Excellent
482 Guest reviews
Keswick Road, Ambleside, United Kingdom. See map
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Located in Ambleside, The Swan at Grasmere - The Inn Collection group is in a rural location, within a 5-minute drive of Wordsworth Museum and Dove Cottage. This hotel is 1.2 mi (1.9 km) from Grasmere Lake & Rydal Water and 6.1 mi (9.8 km) from Lake Windermere. Make yourself at home in one of the 46 guestrooms. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms have complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and desks, and housekeeping is provided daily. Featured amenities include luggage storage and a safe deposit box at the front desk. Free self parking is available onsite.
No rollaway/extra beds available
No cribs (infant beds) available
No elevators
LGBTQ friendly
Professional property host/manager
Pets allowed
Maximum number of pets per room 2
Service animals are allowed
Service animals are exempt from fees/restrictions
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
English
Free WiFi
Parking available
Concierge
Entertainment
Non-smoking
Garden
Safe-deposit box at front desk
Front desk (limited hours)
Number of restaurants - 1
Free self parking
Number of bars/lounges - 1
Terrace
Wheelchair accessible – no
Fantastic one night stopover
Visit the lakes regularly, normally stopping in a holiday cottage however as we were only visiting for one night booked the Swan at Grasmere and so glad we did. Staff were very friendly and accommodating, room (budget room for £85 B&B) was perfect and large and think was only a budget room as it didn’t have much of a view. We ate out at the Yan Bistro up the road as we’ve been wanting to go there for some time (which I can highly recommend) so can’t comment on the food at the Swan but what we saw being taken to tables looked very nice. Breakfast was great with a lot of choice and cooked to order. Will definitely be staying again and will bring our dog next time as it’s very dog friendly!
Location is fabulous.
Fabulous location, 5 minute walk from centre of Grasmere. Great rooms but bed and pillows very firm only downside. Some people may prefer that. Pub itself has a great menu and beer selection, plus a fabulous breakfast. Great value for money. Public transport all over local area from bus stop outside front door.
Everything about the stay was great, but was disappointed upon arrival to find that the room hadn’t been made whatsoever. Meaning waiting for a new room and the early checkout reduced our overall time there. If it wasn’t for this issue. It would of been overall perfect stay
Good accommodation with great facilities in an amazing location.
Perfect little getaway
Was made to feel very friendly for start to finish. The room was lovely, spacious and clean. I mean very clean. The bathroom was spotless. Location is good, just outside Grassmere and the food was great. Will definitely stay with this hotel group again.
Lovely hotel, staff brilliant & good food, the breakfast was excellent. We are not dog owners & liked the fact dog friendly areas are cleared designated & kept well away from the breakfast & bar areas!
Not worth the money, will be avoiding this chain
Once again really not happy with this hotel chain, had a bad experience before in Whitby and had the same experience now :( the room was like a motel room in a parking lot and extortionate price for what it was. Will be avoiding this chain in future. Staff were also rude at times and were all sat round socialising at one point when people were waiting at the bar to be severed. Not great
Lovely room ,clean great food.
Lovely stay!
We had a lovely stay. Our room was very comfortable, the food was excellent as were the staff
Hotter than the jobs of hell!!!
I booked this hotel in the langdale valley as a surprise stay for me and my partner. We checked in around 4pm. On arrival the host told us they had a problem with the room the radiator would not switch off and had been like this for a couple of weeks. We entered the room it was hotter than the hobs of hell !! We were told to open the windows and give it half an hour. Which we did but made no difference. Even the host said he could not sleep in that room ? He told us they were fully booked and no other rooms were available. I resorted to finding another hotel in Grassmere called the Swan who found us a room and made it ready for us at an hours notice. My issues with this hotel are… 1 why were we not made aware of the problem with the room “BEFORE “ check in ?? 2 No effort was made to find a local Hotel alternative? 3 The host couldn’t give or authorise a refund on the day . Told us we would receive a call the next day . 4 We didn’t get a call back from the Hotel. 5 We had to call 3 x times left messages asking them to call back which they didn’t . In fact I got through at the 4th attempt. 6 I got no apologies for the state of the room and poor communication. Just told to call Hotels.com for refund. 7 There was no attempt to redeem the situation like offering a discount on another stay etc. My advise to anyone wanting to book this hotel is DON’T !!
Great stay
Comfortable, cosy and great value. Breakfast was delicious.
I travel a lot for work and stay hotels 2-3 times a week, when I say this hotel is clean I mean immaculately clean. The rooms are spacious and comfy, the staff are incredible but the food in the restaurant was simply stunning. Say hello to Nellie and Nigel and of course Parker the dog.
A great short break.
We had a 2 night stay in December. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Room was large and comfortable. Food was great and portions generous. Free parking and WiFi were welcome. Hope to visit again soon.
Absolutely no allowance for early check-in. Common areas are lovely and cozy. Great and plentiful breakfast options. We had a long haul to our room lugging suitcases up and down many sets of stairs.
A very comfortable room
Comfort and convenience without braking the bank.
Great short stop for an overnight stay. Welcoming chatty staff, lovely food and clean spacious rooms. Great atmosphere and perfect location for Grasmere village. I'll certainly be going back.
Friendly staff, great breakfast, great evening meal. Would definitely reccomend stopping at The Swan.
Not up to standard
I really dont like doing this, but we decided that we wouldnt return to the Swann. We have stayed here for years and now it has changed hands and there were quite a few things that we all agreed wasnt up to standard.
Location was perfect for us. Staff absolutey brilliant. Very dog friendly. Superb outside space. Food excellent choice and great quality very well cooked. Only negative was our bathroom which for the larger gentleman was a little small, but clean and well appointed
My family enjoyed a wonderful stay at The Swan. We stayed in a spacious family room that comfortably accommodated us and our two children (bunk beds were a hit!) The room was spotless, comfortable and inviting. The restaurant included kid-friendly options, and everything was delicious. Our only regret is that we couldn't stay longer to enjoy the beautiful setting and garden. Be sure to check out the public footpath off the lane above the hotel!
Excellent stay at The Swan. Staff were friendly, competent and nothing was too much trouble for them. Only one issue- my TV didn’t work properly and I was unable to access many channels. Normally this would not be an issue as I rarely watch it whilst away., but I missed a lot of the Olympics which I would have liked to see. The staff did their best but were unable to solve the problem. This didn’t impact on my stay however, and I look forward to returning as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone x
Extraordinary customer service
Lovely old inn, recently renovated with lively restaurant, outdoor garden, and a very welcoming atmosphere. The customer service is extraordinary! We were waylaid by a flat tire with no support from the rental agency. The innkeepers were incredibly generous with their time, helping us get back on the road, and also showing us what makes Cumbria a special community. We will never forget our time there!
Excellent stay. Great staff, food, drink, surroundings! Just bas pillows! 😩
Lovely situation staff attentive when available but under resourced which meant people were waiting at peak times. Recommended.
Ir was okay
Great spot, good choice of food friendly staff
Poor value poor service
Staff appeared completely diss interested in guests. Breakfast very poor quality
Wonderful inn, good restaurant and bar, within walking distance to Grasmere. Beautifully decorated, large rooms!
Great view, great staff, great stay.
The hotel is in a beautiful location, the rooms were clean and spacious. The restaurant served great food and the staff were brilliant. Highly recommended and the view from the room way amazing.
Sadly disappointing
Was in the Swan at Grassmere for a family birthday group booking. Was disappointed to see that the option of a deal of staying 2 nights with free dinner on the first night wasn’t offered through Hotels.com as it was offered at the Swan Hotel. Our rooms weren’t cleaned, bins not emptied or tea/coffee replenished during the stay and when I queried this the duty manager said that they should have been done but they must’ve been short staffed and gave me towels etc to do it myself. Food isn’t cheap and I ordered mussels in a sauce that was full of broken shells and what I would call barnacles still attached to the shells which were falling off into the sauce. It was sent back to the kitchen and replaced with a fresh dish of mussels which were clean and much better than the first time. Staff were pleasant enough but told us that it was more of a pub with rooms than a hotel. Some of my family had been at the Swan some years ago and loved it - but unfortunately none of us will be returning.
Excellent hotel
Lovely hotel staff were excellent very helpful. Meals in restaurant and breakfast very good. Nice large room will stay again when next in area. Iur German friends loved the hotel
Beautiful property with lots of character. Lots of neat nooks and crannies. Beautiful grounds. Nice restaurant.
The staff was attentive and welcoming. This is a warm, rustic hotel nestled in one of the most beautiful corners of the world that you will ever find.
Overnight Stay
Very good service. Room was spotless and breakfast tasty.
Lovely garden at the rear, rooms a good size and everywhere clean. Staff very friendly and the food was great and a good selection. Dog friendly and no issues. Will definitely be going back. Also 5 min stroll into Grassmere village so a perfect location.
Very well kept and looked after. Food was great too.
Excellent accommodation, variable food.
The Swan at Grasmere was very welcoming, well kept and comfortable with friendly accommodating staff. The breakfast was lovely however we did feel the evening meal was their weakest aspect. The restaurant is lovely but one of our meals had over cooked chips and my husband’s meal was supposed to be pie of the week (beef) but was a surprise when he cut into it and got chicken! The staff quickly addressed this and brought a whole new meal. We did feel the cost of food and drinks was expensive but talking with other walkers staying in other establishments this seems to be the case in Grasmere itself. Our room (41) was very comfortable albeit immediately off the second car park. We didn’t notice any noise and whilst the view was not anything to rave over our room was very pleasant, comfortable and warm. Overall a pleasant relaxing stay.
The location is great, just outside the village of Grasmere. The gardens were lovely and we had a family gathering there. Our room was a bit small for the two of us and we had to carry suitcases up the stairs. The service was good and the staff was friendly, however it took us two days to get some room maintenance even after reporting each day. The meals were quite good but the special last night of a stir fry with duck was not. Sadly the duck was over cooked; breakfast were okay although they mixed up the servings. Fortunately we caught the problem before my husband ate something that would have caused a serious reaction. It was very busy so perhaps the staff was overwhelmed.
Hiking Break
Had a lovely stay at the Swan at Grasmere. Staff were all really nice and the room was great. The shower was also really good. Couldn't fault it and the weather was amazing. We would definitely recommend The Swan. The Bus stops right outside as well which was really handy. We didn't need to use the car all weekend.
Had trouble with trains. They accommodated us.
Proper old fashioned country pub, very nice comfortable rooms food quality was excellent and the staff very friendly. Good location easy to get to other places and grassmere is an easy walk. Overall couldn’t fault it.
We had a really lovely three nights at The Swan. The staff were great, the food tremendous and we had a cracking room with with a view out to the hills. Highly recommended, we will return! Thank you
A disappointing stay
Unfortunately we had a very disappointing stay at The Swan. Firstly, I booked this as it shows on Hotels.com as four star but it is in fact 3 star. I would not usually chose to stay in 3 star accommodation as experience tells me it's usually hit and miss. This was miss. We stayed 2 nights, on the first night we stayed in room 16, our room had an issue with the drains in the bathroom. It smelt of sewerage after we took showers. This was so bad by morning that we couldn't clean our teeth in there. After housekeeping confirming it smelt we were told we could move rooms and it would be available later that day. Our night in room 5 made us wish we were back in the room that smelt of sewerage. Firstly it was an adjoining room so we could hear the next room clearly, not good for a family room as we were trying to get our daughter to sleep while she could hear the voices of strangers. Secondly, it was at the top of the stairs from the bar with a three inch gap under the door. We had to wait for everyone to return to their rooms after the bar closed and our neighbour to go to bed before we could sleep. Thirdly, it was on the main road and the internal double glazing by the children's bed was broken so it was noisy. Then it got worse...at 2:30am we were woken by banging above us and someone walking round continuously for over an hour while on the phone. This was in the staff sleeping area. The building is very old and creaky so we could hear everything unfortunately.
Beautiful old building, nice staff and food.
Good location good staff and comfortable room
Pleasant stay in a beautiful setting
Can’t really fault the stay, it was only one night, friendly staff on arrival. Room was great and a comfy nights sleep. Breakfast was superb. Only little thing that may help in future is not having to get up and leave your table to order at the bar, I didn’t want to leave my food and go to the bar to order another drink would have been nice to have some table service. Other than that a nice stay and would stay again!
Food was excellent but too many dogs allowed in the restaurant
M
Really enjoyed our stay at the Swan, will return at some point.
Perfect short break
The hotel was so convenient, a 10 minute stroll to Grasmere but the location was perfect, the best of both worlds. The satff, food and atmosphere added to the hotel stay, we cannot recommend them more!
First Class Service
The Staff were excellent, very customer focused and were always approachable. Thoroughly enjoyed our visit and will return.
Diamond wedding stay
We loved the refurbished bedroom very tastefully done &spacious The food was very good Staff friendly Only complaint was nobody to help elderly people to get their suitcases upstairs but apart from that we were very happy
Very friendly and helpful staff
Room really quiet and dark which supported in getting a good nights sleep. Food and drinks nice and reasonably priced.
Christmas bolt hole
Great well located hotel to explore the Lakes from. Recently renovated and attractive decoration throughout. Busy Christmas period and staff worked really hard to keep everyone happy. Great for dogs as well!
Flawless! Can’t fault anything!
Amazing stay, that amazing we decided to extend our stay to another night! Can’t fault anything. Food is also great! Great dog friendly pub too. Will definitely recommend this place. We will sure be returning! Thank you
Food needs to improve, fantastic setting, brilliant staff, hotel upgraded to a high standard, the food let’s it down, especially the under cooked bacon & sausages at breakfast, & the greasy chips at dinner time.
Fabulous.😊We’ll be back.
Staff were very helpful and pleasant
The property was clean and very walkable. The entire area was absolutely beautiful. The room was large and clean.
Top spot in the lakes
Excellent, friendly and helpful staff, lovely clean room. Great location, just a fab hotel!
Comfortable hotel
A very comfortable hotel in a beautiful area, within a short walk of Grasmere. Very helpful staff.
Re my 2 star rating for staff and service - I would have given staff at least 4 stars (maybe 5 ) but for a hotel which has always been a slightly higher class hotel and considering the food and drink prices thinks it still is then coming down for a meal is an experience ! Want an aperitif ? Queue at the bar and get your own . Decide on what you want to eat ? Queue at the bar to order . Bottle of wine ( Minimum £26 ) queue at the bar for a bottle and wineglasses ! Breakfast ? find yourself a table and order your breakfast at the bar . It feels like a very expensive Wetherspoons ! My wife wanted a starter and a dessert , I wanted a main course so we asked if we could have the starter and my main served at the same time - No problem ! It didn't happen - they brought the starter and I sat expecting my main course . After 10 mins I asked about it and the waitress dashed off to get my meal - 10 mins later I got it , my wife had finished eating ! the pie was very nice but the carrots , broccoli and french beans hadn't seen a pan - I couldn't cut them with the knife ! So a bit disappointing I'm afraid .
Lovely, comfortable stay
Lovely hotel, in a great location, that’s easily walkable to the local village, Grasmere. Very comfortable bed and good sized room. Really nice breakfasts each morning, that set you up for the day! We really liked Wordsworth’s chair too!
Was pleased that we were able to switch from a rear facing room to the front of the building. Best room views are at front of the hotel but as they’re next to a busy road which could sometimes be a bit noisy it would not suit everyone. Room was spacious and comfortable. Bathroom was fabulous. Food was good and I liked the policy of trading a morning room clean/bed made service the next day for a free drink each at the bar. We aren’t messy anyway, just shook duvet and plumped up pillows so wasn’t an inconvenience.
Lovely hotel, except catering.
A superb hotel in a great location, very well fitted out with quality fittings. Somewhat confusing with high end menus - posh words, but many items not available, ended up ordering burgers! Which could have come from McD presented on an otherwise empty plate! The posh pie of the day was cheese and onion! A very wordy chicken dish was a chicken leg on top of mash. Come on, get your catering sorted, the condiments and cutlery trays on the table were very ‘greasy spoon’ like. We ate in another hotel of the same chain locally which was very good.
Good facility and friendly staff
We have stayed here before and enjoyed our stay as we did this time but there were a few changes in there is no restaurant as such and I forgot there was no lift. My fault but struggle with stairs. Food is provided but not a great selection on the menu.
Good break
Recently refurbished - work still ongoing in parts, but not an issue.
Check in was easy. We had a family room, which was large and spacious. Very clean and well maintained. Dinner menu isn't extensive but there's enough to keep everyone happy, and what we had was delicious! Breakfast was very good too. Would definitely stay again!
Perfect setting, tasteful interiors, great rooms and the best and most welcoming staff I’ve come across in a very long time. Will definitely be coming back. Excellent experience.
Amazing place
Lovely pub/hotel with amazing food and great customer service. Can't wait to return.
The Swan at Grasmere Overview
Staff where excellent! Environment friendly and hospitable- staff a credit to the hotel group. Room clean, tidy and comfortable room but general hotel furnishings a little tired and due for an upgrade which is actually happening. Food was limited but great. Would return especially when refurbished.
Great place to stay
Hotel was cosy and warm, staff were lovely and welcoming. Room was large, bed was comfortable and the bathroom was spacious. Ideal spot for touring Grasmere and the Lake District. Food was good and plentiful. Hotel is closing for a refurb which will only make it better.
Excellent Inn
Beautiful room, lovely bed.. Restaurant menu limited but it is a 'pub with rooms'(an inn), now. Not sure why most of the starters were 'spicy', i.e. contained chilli, but they did. Bar well stocked with a couple of draught ales.Staff pleasant and very helpful. Hope to revisit after the re-furb.
Mr and mrs plumbley
Was really nice the hotel staff was really friendly and can’t wait to return after the refurb 😊
Cumbria's wettest weekend spent at The Swan.
A fairly traditional country hotel with plenty of history. Well situated for getting around the central lake district. Clean and comfortable with helpful and friendly staff. A low-key and informal feel which we found pleasant and relaxing. Food was good and not too expensive.
Perfect for a short break
Very nice, friendly hotel. Free onsite parking and less than 10 minute stroll into Grasmere. Room was clean and comfortable and the restaurant had a good choice of delicious meals. The staff worked incredibly hard and are a credit to the place.
Hotel room was dirty, dated and cold
3 night stay
Very enjoyable stay , the Swan was clean and friendly the food and service were good. We also loved the location.
Walking Trip, Grassmere, The Swan
The staff at the Swan were very friendly and helpful. The room was big, very clean and really comfortable. Would definitely recommend
Lakes break
The hotel was a little tired, but understand it is due a complete renovation shortly. The food and service was very good.
Sad as could be lovely
We asked for twin but got a double. That was fine we are sisters but the bathroom was a wet room for disabled access with a seat in the shower which couldn't be moved out of the way. The room was hotter than the service of the moon and even with window open and radiator off from the second we arrived it was still boiling 3 nights later. We had to get a fan. No plugs by the bed either. We overheard that the hotel is closing in November, I think they started early. Staff were friendly and helpful however.
Stayed two nights for the Fred Whitton sportive in Grasmere. Lovely inn with great welcome, comfortable room and great breakfast. Stayed here earlier in the year and our satisfaction with our stay prompted us to rebook for the Fred weekend in September. We would be likely to return here for future trips to Grasmere and the surrounding area.
Good Hotel - very scenic
Lovely staff, it would be helpful if reception was manned at check out time to avoid a delay. Meals and drinks were very good. Accessibility to room 41 is good for a person with limited mobility from overflow car park - this was very useful. Perhaps you could focus more on accessibility than features for dog owners !
A lovely hotel in a great location
We had a fabulous stay! Friendly and helpful staff, comfortable bed and spacious room and a great location for both casual and serious walking. We walked to Ambleside one day (via the coffin trail, returning by bus). And then to Elterwater and back the following day. We'll be back and will maybe do Helvellyn next time.
See you again soon.......
We often stay here, its a lovely place. The staff are so nice and the food is exceptional. The breakfasts are also the best. The rooms are very comfortable and very clean. The children were given a drawing/ games pack which they loved. It was laid on their beds and it was very personal to them !
Really friendly staff
It was a lovely old building that had been renovated but still felt very homely.
Friendly staff
The staff were very friendly … shower was poor and food was not vegan friendly
A very friendly inn - we enjoyed our stay.
Great staff, good food, comfortable and clean rooms. Beautiful beer garden. Good location
Great stay
We had stayed at this hotel several times when it was owned by MacDonalds. We found the hotel friendlier this time, the staff were excellent. The food was also great and the room was comfortable and clean.
Very dog friendly. Excellent location.
We had a nice relaxing stay staff were all very friendly but we thought the room was in need of up dating.
Lovely friendly, happy staff giving the Swan a relaxed atmosphere. Room was pleasant and spotlessly clean. A very enjoyable stay.
Road trip
Lovely Inn, very comfortable room, spacious and clean. Very nice bathroom. Very friendly staff. Excellent food.
Pet Friendly
This was our first time staying away with our new puppy. The staff were exceptional in making us welcome and providing for both us and our pet. Most understanding and would definitely stay again.
A wonderful stay at this delightful hotel
A one night stay was not enough at this beautiful hotel, perfectly situated to explore the many delights of Grasmere and Wordsworth country. Wonderful room and beautiful food all topped off by a brilliant team of attentive staff…
The Swan at Grasmere - The Inn Collection group | Hotel in Ambleside | Travala.com
Lovely stay at the Swan
Very enjoyable stay. Our room was nice & big and the bathroom was spotless. Comfy bed but would have liked a softer pillow. Very friendly, helpful staff.