please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I blinking love this place and I've only been here once.
Yes it is a hotel with a bar and it's owned by Greene King but it's a great place that has lovingly had money pumped into it.
You cannot miss this place it's right on the High Street and is a big old hotel
3 ales on draught which were IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Twisted Wheel. I had the Twisted Wheel and was perfect.
Very friendly and chatty barman, not robotic in the slightest, was very knowledgeable about the area and it's pubs.
The large wine cellar behind glass doors just across from the bar is very impressive and a nice talking point.
Old and possibly original tiled floor out by reception add to the character of this place.
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The Swan Hotel is an excellent place for a good value meal in a relaxed atmosphere. The beer tends to be Greene King Abbot Ale and a guest ale is sometimes available.
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visited on a friends recomendation,went for lunch,took up their offer of two meals for �10-95 it was very good,some of the best battered fish my wife has ever tasted,service first class,very friendly and service was also quick,despite being busy on a friday lunchtime, I even left a tip, which is rare these days,meal,sweet and a couple of drinks �20 good value. In fact the fish chips and peas was cheaper than our local chipshop.Will certainly go again NM
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Stayed one night as I'd over stretched it on the beer front.
Simple clean rooms with crisp bed linen. decent service and cheap price. What more could you ask for
Never really drink downstairs its a bit clinical and quiet, bar staff are all robots with their personality chip taken out
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Old buildings need constant repair and the Swan is no exception. Bar nice enough. Food very acceptable. Rooms of good standard though not exceptional. Staff all very helpful
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On the hotel front, clean, comfortable and reasonably priced. Didn't try the bar due to an aversion to Greene King. The buffet breakfast has been done away with - they are now cooked to order and quality is greatly improved.
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Quite right - it is a hotel so I'll dispense with that aspect first. Clean, comfortable rooms, polite attentive staff who could come from Mars for all I care. Reasonable prices. Always happy to stay at this or any other of the Old English franchise.
Pub bit. Not so good. Greene King ales are not the greatest in my opinion and there was not even a decent guest ale so I was stuck with Abbot. Menu is hearty with pretentions to gastro which the Greene King central kitchen can't really pull off. You won't starve but it won't rock your world either. There is fortunately a decent Italian place just up the road. Breakfast is a rather sad buffet affair with crusted scrambled eggs, undercooked bacon and 'Tiger Tank' sausages (skin virtually impenetrable!!) Definitely needs work on the catering side hence my low score.
Incidentally all credit to the lads at Central Tyres for getting the Rev out of the s*** late on a Saturday afternoon.
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i dont think its over priced, i think its the right price to keep all the nafe people out the atmosphere was good and the managerment team very nice, anonymous - 3 Oct 2006 sad no english staff i think ever one has the right to work. The Swan HOTEL yes it is a HOTEL its a very old HOTEL so it needs a lot of work doing to it, I WOULD LIKE TO PONT OUT on reading some of your reviews on the Swan and others most of them are OUT OF DATE time moves on and things chages, i have been staying at The Swan for years, and have seen a lot of chages and its an lot better then it used to be, thanks to the NEW managerment time for making my stat a nice one,
anonymous - 5 Aug 2007 00:44 |
Great jazz on the last Wednesday evening of the month.
Except for December, when the date is brought forward.
Bar prices are high, but this is an hotel, not a pub. The manager seems to change too frequently to make any great improvement in the standard of service offered.
I would not go there, but for the jazz nights!
anonymous - 29 Nov 2006 10:37 |
No atmosphere and staff inscrutable for the most part, rather than actually unfriendly. The bar advertises that it stays open until 11.30 pm, but beware! If the manager fancies going home home early one night, he'll shut the bar at 11 pm without calling last orders, then try to spin some other yarn as an excuse. Worth avoiding - there are plenty of decent pubs in Alton.
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Over priced, no atmosphere, no english staff all in all crap!
anonymous - 3 Oct 2006 12:06 |
ok since an earlier review there have been a number of changes bought in here, new staff has helped a lot with teh general atmosphere of teh place an a salsa evening on a sat is entertaining, still very pricey on the shorts but the beer prices are closer to teh majority of town now. still havent eaten here but from what i have heard it could be worth a bite... a great improvement on a year ago peeps.
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I read the reviews before i went. This is a nice place with decent good food. The smoked duck starter is fantastic. High class food at a cheap budget.
Beer was ok. IPA was off so had to settle for Abbots. I wasn't impressed with a local in football kit & flip flops shouting out the window at passers by. Nor impressed with a "Woman of the Night" working the tables. We watched her go from table to table getting free drinks by charm. The rear view was so off putting that we ate in the restaurant.
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Well the swan.... Thank god i am not paying to stay there food crap service appaling if you find someone who speaks english hang on to them and buy them a drink if you can afford it!!!!
Crazy prices for a bar with no atmosphere.
anonymous - 23 Mar 2006 02:21 |
i agree with stovold very overpriced but nice place if you just won the lottery!!
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i have no idea how this has managed to get the rating! it is awful, no entertainment (no foreign staff do not count) and as for teh sheer price of teh place, you need a small morgage to get a round in!
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