We enjoyed staying at The Hog’s Head Inn in Alnwick, Northumberland.
Essentially, The Hog’s Head Inn is a pub with rooms. But it’s more than that. It’s a modern family-friendly pub with tasty food and exceptionally comfortable accessible bedrooms.
Part of The Inn Collection Group, a hospitality and pub company based in the North, The Hog’s Head Inn is an excellent alternative to faceless budget hotels.
And, a good choice when all that matters is a quality accessible room, good food and a pleasant environment.
The Hog’s Head Inn is not a hotel, so there’s no 24-hour room service, but apart from that, it’s hard to tell the difference.
Before I go any further, as you know, the acid test for me is whether I would stay again and if I would recommend it to my friends.
On both counts, the answer is a resounding yes!
Disclaimer: When I talk about “Accessible”, I mean accessible to Bridget and me. Bridget uses a manual wheelchair and can stand to transfer. Please contact The Hog’s Head Inn to confirm it is accessible to you.
This was a complimentary stay for purposes of review. As always, opinions are my own.
Where is The Hog’s Head Inn?
The Hog’s Head Inn conveniently sits just off the A1 in Alnwick, Northumberland.
Accessibility in The Hog’s Head Inn
Pubs with rooms aren’t usually accessible to us because, first and foremost, they’re pubs, not hotels.
However, the Hog’s Head Inn is a pub and rooms, earning it the status of an inn.
Definition of Inn:
Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travellers can seek lodging, food, and drink. They are typically located in the country or along a highway.
I know accessibility is essential to The Inn Collection Group. I can see that from the website, where they have visual and audio features and an access statement on the front page.
How Accessible was The Hog’s Head Inn for The Bimblers?
Car Park
For the size of The Hog’s Head Inn, the car park is enormous, and there are plenty of accessible parking spaces close to the entrance. When I say close, as seen in the pictures, I mean relative to the walkway leading to the door.
Access to Pub and Accommodation
The walkway comprises paving slabs with gaps between them, but they’re not bumpy.
If you are a part-time wheelchair user, I recommend using your chair because the walkway is still a walk, although not long.
Then you have to add the distance to your room; using your chair makes sense.
Access to reception is via a pair of large doors and a single entry. The doors aren’t automatic, and I managed them, but if you travel alone, they could be tricky.
There is an intercom next to the door to call for assistance should you need to.
Reception
Reception is at the end of the bar and is relatively high. There is, however, a break in the bar, so it’s easy for staff members to come around the counter to help you. I foolishly didn’t take a photo of the gap.
Corridors
Our accessible room was on the ground floor. There is a lift to the upper floor, but I don’t think you’ll need it as I’m sure the accessible rooms are on the ground floor.
The corridors are carpeted and wide. The rooms are a reasonably short distance from reception, but remember what I said about using your wheelchair if the space is a problem for you.
The Hog’s Head Inn Pub and Restaurant
Using the wheelchair inside The Hog’s Head Inn was straightforward.
The interior is large, and staff are only too willing to move tables and chairs around when access gets tight. This is mainly due to other patrons moving chairs into walkways.
On the subject of staff. I chatted with a few of them, and they all seemed fully aware of the difficulties people with mobility problems face.
More importantly, they were keen to ensure our stay was comfortable and worry-free.
How to Save Money in The Hog’s Head Inn
I would encourage you to sign up for The Hog’s Head Inn newsletter, like their Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter.
The Inn Collection and individual pubs in the group post deals and discounts for their followers and friends. I’m signed up for them because I would love to return.
Food and Drink in The Hog’s Head Inn
The bar area is large and generally easy to move around. Despite its size, it feels welcoming and cosy.
I’m not a drinker, so it’s difficult for me to rate the selection at the bar. If you like your craft ales and cocktails, there are details on their website for your perusal.
You find a table number in the restaurant and order your food at the bar.
I asked about alternatives to finding a table in the restaurant and then going to the bar to order food.
Without hesitation, the staff said,
“We would simply make table service available to save you the trouble.”
Nice touch!
I had a Prawn Salad for dinner, followed by Beef in Black Bean Sauce.
And Bridget had Potato Skins followed by Pork Loin.
The food was served quickly, hot when it arrived at the table, well presented, fresh and tasty. What more can you ask for?
Breakfast is served buffet style and includes everything a cooked breakfast connoisseur could request.
For me, the only omission is black pudding. Maybe in Northumberland, they don’t eat black pudding for breakfast?
For those who prefer a healthy start, there are fruits, yoghurts and pastries.
Here’s the current: Menu
Accessible Bedrooms at The Hog’s Head Inn
The first thing to note about our accessible room was the size.
As you can see, there is more than enough turning space for a wheelchair.
The second thing is the ambience. Yes, the bedroom had an atmosphere!
Size, smell, light, colour, warmth, and quality give the accessible room a cosy, homely feel.
You’re staying in a premium room, a far cry from faceless, samey hotel rooms.
The bed was at a good height and was “very” comfortable. There were tea and coffee making facilities, a TV and a good range of information on things to do in the local area.
Bathroom/Wet room
Who said size doesn’t matter?
Space does matter regarding accessible bathrooms; our bathroom had it in abundance.
The bathroom had what we needed, a toilet with grab bars, a sink and a walk-in shower with a seat.
The bathroom was clean, if not a bit dated, but it worked perfectly for us.
Our opinion of an accessible room in The Hog’s Head Inn
Overall, we were more than happy with the accessible bedroom. For us, with our health conditions and mobility problems, the room worked well.
Also worth mentioning, especially regarding me, is a Mcdonald’s about fifty yards away, and it’s not a deal-breaker but ideal for a late-night fast-food hit.
Would we stay at the Hog’s Head Inn again?
The Hog’s Head Inn is our type of accommodation.
It’s accessible to us and much better quality than a budget hotel. It’s clean, and the staff are friendly and deliver exceptional service.
The premium accommodation and food offerings exceed what you’d expect in a pub.
It’s well-placed to explore the Northumberland coast and inland attractions.
Yes, we would stay at the Hog’s Head Inn again. We’d stay at any Inn Collections Inn because we know they’ll be of the same high standard.
I say this with confidence because we also stayed at The Commissioners Quay Inn, which didn’t disappoint, and I’ll review it in my next post.
Things to do in Alnwick
We travelled across the country and followed Hadrian’s Wall to the Hog’s Head Inn. We stopped off at:
The Sill – National Landscape Discovery Centre
Vindolanda Roman Fort and Roman Army Museum
Once we’d settled in, we also visited:
Visit Alnwick Castle in a Wheelchair
I’ll be writing more detailed posts about these attractions. If you haven’t already, sign up for our free newsletter to be notified when I publish new posts.
Resources:
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