Old Swan Hotel

The Best

by TripAdvisor Member Bodes

We have been waiting to see how the refurbishment of the Old Swan would go and we have never been more delighted! We are great fans of the Macdonal hotel chain and often stay at their Loch Rannoch hotel in Scotland (which is also fantastic), so when we found out that they were taking over the hotel and spending £5 million we were extemely excited!!
Our stay took place on Friday 9th June and we had a lovely, large quiet room over looking the rear gardens. The bedrooms and bathrooms have all be modernised (the real hairdryer was a bonus - not one of those that is attached to the wall or drawer) but they have fully retained the character of the hotel. Our evening meal with wine was delightful as was the extremely filling breakfast, the staff were extremely helpful whilst keeping a discreet distance. We were so pleased with the hotel and it's surroundings that we booked our wedding reception there the next day!
The only downside to this hotel is the fact that we only live 10 minutes away, otherwise we would be spending many more stays here!!

Quality hotel

by TripAdvisor Member pdjw

A quality hotel the refurbishment is superb. Excellent service, beautiful room overlooking the gardens. The hotel was clean, welcoming and charming. Will certainly visit again, this hotel is now on our favourite list.

Agatha would be proud

by TripAdvisor Member asra

So the Old Swan trades hard on the A. Christie link. The Edwardian atmosphere is retained in the new revamp - there were three of the dectective writer's novels in our room!.
Perhaps more self-contained some some of the bigger hotels,
the hotel has a selection of rooms are first-class and we we in a suite-type room of the third floor that was elegant and redolent of another age but with all the modernity you want.
The deal was great and the staff spot-on with their attitude.
Not too pushy or too reticient. We did b & b and the breakfast was very good, if without some of the frills of the bigger hotels.
Easy to get to and parking not too bad (free as well), all in all a top-class deal that makes us keen to return.

Not to return again

by TripAdvisor Member Daftly

Clearly the hotel has been refurbished and looks lovely on the inside. Room was cavernous but smelt of old socks despite being given a good airing and a phone that wouldn't plug in. The room came with a Garden view but Kew Gardens it ain't!

Restaurant food was ok but not really up to scratch. Biggest
let down was breakfast delivered to the room. It arrived 5 mins early which is actually inconvenient. Croissants burnt and drenched in coffee, which was the only hot thing on the tray. AllBran turned out to be Coco Pops (close?), cooked breakfast (barely warm let alone cooked) dissappointing and a 5 year old could have presented it better. The cost of breakfast was refunded but the damage has been done and I will not be using them again.

Dear oh dear

by TripAdvisor Member bethmacmum

The first room I was offered was tiny and overlooked some dirty pipework (?) so I changed - still tiny but this time on the front so at least there was a view. Could only get out of bed on one side because the TV was jammed between the window and the bed (terrible reception on TV by the way), no chair in the room so had to sit on the bed. Service in the restaurant was very slow although the waiting staff were friendly. Food was poor and the chef didn't seem to have much of a clue - vegetarian main meal came with vegetables wrapped in bacon!!, friend requested a "one egg omelette" and was served an omelette with a fried egg on top?? No Earl Grey tea for some reason......really wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

Mixed Feelings

by A TripAdvisor Member

Spent 2 night weekend break here recently. Room was small and cramped with view of the restaurant roof and TV didn't work but that was promptly dealt with once reported. Bathroom had shower but no bath and was already showing signs of wear - large crack in the washbasin and shower control panel hanging off the wall. On the plus side plenty of hot water, large soft towels and a comfortable bed.

The public rooms have been impressively restored, in particular the restaurant stained glass roof is quite a feature, however the restaurant is very large with lines of tables and lacks atmosphere. This is a pity as it wouldn't take much imagination to break up the tables in some way to create a more intimate feeling. There was an excellent buffet breakfast and dinner was reasonable. Service at dinner was fine on the 2nd night but on the first we had a 45 minute wait for our main course, there was obviously some problem in the kitchen as others were experiencing long waits also. Staff were friendly and helpful.

Overall a pleasant stay but I didn't come away feeling any desire to return here.

Forget Agatha, the biggest mystery was why I booked this hotel for a week!

by TripAdvisor Member EJarvis

I stayed at the Old Swan on business for 5 days in October 2006. I asked to be moved rooms after being shown the first. The view was of the rising apex of a really high adjacent roof which blocked out all sunlight into what was a huge cheerless room. My second room was ok but not 4 star in my opinion. The restaurant looked pretty nice but with no linen on the tables, it just seemed quite spartan. The food though was awful. Warm starters were served freezing cold and the main dish I got on my first visit was in such a dreadful sauce that I couldn't eat it. I had driven from Glasgow and was starving so that says something! Same thing the second night so I gave up after that and brought sandwiches in. I would not go back to the hotel and I would never recommend it as a restaurant experience.

Not Four Star and Not God Enough

by TripAdvisor Member 23031961

Had visited Harrogate for a relaxing break including some spa treatments. Room (240) was small, but clean and comfortable, shower excellent. However, it overloked a flat roof, which we discovered was some sort of function room on the Saturday night - there was a disco (which it felt was taking place in the room - despite cotton wool in ears!!). When the music was still going afer midnight my sister in law got dressed and went to Reception to ask that the situation be addressed - the level of the music was turned down so that it was still audible in the room but was not as intrusive as previously. We both felt tired when we woke on the Sunday. We have written to the hotel regarding this (bit of a 'computer says no' response when we raised it at Reception on check out) - but why put people not attending a function in a room so badly affected by the noise from them ? We would not have booked if the situation had been explained to us.
We ate in the hotel restaurant on the Friday night, and were distinctly unimpressed (needless to say we ate in town the next night). Breakfast was better, but not as good as that at The Majestic which we stayed in last year.
Also unimpressed by the invoicing - the hotel managed to charge for 3 , rather than 2 courses on the Friday night but managed to correctly recall that we had a bottle of wine, and also they automaticaly add a £1 to each bill for 'their charity' but don't explain this until it is queried, when they explain it is voluntary - I thought this was poor.
All in all poor value for money and customer service, would not reccommend the restaurant and woudl not go back.

Don't even think about it!

by TripAdvisor Member zodiac

Don't even think about staying in this hotel. Service is terrible, food is shocking and the rooms are smelly, noisy and hot. The only good thing about this hotel is the door marked exit.

places to visit in the UK

by freedom.scott

"Ullswater ,Cumbria"

i took this picture at airh falls in cumbria , it is a beautiful walk and great views of the water fall, there is also trips around the lake and ullswater is the second biggest lake in the lake district and deffinatly wearth the visit. it was a nice area to work

"Harrogate, North Yorkshire"

I worked in Harrogate for 2 years and it was great fun and lots of history about the place this is a picture of the pump museum at the bottom of harrogate and just up the road from there is a great hotel Called The Old Swan Hotel where agetha Christie ran away to in the 1920s, harrgate is also one of the top conference towns in England i have also heard the turkish baths are great so if anyone is up north yorkshire they should have a few nights in harrogate.

"Hayling Island, Hampshire"

The picture below is the full view of the island, if you like surfing its good place to be, there are few pubs on the island and a small fair ground near the coast the beachs are pebbled and its a nice walk along the coast, i didnt realy enjoy my time there but if you like surfing i guess its ok. there is also a bus service off the island to a town called Havant where you can get the train to portsmouth which doesnt take long!