The Pig in the Wall
Southampton, Hampshire
Good Hotel Guide Review
A Georgian house ‘charmingly set into the ancient city wall’, this little Piggy is wee, wee, wee – at least, compared with its country cousins. The second in Robin Hutson’s expanding collection of concept hotels, it has only 12 bedrooms, no restaurant, no kitchen garden, but it is no less a Pig for that. Entering the deli bar you find the signature, ‘very stylish’ eclectic interiors: ‘pots of growing herbs’ on scuffed tables, mismatched armchairs, fireplaces, trophy heads. Bedrooms, styled by Judy Hutson, might have a beamed ceiling, an original fireplace or shutters. Bigger rooms have a freestanding in-room bath and a walk-in monsoon shower that ‘makes no retro concessions to efficiency’. ‘Our super-king-size bed with four spiralling posts was comfortable, with crisp white linen.’ Smaller comfy rooms have just the shower. The Snug is tucked into the attic. All rooms have a larder of snacks to buy. At night, guests receive a Land Rover lift to dinner at The Pig in the Forest, Brockenhurst (see entry). Back in the wall, staff are ‘young, efficient, enthusiastic’. Breakfast is a ‘buffet affair, nothing hot’, make your own toast, with ‘a nice selection’. In all, ‘a lovely experience’.
Hotel details
Address
8 Western Esplanade
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2AZ
England
Telephone
02380 636900
Bedrooms
12. 2 on ground floor, 1 with wet room and wheelchair access via side door.
Open
all year.
Facilities
open-plan lounge/bar/deli counter, free Wi-Fi, in-room TV (Freeview), car park (£10 a night), public rooms wheelchair accessible.
Background music
in public areas.
Children
all ages welcomed.
Dogs
not allowed.
Credit cards
Amex, MC, Visa.
Prices
room £140–£195. Breakfast £10.
Other reviews
Good Hotel Guide articles about
The Pig in the Wall
- Ideal Home: UK hotels with the most inspiring interiors
- Suitcase: Seven beautiful hotels within two hours of London
- USA Today: 20 charming hotels for a British city break
- Huffington Post: 5 of the Best Small Hotels in England
- MSN Travel: 10 best boutique hotels
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