The Swan Hotel

What a lovely all round experience. Can't wait to return. All staff FANTASTIC, from start to finish. Beautiful hotel.

We had afternoon tea and it was a superb experience. The food was delicious and the staff were lovely. It’s such a nice area to sit in.
I highly recommend this place

Only popped in for lunch in the bar, the barman kept disappearing & was not welcoming. We ordered two tomato & basil soups , half a cheese & ham sandwich & half a cheese sandwich & some fries.
One soup came with the sandwiches which had the wrong filling in, the waitress took the sandwiches back to redo so we were left with one soup and no cutlery. Eventually a lovely lady came with the correct food, However the soup was extremely salty, clearly not tasted by the chef, the sandwiches were sloppy on cheap white supermarket thin sliced bread, the chips were cold. Apparently the manager was informed but never showed his face.
We visited this hotel for a 4 night stay many years ago when it was a forte hotel it was excellent. This was a very disappointing lunch

Such a lovely stay at the The Swan! We stayed the first week in January after purchasing the black Friday deal for ourselves and our parents for their Christmas present. We all loved it, and can't wait to revisit as soon as we can! The rooms were gorgeous with lovely big bathrooms. We all really enjoyed our evening meal! The food was superb, and a lovely breakfast too! What really stood out for us was the staff, they were amazing! So so lovely, and helpful, nothing was too much trouble, it was refreshing! I'm afraid I can't remember names, but the bar staff, and restaurant staff, and caroline on reception, all were just so attentive and friendly. The building itself is just stunning, a one off, historically very interesting too, as is of course Lavenham itself. The only problem with our stay is that we which we could have stayed longer! We look forward to revisiting when we can 🙂I'm not one to write reviews but our time at the swan was so lovely, with such lovely people working there, that I felt I had to.

Always wanted to stay in Lavenham, decided to book The Swan for a couple of days.
It was a lovely relaxing break.The staff are a credit to the hotel.
The room was very nice and bigger than we expected.
Breakfast was excellent and the dinner each night was very good.
The out of season deal was great value for the money it cost.

A wonderful relaxing weekend to celebrate a big birthday 🎂. Accommodation is excellent, warm, cosy , everything you need with attentive staff , room service and turn down evening service if needed.
Food is exceptional and all the staff are helpful and very attentive.
We had a problem during afternoon tea due to staff shortages, but this was dealt with and concerns addressed. Freddie and Leanne are exceptional, professional and an asset to The Swan.
We look forward to our next stay thank you.

A rare example of how guests should be cared for. From reception, through to the dining room and housekeeping, the staff were all excellently trained and obviously proud of their own high standards. Added to a bargain our of season offer, we could not have found a better short term break.

The hotel is beautiful, set in very picturesque Lavenham.

Spa, rooms and amenities all excellent - no complaints and a very relaxing weekend.

However - speed of service in the main restaurant was slow on both evenings and on the second night some food was below standard. When highlighted, service recovery was excellent.

Breakfasts were very good.

Car parking was a mixture of private car park and onroad.

Would recommend.

Lovely Lavenham.
Really good receptionist ( recently a grandma) really lovely friendly.
Room was ready earlier than expected.
Room 52 lovely room close to spa.
Lunch was light nibbles by the fire.
Spa was lovely didn’t have treatments I did feel these where slightly pricey compared to London hotels.
Evening meal despite ( hearing people)
The chefs were short!
Despite this still fabulous service and I think 90 mins for lovely cooked meal isn’t a long time !
We also visited the Greyhound for drinks lovely pub !

Only thing I could say it’s the breakfast help yourself part wasn’t great, I love. Fruit salad there wasn’t much choice.
The toast was cold too.
Cooked breakfast was lovely.
I found getting attention of the waiting staff especially at night fustrating.
One shout out to the young man on service he was so charming and professional at dinner service !
Overall good stay will return at some point.
Spa staff very helpful & bar staff.

Phoned up to check open for coffee and tea, as non-resident, as was 1st January. Receptionist confirmed we could with a laugh.

Turned up (30 minute drive) and was told in no uncertain terms by a manager that the hotel was closed to non residents until 1200. Notice on door said Hotel was closed until 1st January. Other people were in process of waiting to complain to the head manager having been told the same.

The manager that 'greeted' me said she had been on reception and I couldn't have been told what I had when I phoned. I have the proof!

Best of luck carrying that approach to customer service/relations -basically accusing me of lying and falsely representing your offer.

Happy New Year-I won't be hurrying back.

Had a lovely welcoming coffee and pastry at the excellent Bildeston Crown instead.

Cheesed off regular customer

We come back to the Swan most years for our anniversary and we have just returned from the best stay in years.

- The Receptionist and new GM were super friendly and wished us a happy anniversary. I do feel like they could do with two check-in computers at that desk, the poor receptionist was so busy.
-Our room was spotlessly clean and a wonderful size (room 53). I still think the bathroom could do with a bit of modernising, and the shower wasn’t quite good enough to wash my super thick hair easily.
- For the first time ever, the staff had put rose petals and chocolates on our bed to wish us a happy anniversary. These little touches mean a lot and are a lovely surprise.
- Our time in the spa and our treatments were first class, best facial I have had in years! Thank you!
- Our dinner was superb. It was amazing to have a vegetarian menu, it was such a treat to have actual choice! The staff were all really welcoming, though the wait times in the restaurant were quite slow at every meal we had there. The food came out quite quickly, but waiting for drinks or for plates to be cleared was always quite slow. The food was absolutely delicious!! Atmosphere was really romantic and luxurious. The staff wished us a happy anniversary also, which was really thoughtful.
- The new breakfast table works really well for pastries etc.
- Afternoon tea was delicious! We did wait about 15 mins for our first cup of tea, but it was worth it.
- The hotel could still do with some maintenance. There are a few places where the paint on the external walls is peeling and it needs a bit of love, but it doesn’t detract from how homely and cozy this special place is.

All in all, the best stay in years. Thank you to the staff for making us feel so special! We will be back next year

I have just had the most wonderful 48 hours staying in Lavenham at the Swan to celebrate my birthday. It is a fabulous base from which to explore the village and a wonderful destination in its own right. We were a group of 8, and nothing was too much trouble. The staff were wonderful. The building is so full of character, and the rooms are beautifully decorated. Thank you

Gorgeous stay - one of the best and most unique hotels - feels like you’re genuinely staying in 1600s! The receptionist staff were so sweet and couldn’t do enough, the SPA is so quiet and such a treat (and makes the stay very good value IMO) the dinner was wonderful and such good quality ingredients. The location is spectacular. We will now always stay here for some tranquility when we visit family. Rooms beautifully equipped. There is a bit of ‘bump in the night’ noises at night but that’s to be expected from a hotel with this much incredible character. The way they have redesigned it but kept its character is literally breathtaking.

My husband and I have just returned from our annual visit and once again it was wonderful and matched every expectation. We checked in early to make best use of our time and enjoyed 2 hours in Weavers Spa. 2 hours very well spent to relax and unwind. The staff were welcoming and made sure we had all the relevant information.
We then enjoyed the Festive Afternoon Tea in front of the fire! It was a real treat! It was delicious and well presented. The staff were all attentive without being pushy and looked after us really well.
Our room was spotless and extremely comfortable and we enjoyed a good nights sleep. As always, the breakfast was amazing, and again, the staff were friendly and efficient.
We first visited The Swan in 1986 and we love it now as much as we did then and we will be back!

Our daughter bought us a night at The Swan as it is one of our favourite places to visit. As always the staff, service, ambiance, food and accommodation was first class.

If you like a cozy retreat and a Countryside get away - then you can not beat this hotel. It's like stepping into a film set with its Tudor beams and log fires everywhere.

We stayed for only a night. Wanting to re-visit a hotel we had stayed at long before we had children. It has been 15 years but the hotel was just as excellent as it was then. The room is very comfortable, gorgeous and clean. (They even had a turndown maids service which I wasn't expecting as I would have picked my clothes up!), All the modern facilities are first class (hot powerful shower, smart TV with streaming services),

We had dinner and breakfast at the gallery restaurant. The food was outstanding and what great service, the friendly waiters and waitresses incredibly attentive. Such a lovely relaxed atmosphere with the pianist upstairs playing songs, but the waiting staff making you feel at home and therefore not too intimidating.

Lavenham is beautiful and there is lots to do within driving distances, but Lavenham has some nice pubs and cafes too.

I spent a weekend at the Swan last Friday & Saturday,7th & 8th November,2025. My sisters had arranged the stay for a big birthday. From arrival to departure we were looked after so well. The food,accommodation & staff were perfect! They made me feel very special & even presented me with a brownie & berries on an iced plate saying happy birthday! There was a birthday card & homemade fudge in my room too. Its the little touches like that,that makes The Swan a truly wonderful experience! All of the staff were incredibly helpful,professional & polite,especially Bethany on reception who dealt with all our requests (including storing the venison sausages I bought for my husband in the kitchen fridge....) The Weavers spa on site was also a magical experience & I can highly reccomend a facial There,also a dip in their hot pool!
All in all I would urge people to consider the Swan for a truly unforgettable mini break!

Stayed at the hotel for a few days. Left a day early as had food poisoning. If you’ve ever had it you’ll know how awful it is. We only ate at the hotel. We left in a hurry. Said nothing. I felt so ill. Provided feedback when requested and a review was undertaken. I asked for a partial refund. Having spent a fortune only to end up having to leave early. I was offered a complimentary stay and meal so as to show ‘how good they really are’ and requested I remove my review. I asked for a partial refund again and based on how much we spent overall it was a fair amount. Cost of living. Every penny counts etc. but it was refused. To be honest I just couldn’t bear the thought of eating there again so a complimentary stay is an empty gesture and I think that’s understandable. It just feels off. The attitude. It was about ‘policy’ apparently. So disappointed. Had a girls trip planned to Lavenham next year and have always championed the hotel with friends. Not now and never again. If you’ve ever had a lovely time there then it’s memorable and great and has happened for us several times. If you ever have a bad time you’ll be offered to return. It’s industry standard. But I thought better of The Swan. I thought the customer would matter. Shame.

I recently stayed at this charming historic hotel for a Saturday night break with family. Our short break got off to a perfect start as we were greeted warmly by Rosa, the General Manger. Apparently she has only been at The Swan for just over a month, but in my opinion is already such a great asset to the company! The room was beautiful and clean. Dinner was a delight, excellent, attentive service and I enjoyed some of the best scallops I have ever eaten. Rosa is definitely a “hands on” type of general manager, and her impact is easy to see, all the team members we encountered were friendly and professional and from what we saw at dinner, are thriving under her leadership. She seemed to be everywhere! It’s very refreshing these day to see a general manager that leads by example instead of just hiding away in an office. Her presence at dinner was much appreciated. Pedro too, was amazing, genuinely committed and demonstrated great food knowledge.

Breakfast was lovely, nice and hot and a good variety. The lady on reception (I unfortunately cannot remember her name), was very helpful and friendly and interested in our feedback. We will definitely return for a longer visit!

We wish Rosa and her team well for the future and look forward to visiting this amazing hotel again.

Amazing Sunday lunch in The Brasserie and a lovely welcome at The Swan being a local. Definitely the best place for a roast dinner within the village; the beef was cooked to perfection, the potatoes, yorkshire and vegetables all lovely. Not often you get a roast where everything is so perfect. Service was amazing, the new General Manager came to speak with us at our table and is having a noticeable effect already - welcome and thank you. Looking forward to the Residents Welcome evening and am sure this will be well attended. Look forward to booking again.