Great location just across the river

Stayed for just one night at the Swans Nest on a quick trip to Stratford. We thought the location of the hotel was the best selling point, allowing you to walk everywhere to the major sites . Rooms and bathrooms were clean and furnished well. All you have to do is walk over the bridge and you are on the road that leads to all the theatres and some good eateries and a nice spot to picnic by the canal. We would advise getting a combined ticket to all 3 of Shakespreares "townhouses " at the hotel reception as it saves you money (£11 for 3 houses which includes Shakespeares birthplace, Nashs House and 1 other that the names escapes me but was the best of the three with a great Druckers coffee and cake shop attached ! ). If you have children you can get boat trips right opposite the hotel and there is a Butterfly Farm next door, Warwick Castle which is fab is only about 15 miles away. We had a really nice meal in Cafe Pasta which is just scross the bridge highly recommend the goats cheese and chicken salad and the garlic bread is really lush.

The Hottest Beer in Town

We booked two double rooms but on arrival our reservation was ok but our friends did not exist even though it was on the same confirmation. This was sorted satisfactorily.

Our room, (No.45) was a good size and nicely appointed, the breakfast was excellent. The hotel though does lack atmosphere behind it's impressive facade, the lobby is dingy and the whole place carries a sense of tiredness.

Finally, avoid the bar at all costs, on our visit it was difficult to gauge which was hotter the bar itself, the prices or the beer, we pointed out that it is illegal to serve so called "lager" from an unmarked pump.

Good value - great location

We stayed at this hotel last weekend while in Stratford on a theatre break. We found the hotel to be clean and the rooms were nice, modern and seemed recently refurbished, also nice to have an ironing board and plenty of space. The staff were very friendly and helpful, it is noticable that they are all foreign but no communication problems and if anything a much better attitude than you usually get from surly british teens!

The location of this hotel is great, situated across a footbridge from both main theatres (Royal Shakespeare & the Swan), its a good base for exploring stratford and is right by the river. The breakfast was lovely if a little expensive (ours was included in the price of the room but we noticed it was about £12 if you had to pay for it seperate) plenty of choice and the cooked elements served to your table rather than a pile on at the eggs and bacon.

My mother left her purse at the hotel and didnt realise til we were nearly home but the hotel had already found it and contacted her mobile - cant fault their honesty, one of the maids had found it in her room but there was nothing missing when she collected it. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a nice, central hotel with parking and good facilities. We enjoyed our stay.

Good value for the special deal we got

We stayed at the Swan's nest for 2 nights in March, and took advantage of an excellent deal we got when we booked 8 months before.We paid £72 per night for a double room and only £36 per night for our son to be in a similar room, with no single supplement.We thought it was great value for money. Our rooms were clean and comfortable, our only complaints being that both rooms were stuffy and unaired. Though they were non smoking, there was definitely a hint of smoke in the air, and even of the sweaty feet of which another reviewer complained!The hotel itself is nicely situated by the river, in easy walking distance of the theatre and the shops.The restaurant was pleasant and offered a good breakfast service although staff were a little slow at refilling the dishes on the buffet. We would stay here again, but I am not sure it would be worth the usual rate payable.Try to negotiate a good deal!

Great value for money

We visit Stratford regularly but this was the first time we had stayed at the Swan's Nest (having previously stayed in 4 star hotels). Having read some of the very negative reviews posted on the site, we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the Swan's Nest. It's true that all the staff are non-British but so what? (In our experience, the service provided by non-British hotel staff is usually much better anyway). We found all the staff at the Swan's Nest to be extremely polite and helpful. Our room was compact, but very clean and tidy with all the necessary facilities including a really good shower. For the price we paid, and in comparison to 4 star hotels in Stratford, the room was excellent value for money. We had a couple of drinks in the bar which, although a little smokey, had a nice ambience (we definitely didn't agree with the reviewer who had rather negative comments about the bar area). The next morning, the breakfast was really excellent - freshly cooked and served to us at our table (unlike most hotels, there was no need to queue up and fight your way around a buffet table). In fact, we both thought it was the best breakfast we'd eaten in a British hotel in a long time. And in terms of location, the hotel is ideally placed to explore Stratford. We will most certainly be staying there again in preference to the 4 star hotels we have previously used in Stratford.

The smell of sweaty feet was unbearable

We stayed for one night at this hotel. The receptionist was not very welcoming and when we got into the room you could smell the feet of several previous guests. The restaurant was shut and the bar did not open till late. Sitting in the bar reminded me of an old people's home - no not the ages of the guests - but the ambiance!! The wine was old and warm and the final blow was we could use the swimming pool of the lovely hotel opposite to see what we could have had. The only plus was the breakfast staff could smile and were very pleasant and it was very good food.

Clean and comfortable, great location

This is actually one of the better hotels we've stayed in, compared to the foreign cheapies we usually book. Great location, few minutes walk from the town centre and right next to the river. Room was large and spotlessly clean with a huge tv. Good selection at breakfast, even if you do have to wait until a table becomes available. Ok, so it didn't have much character but it was clean, spacious and comfortable which. to me, is more important. Foreign staff not a problem as didn't see much of them anyway. Also had free car parking (certain hotels in Stratford charge extra for this). I would definitely recommend this hotel to others.

Avoid at all costs

Lovely facade but that's where it stops. Grotty and basic inside and the complete opposite of the front exterior. The trip round the back to the car-park makes you feel that you entering a down-market supermarket complex.

The room? My campbed gives a better night's sleep. Reminded me of my student days.

Oh, and the staff. The EU really is upon us. Not a Brit in site and accordingly the transient staff clearly couldn't care less.

Avoid at all costs

The Swan's Nest Hotel

We recently stayed at The Swan's Nest hotel right by the river Avon. This is a lovely hotel and we had an executive double room which was very comfortable with great views of the river. The breakfast was also good with a good selection of cereals, fresh fruit and the a full english breakfast which was delicious! I would highly recommend this hotel.

Great location, nice room

This is a nicely located hotel. We had a spacious double room for a one night stay over a weekend (one niters can be hard to get in Stratford over weekends) with a nice ensuite with a fixed head shower and a flexible hose shower. A nice bonus was the CD/Hi Fi as well as usual TV.

We had tickets for the theatre and it is a pleasant 5 minute stroll from the hotel along the river walk to RSC and the town. We did not eat at the hotel apart from breakfast - OK full english but nothing special. Staff are thin on the ground but friendly and efficient. Would I stay again. Yes definitely.