The Swan, Lavenham, is a historic hotel, and from the outside, the building radiates charm. As with any ancient building, one can expect uneven floors and flagstones, which all add to the charm and enhance the guest experience. The Swan is not a bad hotel, but there are areas where service and cleanliness leave a lot to be desired. I arrived around 3 pm after a long drive from the Cotswolds. Checking in, I had to wait ten minutes for my room as they could not find the room key. Eventually, it was discovered that the housekeeper had taken the key home with her, and I needed to wait for her to return to the hotel, Fawlty Towers, yes, amusing, no! My room was located in one of the oldest parts of the building, on the ground floor behind the RAF Bar. The room itself is large, with a four-poster bed overlooking a courtyard, or to describe it more accurately, overlooking the staff's back-of-house entrance. A constant stream of staff members walking in and out, right outside the room's windows, removes any sense of privacy. The rear door, which exits from the bathroom onto the courtyard, was unlocked and open when I took the room, which I found disconcerting. The bathroom itself is dated, with a shower over the bathtub. The most annoying feature was a toilet that took three attempts to flush, with the handle always stuck in the down position - ancient graffiti and timbers we accept, poor plumbing and flaking paint we do not. Deciding to have something to eat, I asked reception what was available, and I was told the bar offers sandwiches and drinks. I ordered a pint of ale and asked about sandwiches. The bartender went to the kitchen, returning several minutes later to inform me that the restaurant was closed. When I asked where else I could get something to eat, he suggested, "outside". Unhappy about this, I enquired again at the reception, and she informed me that I was an in-house guest and could order food. She secured a clumsily assembled chicken and bacon sandwich for me, which was not the most pleasant sandwich I have eaten. I left half of it and most of the ale and went for a meander around Lavenham. When I went to dinner in the evening, almost four hours after I ordered the sandwich, I noticed it was still sitting on the table with the napkin screwed up over it. I dined in the hotel's signature Brasserie restaurant with a friend who has lived in Lavenham for over thirty years. Service was passable, but several requests for bread and numerous enquiries from staff asking if our meals had arrived reflected a poorly trained team. Each meal was presented to the wrong person, again, funny on Fawlty Towers, but not in real life. Retiring to my room, I spent several minutes listening to a phone conversation from a staff member leaning against the building! As I drove back to London the following day, I wanted to leave before 8 am. I went to breakfast at 07:05, and they open at 07:00. As no one was present to serve, I went to reception and asked and was informed they had "just opened". I waited another five minutes, and a sullen staff member appeared. I ordered tea and white toast. I was served tea and brown toast. I left shortly afterwards.
The Swan Lavenham attracts an older crowd, and although the hotel, while in need of some cosmetic updating and service improvement, remains a favourite among many people. My experience was not awful, just clumsy. However, one unacceptable thing was that the phone in my room did not work at all. Given the age of many guests, being unable to call reception in the event of an emergency was not acceptable. I informed the staff, but during my one-night stay, no effort was made to rectify the issue.
GB