Experience a taste of history at The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn in Bathurst

Pig and Whistle Inn Bathurst

The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn, Bathurst, Eastern Cape

With a history of providing travellers with friendly hospitality, delicious eats and comfortable accommodation, it’s no wonder The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn has been booming for more than 180 years.

Situated in the village of Bathurst, the Pig & Whistle Inn is the cornerstone attraction of this quaint and quirky town.

Pig & Whistle Inn was established in 1832 by British settler, Thomas Hartley. Originally, it was known as the Bathurst Inn. That changed years later when a Royal Air force unit, which was stationed nearby, decided to name the Inn’s pub after their favourite pub in Britain.

The Inn is a heritage site and home to the oldest continuously licensed pub in South Africa. Its ideal location makes it the perfect base for exploring Bathurst and nearby Port Alfred, which is just a 15-minute drive away!

Accommodation at Pig & Whistle Inn

The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn, Pig & Whistle Inn, accommodation, Bathurst, Eastern Cape

There are ten rooms to choose from at the Pig & Whistle Inn, each one lovingly restored and furnished with antiques to give it a historic English feel. You will find that they have modern bedding to ensure total comfort during your stay.

Four of the rooms have en-suite bathrooms while the other six, the original rooms that were built in 1830, have shared bathroom facilities. For those who want to experience the history of the Inn, they can stay in rooms five or six, which were the original bedrooms of the owners, who built the Inn.

Rooms are equipped with double or two single beds fitted with fresh percale linen, a ceiling fan and tea and coffee-making facilities.

Facilities at Pig & Whistle Inn

The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn, Pig & Whistle Inn, accommodation, Bathurst, Eastern Cape

Apart from its historic rooms, the Pig & Whistle Inn is famous for its pub and restaurant. Its authentic 1820’s feel, makes it a favourite spot for the locals and popular stop-over for travellers in the Eastern Cape.

The pub has a warm and companionable atmosphere and has memorabilia decorating the walls that tell the story of the pubs long and proud history. The old fireplace keeps the pub warm while you watch local and international sport on satellite TV.

Keeping with its English traditions, the restaurant serves a traditional Sunday roasts and classic pub food, as well as vegetarian and Mediterranean meals. Signature dishes such as pot pies and freshly baked cakes and desserts are also on the menu.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the Inn and an outdoor swimming pool offers guests the perfect way to cool down during a hot summer day.

What do people say about Pig & Whistle Inn

The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn is considered the number one Inn in the Bathurst area and has received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor.

“We had the pleasure of spending a night here, while on a road trip from KZN South Coast to Cape Town. It was absolutely charming!!!!!!We have recommended it to all our friends and family as everyone needs to experience this wonderful gem in Bathurst.” – Escape TripAdvisor.

“We stopped off here for a night while on a road trip from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town – and loved every minute. The hotel is very historic and has been restored with love and care. The dinner was really good – we sat out on the veranda chatting to locals – and the breakfast the best we’ve had for a long time. We met such interesting people and heard fascinating tales. There’s a lot going on heritage-wise in this little town and knowledgeable people who would be happy to help you. Well worth a visit. Everyone we met was so friendly. Nice old pub.” – Trigger TripAdvisor.

“We had a lovely visit to this historic venue recently. We arrived at lunchtime and enjoyed a really great meal in the restaurant. The staff are friendly and the food was excellent. The drinks were very reasonably priced.” – Traveller TripAdvisor.

Top reasons for staying at The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn:

  1. The Pig & Whistle Inn has a long history and exudes a classic atmosphere.
  2. The pub has a vibrant and friendly atmosphere.
  3. Food served is delicious and hearty.
  4. The owners and staff of the Pig & Whistle Inn are helpful and friendly.
  5. The rooms are classically decorated and neat and spacious.

To make a booking at The Historic Pig & Whistle Inn, give them a call on 046 625 0673 or email stay@pigandwhistle.co.za. Visit their website at www.pigandwhistle.co.za. Find them at 268 Kowie Rd, Bathurst, 6170.

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About us

Actually, Home Food and Travel offers a lot more than just reviews of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.  We also visit great destinations, receive advice from interior designers and stop to smell the roses and taste the coffee.

Our team of journalists are seasoned travels and love visiting the myriad of exciting places around South Africa.  Whether it is off the beaten track or in the heart of the top attractions of the country, we’ll be there,

Home Food and Travel advice on finding the right accommodation

So what is the right accommodation?  Well more often than not, it’s your travel budget that dictates the type of accommodation that you choose. 

Expensive is not always better.  Our team at Home Food and Travel will tell you that they have camped in areas with limited ablutions and had a wonderful holiday.  They have also spent a night in a five star hotel only to be disappointed because their expectations exceeded the experience.

The reason for your travels will also affect your choice.  A business trip requires different amenities to a beach holiday. 

Our articles, reviews and experiences can certainly help you make your decision.

Restaurants with a good mix of service, food and ambiance

To my mind a great restaurant offers three things – excellent service, great food and a wonderful ambiance.  Of these, service is the most important. 

No matter that the food is delicious and the setting delightful, poor service can ruin the occasion.  However, great service combined with mediocre meal and a plane jane restaurant can still be a pleasant night out.

We’ve eaten in restaurants that are really dirty but with incredible food and couldn’t help but give a rave review.  We’ve also hardly noticed what we ate because the setting was just amazing.

However, the best restaurants come with the best of service, food and ambiance.

Spas are the ultimate relaxation aid

How do you know when you have had a great spa experience?  The answer, of course, is when you doze off on the treatment table. 

Well that’s our theory anyway.  It also doesn’t take a grand location with enormous facilities for a spa to be really good

A small, personal spa that is owner run can result in the best massage you have ever experienced.  However, the grand spas in five star hotels offer unsurpassed facilities in an environment that just makes the stress in your shoulders and neck melt away before you even finish checking in.

Adventure!

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junky to enjoy an exciting experience.  In fact, what are commonly termed adventure activities usually have incredibly high safety standards and unblemished safety records.

Ziplining, bungy jumping and shark cage diving are all very safe.  It’s just that our mind tells us we are craaazzzzyyyy to be doing this.

On the road to great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities

If you’re driving, be safe and make use of all the wonderful farm stalls that populate South Africa’s open roads.

If you overhear somebody asking a lot of questions or see someone taking photos of empty bedrooms chances are it’s one of our Home Food and Travel team members.

We’re out looking or those great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.

See you on the road!

 

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