The Pig, Brockenhurst – Hampshire

Many hotels boast kitchen gardens, but few are as central to operations as that of The Pig at Brockenhurst. Here, the garden is an imaginative edible paradise from which the chefs source much of their daily produce, the rest coming from within a 25-mile radius. This local and seasonal food-centric ideal is the inspiration for the original concept of The Pig and its subsequent litter of hotels in the Home Grown Hotels sty, founded by British hotelier Robin Hutson in 2011. Here at Brockenhurst, the hotel, which is celebrating its 12th year, is located in a handsome Georgian shooting lodge that stands in a clearing in the New Forest, with walking, foraging and spa treatments on offer. There’s a wonderful Victorian-style conservatory dining room, glamorous bar and outdoor courtyard. Calm, countrified and deeply comfortable, the hotel’s seductive shabby chic aesthetic comes in a palette of soft greens and chalky greys. Bedrooms include rustic, romantic lodges tucked away in the woods. The walled garden leads to a lovely lily pond and wooden potting shed. Oh, and there really are pigs, too.

Doubles from £260

+44 (0)1590 622354; thepighotel.com