Above: The Grand Hall entrance has been cleverly repurposed as the bar, with gilt framed portraits, taxidermy and a sculpture of a pig above the open fire
a particularly clever use of space, the original partitions between the stalls creating separate sleeping, living and bathing areas, with the stone flagged floors and horses troughs retained. It looks effortless and organic but behind the scenes each Pig is a labour of love, Hutson and his team spending months “deformalising the space whilst renewing every pipe and wire, stripping off layers of varnish, and scouring the country for quirky and unique artifacts”. It’s this careful layering of details that sets the finished article apart from its increasing number of imitators. For all the attention lavished on the interiors, the outdoor spaces are every bit as important. “There’s a saying in Devon that ‘if you stick your finger in the ground it will grow’,” according to Hutson, “and the kitchen garden is the beating heart of our new addition.” In fact, The Pig at Combe has not one but three walled gardens, for herbs, vegetables and ‘infusions’ respectively. As with the other hotels, what cannot be grown in the hotel’s own grounds is sourced, as much as possible, within a 25-mile radius. Menu stalwarts such as ‘Piggy Bits’, tobacco smoked onions and thrice cooked chips served in a
flowerpot will be familiar items to anyone who has eaten at the other hotels, but most of the menu is shaped by what is available locally: tomatoes from Trill Farm, Lyme Bay crab and Childhay Manor pork. Tableware has been painstakingly sourced and exquisitely considered. There are terracotta-planted herbs on every table, bonehandled vintage cutlery, and home-infused oils. Framed butterfly collections line the stripped-and-sanded wood-panelled walls. At breakfast time, a huge spread of local jams, breads, nuts, and freshly-pressed juices is laid out for guests to help themselves, though naturally there is a pork-heavy Full English option as well for those who wish to pig out. Robin Hutson says the location of this latest in the litter was a prime part of its appeal: “Combe sits well within the footprint of our other four hotels. Demand has been very high for the existing properties and our guests want more Pigs in more locations, but we will only create them if we find exceptional sites like this one.” And he already has, according to a recent interview in which he revealed that two more sites, one in Kent, the other in Sussex are in gestation.
EXPRESS CHECKOUT: 27 guestrooms | 2 restaurants | 2 bars | 2 Potting Shed treatment rooms | Private dining room | www.thepighotel.com Owner / Operator: Homegrown Hotels | Interior Design: Robin & Judy Hutson
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