Die Swaene Hotel & Restaurant Brugge

The hotel and restaurant are absolute perfection. And Bruges is a true gem. We enjoyed our stay tremendously and we will return, for sure.

Worth every penny.

We spend 2 nights at the Small Luxury Hotel Die Swaene at the end of August. The location of the hotel was extremely convenient, right in the historical centre and along a lovely canal.

We had a very nice junior suite which was beautifully decorated. The buffet breakfast was marvellous and no extras were charged for our omelette with mushrooms and bacon. The staff at the front desk was really helpful and friendly. At night we had an excellent dinner in the restaurant. A top of the bill wine-list and the prices were more than reasonable.

What a beautiful place to stay. The food and service outstanding! What a charming and friendly hotel in Bruges.

We were so fortunate to stay in the " Die Swaene " hotel in Bruges last month for 3 days. What a place! Our room overlooking the canal was just fantastic: extremely romantic, very spacious bathroom, fresh flowers , luxurious fabrics.... And the staff was superb. So helpful and friendly. In short: a place never to forget !!!

Very Special, precious furnishing,

Beautiful place, beautiful view,

Delicate tissues,

Wonderful things.

People are very nice. We will go back.

I wanted to book somewhere for a special occasion and this hotel seemed to fit the bill -luxury and romantic. I booked via a travel company which included the Eurostar tickets. We stayed ( July 2004) for two nights in their superior delux room which was in a block just opposite the main hotel. The room was very nice, but should have been at 295 euros a night. It had air con and a gas effect log fire and overlooked the canal, altogether very pleasant. The breakfasts were good and the staff helpful and quick to deal with any request. We never eat dinner there and no one asked us to. The set meals including wine at 99 euros seemed the best bet, but soup at 20 euros seemed very expensive. I certainly enjoyed the trip but probably will not rush back to this hotel. However the location is wonderful. Bruge is a great city and has loads of good hotels this one was nice but expensive and probably not the best value for money.

Die Swanne (the Swan) is centrally located in Brugge along a canal near the fishmarket (now a craft market), within a short walk of the central square. It's location is ideal, and it's staff are friendly and attentive. Most of the structures in Brugge date from the Flemish Renaissance, and so if you are looking for modern appointments of glass and chrome, look elsewhere. Die Swanne has the feel of a Victorian Bed and Breakfast, with narrow stairs, overstuffed furniture, a small lobby, walnut paneling and period fabrics. The rooms are smallish, and configured individually. This is to say, they are not uniform or modern. Plumbing works fine, but is late European 20th century. So, why am I raving about the Swanne? The food. The breakfast buffet and especially dinner in the conservatory are worth every penny. Delicious.

Authentic! The wait staff is exceptional. Dinner is the reason to stay at the Swanne. Brugge is amazing, a theme park on the Flemish Renaissance that most Americans do not know about. The lacey stonework and lovely urban plan leave you appreciating the Flemish and wanting more.

Our room was a shoebox, with tatty furnishings, poor lighting, and a cramped bathroom. When we opened the window (granted, it had a nice view of the canal) our room was soon covered in flies. We had booked a two-night stay, which required that we eat in the hotel's restaurant.

Much to our chagrin, most of the entrees on the menu were in the $40-$50 range! We pleaded with the desk clerk to let us opt out of dinner. He did, but required that we stay at least one of the two nights.

The next morning, we moved to Hotel de Tuilerieen, where we were altogether happier.

The hotel is described as charming and romantic, but all you can see is peeling paint, folding doors to the bathroom, and faded vinyl where leather supposed to be. The towels with greyish tint do not remind you of the word 'luxurious' overused in the official description. The hotel is located on a charming canal street full of noisy tourists and sightseeing boats with loud speakers. Since the rooms facing it have no air conditioning, you can forget about quality sleep. The staff is less than friendly and every small service is charged for. If you plan on eating in the pricey restaurant make sure it is open since vacations are in the middle of the summer. They certainly do not belong in the SLH group of hotels.

The Die Swaene is on a quiet canal street central to everything in Bruges - a walkable ancient city. The hotel is well furnished and small (rooms are spacious) with a lovely dining room. Hotel requires you to dine one night at the hotel - sounded like a good idea but .... it's very, very expensive and NO one goes except the hotel guests. We were the only people in the dining room. Food is very elegant and let me repeat, VERY expensive. We paid 128 Euros for one glass of wine each, one entree and a shared salad. Would not consider returning to the hotel because of the dining requirement.