elegant ivy-clad house is almost more of a restaurant-with-rooms, such is the emphasis on highest quality, home-grown or locally-sourced food.

The restaurant is fed by the expansive kitchen garden, with menus that change daily, according to what’s fresh and ready to be picked, with nothing sourced from further than 25 miles away.

Rooms come in a variety of guises, from family suites with bunks, to separate lodges and hideaways in the old stables. All are sumptuously furnished, without a hint of chintz.

It’s close enough to the main draws of the forest, but The Pig is the perfect choice for foodies, and for weekending city folk, who really want to retreat to a relaxing rural escape with all mod cons.