The founder of Hotel du Vin plans to launch a new chain of country hotels with “attitude” called the Pig, according to the Times.
Hutson has teamed up with Jim Ratcliffe, the multi-millionaire Ineos chemicals tycoon, to form Home Grown Hotels.
Its first site will be the 26-room Whitley Ridge Hotel in Brockenhurst, in the New Forest, which is to undergo a £3m conversion. Other locations are being sought in areas such as Chichester, Bristol, Poole and Bournemouth.
Hutson, who sold Hotel du Vin for £66m seven years ago, told the newspaper that the décor would be “artisanal shabby chic” with eclectic furnishings, top-quality beds and over-sized showers. Rooms would cost £125-£200 per night, with dinner costing £35.
Hutson said: “We’re trying to differentiate it from all the three-star run-of-the-mill country hotels stuff. There are a lot of hotels in nice buildings but, outside of the first division of country houses, the market hasn’t moved on at all.
“The name gives it a feeling of a pub. It’s not a pub but we wanted the approachability of a pub. This will be the country equivalent of Hotel du Vin. It won’t be a meek and mild, swirly carpeted place.”
