Old Swan Hotel

Se nota que fue un hotel destacado, hoy en dia hasta es muy dificil estacionar el auto, ya no en el hotel sino tambien en las inmediaciones. Las habitaciones son comodas y sus banios tambien, no tiene Wifi en las habitaciones y el que hay donde debe haber no es bueno. Le hace falta un buen remozamiento.

This hotel has always been on my wish list as the Hotel of Choice for Agatha Christies stay in Yorkshire in 1926 then as was the Harrogate Hydropathic. Well you can still see that 1920s charm the ceilings, the grand rooms, stunning chandliers and the incredible architecture as you arrival. Staying with my husband as a couple treat I soaked in all the history, even the little touched the highbacked chairs, afternoon tea and Incredible Dining room ceiling (youll see when you get there) just made the whole experience for me. If I had to pick any faults it would be the cabling showing ,a lot of modern signage that could have been done in a style more authentic to the hotel. Would definately be on the look out for deals to return and try the dinner service next time.

My partner and I booked a night away in August and I was delighted when we pulled up, such a delightful building. While I waited in the queue at reception I heard the receptionist refuse the couple in front of me the right to stay because they were paying in cash and didn't have a card. I understand why I card was required but the couple were extremely embarrassed and I wish at that point I turned on my heel alongside them. Our room was small and a joke of a 4 star, the bathroom was dirty and there were clear urine stains around the toilet and skirting board (pictures attached) . I attempted to shower that evening and the water was scalding, I tampered with it for about 15 minutes and gave up and had a wash at the sink. Come the morning I had to run a bath and wait an hour before I could get in it. When checking out I informed the receptionist of the filthy toilet and informed her that the water temperature was extremely dangerous, especially for a child. She looked dismayed, as if no one had never complained about the hotel before. I was assured that the duty manager would contact me, of course I never heard from them. On a separate note we had our evening meal at the Ivy and that was fantastic!

I thought this hotel had a certain charm. Beautiful building, very pleasant room and very good breakfast. Couldn’t really give a higher rating as reception staff, who are so important to set the tone of your stay, really just lacked warmth and friendliness. I would however stay again.

In the year of 1926 world famous writer Agatha Christie spent time at this hotel. According to the day manager (18 October 2020) during WW2 a German bomb destroyed the hotel's written records. As a result of which the actual room in which Agatha Christie spent time is not known. In 1979 a movie titled 'Agatha' starred Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave. Scenes from the movie were shot at the Old Swan Hotel. I enjoyed exploring the hotel and finding the rooms where the movie scenes had been recorded. A lesser known fact is that Karl Marx slept at the hotel in the year 1873. The hotel is huge. From outside it gave me the impression that it might be some old Victorian mental asylum or at best a hospital. However, inside was quite different. There was an ambience of calm and an air of nostalgia of a bygone age. The decor suggested a time period of the 1920s and I half expected to see Charleston dancers mulling around the hotel's grand ballroom. A vintage elevator, or as the English say, a lift, was located near to the reception desk. It made my journey from ground level to the third floor almost effortless. Directional arrows on the passage walls made for easy location of my room. The doors of the rooms were also clearly numbered. My spacious room had two single beds with spotless linen. A free standing wardrobe for my clothes and a table bearing a large-screen television took up a little more space. And even with the inclusion of a circular table and two arm chairs there was still ample space to walk about. The en-suite bathroom was fully equipped with essential amenities. Fresh towels were plentiful. A couple of negative points may be mentioned. The hot water tap, belonging to a sink mixer unit, had a miss-match tap turner. The floor boards creaked noticeably as I walked about the room. But the thick-pile carpet offered some compensation. Eating in the dining room was a pleasurable experience. The food was delicious and served piping hot. The staff members were both courteous and efficient. I enjoyed savouring the food and savouring the opulence of the eating environment.