THE PIG–on the beach – the much-heralded next Pig in the litter, opens for business on 11 June.
This old coastal villa of the Bankes family of Kingston Lacey is a whimsical and slightly bonkers combination of Arts and Craft and Victorian architecture: imagine The Adam’s Family summer beach house and you’ve got the picture. Formerly The Manor House Hotel, it has been lovingly restored in the same relaxed, quirky style that has become THE PIG’s signature – a new restaurant with rooms has been born.
Greenhouse Restaurant + finest sea views
THE PIG-on the beach’s greenhouse restaurant offers guests the finest coastline sea views in the UK looking out to Old Harry Rocks with boats bobbing about idly. From garden to plate, what cannot be grown in THE PIG’s kitchen garden will be sourced within a 25-mile radius. Head kitchen gardener Jo Macina has been busy nurturing her veg and herb garden producing fennel, courgettes, pea shoots, garden beans and Isle of Wight tomatoes. The fruit cages are planted with blueberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and more. Some appetisers include local delights such as Dorset Whelks & Wild Garlic Butter and Purbeck Eggs with Verbena Mayo.
The Summer house
Sitting by the walled garden is The Summer House, an old thatched room for private suppers with a difference offering arguably the best view in the south. It seats twelve and comes with your own chef and special menu, the nearby pizza oven and outdoor bar. It even offers you your own ice cream trolley with home made flavours, fresh from the garden.
Back in the main house, beyond the restaurant, is the bar with its floors made from old railway sleepers plus a snug wood burner which serves up another relaxed piggy vibe.
Quirky and characterful bedrooms
The 23 quirky and characterful rooms are like something from a classic fairy tale with Victorian windows, cosy and romantic attic rooms, freestanding baths in clever nooks and the signature ‘larders’ for a piggy snack. Outside bedrooms include The Lookout and The Bothy, the two garden rooms – they both sit overlooking the walled garden and are beautiful hideaways for couples to stay in enjoying their own space, privacy and mind-blowing sea views. Also in the garden is the Shepherds Huts in the cliff meadow overlooking Old Harry rocks – a bedroom with bathroom linked by a decked walkway.
For a dose of pampering or pummelling The Shepherd’s Huts in the field beyond THE PIG’s lawn are two cosy ‘rustic huts’ where guests can revel in a massage with Bamford products soaking up that unwinding gift for which THE PIGs are renowned.
Striking gold in Studland
Robin Hutson, CEO of Home Grown Hotels, parent company of THE PIG, says: “We have been working with this great Victorian building embracing its quirks and characteristics. We’ve made the most of every old fireplace and strangely shaped window always with the stunning sea views in mind. The interiors have been masterminded by my wife Judy and me and the gardens by my co-director David Elton. Being by the sea, the relaxed look and feel is even more pronounced because on the coast everyone wants to quickly kick back and feel the sand between their toes.”
Robin continues, “The location of THE PIG-on the beach is second to none. From London, this is the closest coast of outstanding natural beauty in the south-west with the next beautiful stretches of sandy beach being as far away as Devon and Cornwall. With Studland Beach being one of the very few sandy beaches in Dorset – most have big pebbles – we really feel we’ve struck gold.”
Room rates start from £139 per room per night, excluding breakfast. Main courses start from £14.50. Shepherd’s Hut treatments start from £60.
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