The Swan Hotel

Hotels
9.1 (1733 reviews)
Market Place , Southwold , GB

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Heating
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Excellent breakfast
Cons:
Staff occasionally inconsistent
Some cleanliness issues

Categories

Cleanliness
8.4
The bathroom looked tired and was not that clean in one instance.
Service
9.4
Staff generally good, though there were occasional lapses in service.
Location
9.4
Excellent location close to the sea and local pubs.
Room Quality
8.9
Rooms were comfortable but some had issues like excessive heat or a cold bathroom floor.
Amenities
8.9
Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Value for Money
8.9
Slightly over-priced but generally good value for the experience.
Food and Beverage
9.4
Breakfasts were excellent and the food in the restaurant was highly praised.
Overall Experience
9.5
General sentiment was very positive with most customers expressing enjoyment of their stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-07 18:38

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation
The Swan Hotel in Southwold offers elegant 4-star accommodation with a blend of historic charm and modern amenities. From Nespresso machines to four-poster beds, each room is designed for comfort and style.

Culinary Delights
Indulge in a culinary journey at The Still Room and The Tap Room, where you can savor delicious dishes and locally brewed Adnams’ beers. Experience a taste of tradition and innovation in every bite.

Explore and Experience
Located just steps away from Southwold's high street and the beach, The Swan Hotel is the perfect base for discovering the town and its surroundings. Let our butler service and knowledgeable staff enhance your stay with tailored recommendations and guided tours.

Ready to immerse yourself in luxury and history? Book your stay at The Swan Hotel for an unforgettable experience.

Important information:

When booking 3 rooms or more, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

The Garden Rooms are separate from the main building and are at the rear of the hotel. These rooms are our only dog-friendly rooms. They have a small garden area with an outdoor terrace and seating and views of Southwold Lighthouse.
Dogs are charged at £15 per dog per night, the hotel itself is not dog friendly.Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

9.1
Based on 1733 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.4
Service: 9.4
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 8.9
Amenities: 8.9
Value for Money: 8.9
Food and Beverage: 9.4
Overall Experience: 9.5
M
Malcolm • couple • gb
8
2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
T
Trevor • couple • gb
5
Underwhelmed
Pros:

Quaint but not particularly comfortable

Cons:

Exterior smells of the brewery and food smells from kitchen extractors seem to pervade the area.

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
A
Allen • couple • gb
9
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
F
Fatania • couple • gb
10
Great hotel for a quick few days getaway. Centre of Southwold.
Pros:

Staff very polite and helpful. Decent choices on the menus in the Tap Room and the main restaurant,
Across all area the staff were very helpful and polite - Central location with its own car park. Clean rooms. Nice relaxed stay.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
M
margaret • couple • gb
7
A nice short stay in somewhere different.
Pros:

the garden room; ideal for me and my dog.

Cons:

the lights were not bright enough
Staff could benefit from "Deaf Aware" courses

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
D
Danielle • couple • gb
10
2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
J
Jac • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Everything just perfect

Cons:

Nothing at all

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
J
Jonathan • couple • gb
9
We’ll be back,
Pros:

Room, breakfast

Cons:

.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
A
Anna • couple • gb
10
It was a lovely relaxing weekend
Pros:

Loved everything

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
P
Philip • solo_traveller • gb
7
Not quite as good as it could/should be.
Pros:

The starr were brilliant as was the cleanliness. The water supply and plumbing were really fist class.

Cons:

The furnishings were directed more towards style than comfort for instance the bedside table was stylish but had no storage. The table has a top but no under shelf. The food choice was limited and whilst the main ingredient (fish, meat etc.) was good, there was not much of it and, in my opinion, the veg choice was poor and limited. Just not what I expected for such a highly rated and expensive hotel

2026-09-11 • via Nuitee
N
Nicole • couple • gb
10
Whisking the older generation away for a night
Pros:

We all enjoyed the surroundings and comfort of the hotel. The staff were fantastic us as my mum was in a wheelchair. The dinner on Saturday night was delicious and the chef even went against the rule for duck and cooked my mum's well done as she doesn't like pink. The breakfast was delicious the only thing I would say is all the bananas were over ripe and needed throwing away or used up in a cake:)

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
G
Graham • couple • gb
8
Very enjoyable but would not stay in this room again. When you are in the room you cannot hang the fo not disturb sign o
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Noise from the brewery and people passing by

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
T
Terence • couple • gb
10
Great stay, absolutely loved it.
Pros:

Ideal location, short walk to beach and pier. Right in centre of shops.

Cons:

The Restaurant could be very noisy at times.

2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
P
payne • couple • gb
10
2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
G
GERALD • couple • gb
9
Great hotel in excellent location
Pros:

Very central location with comfortable rooms and good food.

2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
L
Lucy • solo_traveller • gb
7
Pros:

Staff, hotel decor, location

Cons:

Dirty headboard and lumpy, sagging mattress.

2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
A
Adam • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
S
Sheila • couple • gb
6
Good hotel over all but lighting in our cabin was very poor
Pros:

Breakfast was excellent and service very good
Location excellent too

Cons:

The evening meal not to our taste and the burgers we had in the bar the second night were under cooked

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
U
UR • couple • gb
9
Can't wait to return for another stay!
Pros:

We love Southwold and also staying at the Swan, which we have done many times over the years. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The reception staff and Richard, the Porter made a very good impression. We loved room 47 as we were able to sit outside late into the evening. The staff in the dining room and tap room took good care of us, delivering delicious food.

Cons:

A little more choice of meals in the Tap Room. However, I fully understand with the current economic climate, that maximising overhead costs is essential to the hospitality industry. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals.

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
G
Georgina • couple • gb
9
Relaxing and welcoming
Pros:

The rooms and location

Cons:

Restaurant is bit small

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee