With the temperature hovering at about 8°C, it’s not exactly a balmy summer’s evening to experience alfresco bathing.

But as a guest of The Pig Hotel at Bridge, I’m sampling its latest rustic-style accommodation - the Stream Wagon, including one of its unique features, an outdoor bath and monsoon shower.

I’ll spare readers the photographic evidence, but there’s actually something quite therapeutic about lying in a hot, bubble bath staring up at the stars on an unseasonally chilly April night.

My ‘room’ for the evening is the latest addition to the choice of accommodation at Bridge Place which already features not just traditional bedrooms in the main manor house, but also lodges, a barn and hop pickers’ huts.

I’m staying in one of the two new stream wagons, which have been crafted in reclaimed timber to resemble railway carriages, complete with wheels.

Nestled in the “heart of nature”, they are tucked away in their own secluded spot in the water meadow, just a short walk from the main house.

The experience takes any notion of glamping to another level because once inside, you are met with the signature ‘Pig’ style blend of rustic charm and attention to detail.

The Pig claims there is “unlikely to be anything like this style of accommodation in the world”.

I’m not sure about that, but suffice to say, it’s a very unique and cosy place to spend the night.

With its timber-clad interior, I half expected Bilbo Baggins to knock on the stable door any moment.

You don’t have to brave the brisk outdoors to bathe, either, because inside there is also another bath - again double-sided for a romantic twosome - and shower.

And for those chilly evenings - a wood-burning stove adds to the ‘cabin in the woods’ atmosphere.

There’s a sofa in front of the television and, of course, like a traditional hotel room, you have all the expected creature comforts including tea and coffee-making facilities and a well-stocked fridge.

The Pig group of hotels now numbers 10, stretching across the south of England from east Kent to Cornwall with a new acquisition, Groombridge Place at Tunbridge Wells, due to open in 2025.

Founded in 2010 with the first hotel in the New Forest, the company has gone from strength to strength, investing tens of millions in preserving and tastefully transforming historic buildings.

They have their own unique “unshiny” style and a huge following of customers who appreciate their homely, informal vibe.

Talking of vibe, there are also nods in the main house to Bridge Place’s past as Bridge Country Club when it was a popular music venue and nightclub during the 60s, 70s and 80s and fondly remembered across Kent.

But back to my stream wagon experience.

For a start, the two wagons are aptly named, with a babbling brook running past my window.

It really is a wonderful setting, full of rustic charm.

Before settling down in the sumptuous bed with its crisp white linen, I enjoy dinner in the splendid ‘garden’ restaurant in the main house which is regularly booked out.

A feature of Bridge Place, and many other Pig Hotels, is its cottage garden which provides much of the restaurant’s fresh green produce.

And that’s evident on the ‘25-mile menu’ where all the produce, including meat and fish, is locally sourced.

I start with a spiced, south east coast cod fishcake, followed by chargrilled Brogdale Farm pork loin, rounded off with a frozen cherry blossom yoghurt.

Washed down with a couple of bottles of Whitstable Bay, the bill would come in at around £60, but the food was sublime.

And the service was spot-on - smiley, helpful and attentive without being overbearing.

Suffice to say, I had a very restful night and woke to the sight and sound of the babbling stream beside the wagon.

I opt for the traditional indoor shower and there’s no hanging about waiting for the water to get hot either, because it’s virtually instant.

But this is a review so what about the niggles. Well, I’m struggling to find fault with the facilities and service, to be honest. But, er, the dressing gown could have been softer and fluffier.

And the distance of the stream wagons from the main house and restaurant, which is almost 100 yards, might not be for everyone - especially on a wet, dark windy night - despite a well-lit path.

So now we come to the crunch - the price of such a unique, luxury experience.

You know it won’t come cheap, and it doesn't and that will always be the rub for some.

A night’s stay for two in a stream wagon costs £320, not including breakfast.

But for a special occasion in an extraordinary setting with exceptional service, it will be worth it for many, as the Pig’s popularity shows.