Old Swan Hotel

Stayed with my spouse here, vjsited for a conference. Lovely hotel but needs upgrades.

Arrived early and our room was ready. Room was spotless and much bigger than we expected. 2 rooms converted into 1 . Shampoo, hairdryer, water, robes and slippers Reception and bar area beautiful, lots of outside seating. Massive big dinning room, lovely self service breakfast. Only downfall was the the £12 cost to park your car

The Old Swan Hotel is a stunning sight as you walk or drive up to the entrance. It looks very commanding and "Downtown Abbey like". There is a large lawn at the front and many parking spaces. There is additional parking at the back of the hotel and more garden spaces. The grandeur of the frontage continues as you walk in to a large reception area with many seating areas made up of sofas and impressive chairs. A proud plaque records Agatha Christie staying at the hotel. There is a bar area and large restaurant. In addition, there are several large rooms that are used for weddings and events. Sadly, the lack of investment means the ensuite bedrooms are outdated and unloved. The furniture is traditional and dark with only a few plug sockets (none by the bed) and no USB sockets. The TV is old and only provides freeview. Whilst the bathroom of the classic double is large the layout means that it is not possible to open the shower screen. The website shows photographs of restaurant quality plates of food however this is not available. The dinner menu provides basic choices with no evidence of a good chef. The breakfast is a basic help yourself full English and pastries but no continental breakfast. Get there early as everything is cooked and put out at the beginning of service so two hours later it is fairly unpalatable. No freshly cooked options like haddock, as advertised on the website, were avalaible. The service is mediocre with little enthusiasm from the staff and no evidence that quality service is valued. A stark difference to other hotels in Harrogate.