The Swan at Hay

pleasent stay

Really enjoyed our stay, staff friendly and helpful. Hotel full of character

We were on a deal with 'Great Little Breaks' Spent two nights in Room 8 which was, I believe, meant for single occupancy. Small bed which took up most of the room, tired curtains, very small shower room which was adequate (we are not huge people) but lots of black grouting in the cubicle ugh. Dinner on the second night was a joke. Prawn cocktail was served up in a huge ornate bowl, thick green lettuce leaves with a spoonful of prawns in Marie Rose and lemon slice - main course: Caesar Salad came in same ornate bowl, again huge thick lettuce leaves, chicken pieces in breadcrumb , 5 x croutons and a spoonful of dressing. No other salad items, not even a tomato for effect. I did tell waitress how disappointed I was - she said in was a traditional Caesar Salad Ha ? On a more positive note, our first meal was simple but no complaints, the staff were very friendly and helpful and the communal rooms were OK. PS, No Sauvignon Blanc or Peroni available, they had run out! PPS, We have taken advantage of many hotel deals in the past and never had cause to complain - to be honest it wasn't that much of a deal

This place is so nearly an absolute gem in the heart of walking country. Comfy rooms, welcoming to dogs, friendly staff. But - & there is a big but - SO badly let down by their Chef. Driving in from all over the UK we asked for supper at 8.15pm on our first night & were told that was fine. At 8.15 they brought us menus in the bar. We were happily perusing and choosing, waiting for someone to come and take our order when, less than 10 minutes later, the Barman informed us the Chef had gone home. Bizarre & rude. Cheap ingredients - including cheap bread at breakfast & for pack lunches, revolting black pudding (I love black pudding). This place needs a Chef who cares - about the guests and the quality of what is being served. Such a shame as the other staff were delightful. So, nearly a gem…. But not quite. Pity.

This is the friendliest hotel I've been to in a long time: from the welcome at reception to the cheery wave from a waitress as we came to dinner, to all the staff, who couldn't be more helpful or kind. It made our weekend. The menu for dinner is excellent and the food quality was great. Breakfast - a super choice with local produce - Wye Smoked Salmon and scrambled eggs a favourite. And the room was warm and comfy, with a hot shower! There is easy parking and an electric charging point. All in all a perfect weekend for a very reasonable price. (Hay on Wye is a wonderful place and there are many other places around to enjoy too.)

Jeff made us feel extremely welcome immediately. We arrived with a problem from another restaurant and he personally welcomed us with his good hospitality skills and changed our feelings. Food was nice had fish and chips. Nice and private. Overall pleasant Welsh hotel.

This is an understated, lovely hotel. Room was warm; bed had a quality mattress and decent pillows. Bathroom was well-appointed. Pies, Sunday roasts of strong quality. Bars and lounges ensure a**osphere can be relaxed and formal. The staff here are absolutely top drawer - welcoming, professional and with great attention to detail.

We had booked The Swan's large Reception Room for a public Community Assembly event, with 100 attendees. This was being run by Hay Public Library.org CIC, and was addressing the issue of food security for our town and its environs. There were many details to attend to, and from the start the Staff at the hotel made a list of our requirements, and offered assistance to get things organised. On the day itself, they were on hand and very attentive and responsive in dealing with all the minutiae and last minute changes that inevitably occur, and always smiling and and happy to co-operate with our needs. This made a huge difference in how smoothly the event was run, and the positive experience had by the attendees, as well as taking the stress out of the proceedings for the organisers. A very big thank you to The Swan and its wonderful Staff. We wouldn't hesitate to whole-heartedly recommend the venue.

I love the spacious room. If you have heavy luggage, do note that you have to lug it up a flight of stairs.