Fun, quirky rural hotel with a splash of luxury in rolling hills of Devon

The Pig at Combe / Honiton / Devon / England / Great Britain

There is something that none can do quite like the British. No, I am not talking about Fish & Chips, catchy pop music or hilarious TV humor shows. I am thinking about country hotels. They seem to know exactly what the ingredients to create a perfect country retreat are. And this one, the Pig at Combe is no exception. It might actually be that it is one of the absolute best examples of such a hotel.

The Pig at Combe is located in the lush Otter Valley in the rolling Devonshire hills, surrounded by endless fields and giant cedar trees. The main building is a honey colored Elizabethan Grade 1 masterpiece, sitting high up on a hill looking out over the surroundings. There has been a manor house here since the end of the 11th century but the first hotel opened here in 1968. Nowadays it belongs to the Pig chain (owned by Robin and Judy Hutson) with 8 different hotels, located around the south of England. This property was bought in 2015 and after a full year of massive restorations and renovations it opened in July 2016.

There are 27 individually styled rooms at the Pig. We were four friends travelling together so we decided to book the Old Thatch Cottage so we could stay together. The cottage is located a short drive/walk from the main building and it is like an English dream with wood panels, fitted carpet, sash windows and heavy, patterned drapes. All the interiors are created by owner Judy Hutson and she has sourced a lot of vintage furniture, antique glassware and has created a unique design with many individual touches and artfully mismatched decor. I think the best way to describe style is a kind of shabby countryside chic. The colour scheme is neutral with muted greens and greys. Our cottage had a fully equipped kitchen with the most massive, cream colored AGA stove I’ve ever seen. When we arrived the kitchen was fully stocked with all kind of goodies and drinks. So if we didn’t want to, we would never have to leave the cottage. But of course we did.

The main building is where you find most of the action, the restaurant, the Folly and plenty of space to just hang out. For us it was great to come up here (either by foot or we called the main house and they picked us up in their Land Rover). We hung out, ate great food, had some drinks and then we went back down to our cozy cottage where we enjoyed our own fireplace, total tranquillity and a glass of wine or two. OMG! How I would love to be back there again right now. Just look at the photos below and you’ll understand why.

Welcome to the Pig at Combe. A stunning grade I listed building in the rolling hills of Devon.

The interior is best described as a kind of shabby countryside chic. Old and new in great unison, where the new looks old.

Checked in and ready to go to our cottage, located a short drive/walk from the main building.

Here it is, the Old Thatch Cottage. Like an English dream.

First thing we did when entering was to get the fire going. Maximum coziness. And some needed warmth.

Our bedroom (one of two in the cottage). The design style feels typically British with heavy drapes, wood panelling and a soft, muted color palette.

“Just dial 0 for service!”. One of the features I like best in the cottage are these old light switches. They are one of many signs that no details have been missed during the renovation process.

Words are kind of unnecessary. I mean just look at these tiles and the vintage shower mixer.

We had a massive metal bath tub in our room highlighted by a brass faucet. The bathroom products from British brand Bramley in clever refillable porcelain bottles.

The cottage was fully equipped so you could totally cook your own food. If you would want to go down that road you had to become friends with this baby, a classic (and massive) AGA.

The pantry was stocked when we arrived. Love that the eggs had the dates handwritten on them.

If cooking your own breakfast isn’t your thing, just have an early morning walk through misty fields cowered in dew towards the main building…

…where the breakfast is waiting for you. And it is amazing. Hard to do it justice with this photo.

After breakfast it is time to get active. If the weather is a little moody you can borrow wellies from the hotel.

Wellies weren’t needed when we stayed here. The Autumn weather was the nicest imaginable. This is from nearby Beer, on the dramatic Jurassic Coast.

I went for a cliff walk to nearby Branscombe together with my friends Mrs B x 2 and Mrs W.

This is from Beer Beach. And yes, I did go for a dip in the cool sea. Very refreshing.

Love these typical, colorful British beach huts. Like a vintage Summer dream.

If you want to find a place for lunch I can recommend Otter Valley Field Kitchen, a short drive from the Pig. Their pizzas are so delicious. And don’t get me started on the artisanal ice-cream.

After lunch, we went straight back to our cottage to hang in the garden, underneath these giant trees with a glass of wine.

If you want to eat (or drink) something during the day at Pig, this is where to go. It is called The Folly and is sitting right next to the main building. I think this might be my favorite photo from our stay at the Pig.

This wood fired heater in the Folly is so beautiful!

As evening comes, we snuggled up next to the fire with a glass of white and something to read.

I know! This almost looks too inviting. Nippy and dark on the outside and warm, bright and cozy on the inside.

When it is time for dinner (and you don’t want to walk), just call the main house and they swing down in this Land Rover to pick you up.

The sun is setting on the Pig and it is time to head back to the cottage for a good night’s sleep. But first a night cap by the fire place.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are looking for a classic country hotel with a splash of luxury but at the same time casual and informal. If you like hotels where every detail in the design has been carefully considered and selected and the food is beyond delicious (especially the breakfast), then I can highly recommend a stay at the Pig at Combe.

My favorite thing about this place is…

…hmm… I don’t know if I can answer that. I just love the surroundings with the rolling green hills, the crazy pheasants running around everywhere, the beautiful architecture, the home grown food, the breakfast… The list goes on and on.

What not to miss when staying here is…

…to leave the Pig. I know it is difficult since it is so stunning and you have everything you might need right there, but a trip to the coast is almost mandatory. There are several cute little villages and stunning cliff walks. My favorite village is Beer which is a 20 min drive from the Pig.

If you like this hotel you might also like…

Birch, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England, GB

Glebe House, Southleigh, Devon, England, GB

The Star, Alfriston, East Sussex, England, GB