GETAWAYS
ROOMS WITH A VIEW AT
The Ginger Pig , Hove
IF YOU ’ RE AN OUT-OF-TOWNER , WHEN YOU THINK OF BRIGHTON & HOVE ’ S HOTEL SCENE , IMAGES OF THE ICONIC GRAND ARE LIKELY TO LOOM . OR PERHAPS ONE OF THE MANY BOUTIQUE HOTELS LIKE PELIROCCO OR ARTIST RESIDENCE WILL SPRING TO MIND . EITHER WAY , THE GETAWAYS YOU RECALL ARE LIKELY TO BE WITHIN SPITTING DISTANCE OF BRIGHTON PIER , WITH ITS STICKY DOUGHNUTS AND RICKETY RIDES . HOVE – BRIGHTON ’ S MORE CHILLED- OUT SISTER – IS LESS LIKELY TO GET A LOOK IN . WELL , THANKS TO THE GINGER PIG ’ S NEW HOTEL ROOMS , ‘ HOVE , ACTUALLY ’ – AS IT ’ S LAUGHABLY / LOVINGLY CALLED – IS NOW COMPETING WITH THE BIG DOGS ... OR SHOULD I SAY PIGS . BY ELLE J SMALL
Having devoured a couple of delicious meals in the restaurant some years back , I hadn ’ t actually stepped foot inside The Ginger Pig for quite some time – mainly due to perceiving the place to be on the pricey side , but also because of the influx of new and notable competing eateries in Brighton & Hove in recent years . When I opened the door to a warm welcome from bartender , Wollem , I was reminded of the establishment ’ s relaxed-yet - refined vibe – tricky compliments to pair . The interior of the pub itself had hardly changed ( though , as I type , both pub and restaurant are closed for refurbishment ), which was surprising , but also reassuring ; like catching up with an old friend who hasn ’ t changed a bit .
After meeting and greeting , my friend / roomie and I devoured a delicious Blackdown gin and Fentimans tonic ( expertly concocted by Wollem ) and headed up to our room . A lot of boxes had been firmly ticked – from the turquoise sea view that perfectly complimented the navy blue hues of the interior ( hats off to the designer ) to the punchy , bright artwork , and the really , really good mattress , fluffy pillows and tempting mini bar .
Giving in to said bar ’ s temptation and pouring ourselves another G & T – this time Brighton Gin ( distilled in Hove , actually ), we collapsed briefly on our ridiculously comfortable bed . After commenting on how nostalgic the sound of seagulls made us feel , we further admired our surroundings and both agreed an indulgent soak in the luxurious freestanding bath would be firmly on the cards the next morning followed by a perky pick-me-up from the Magimix Nespresso machine . Agreeing that if we lolloped much longer we would run the risk of missing the meal awaiting us , we took it in turns to leisurely conduct our ablutions in room number four ’ s beautiful bathroom . Lashings of complimentary Cowshed toiletries later , we were both refreshed from the spacious rainfall shower and ready for action .
How nice , we both agreed , that we could simply trot downstairs to the pub for a G & T ( are you getting the theme here ?) before literally stepping into The Ginger Pig ’ s restaurant . Everything we needed was under one carefully considered roof . Dinner did not disappoint and I was shocked to find the menu wasn ’ t as pricey as previously perceived . OK , so you may not necessarily pop in for a quick hake fillet on a Monday night at £ 17.50 a pop – even if it were accompanied by ham hock and a split pea croquette – however , for an occasional treat crafted from stellar ingredients , the price list is absolutely justified .
Tucking in to a delicious , perfectly cooked-to-order steak and locally caught brill with a creamy caper sauce ( we shared ), I commented , yet again , how impressed I was by the execution of fine dining without all the stuffy frou-frou so often accompanied with top-notch food . The wine list was extensive and the waiting staff extremely knowledgeable , helping us to choose which red or white went best with what dish . Informed without any pretentiousness , our waiter politely explained the definitions of lesser-known ingredients and laughed off our questionable pronunciations with comradery , not condensation .
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