The Swan Hotel & Spa at Lavenham
High Street, Lavenham, Sudbury. CO10 9QA
Review – Dex Jones
Driving through the unspoilt historic market town of Lavenham, with over 300 listed buildings we arrive at one of the oldest, The Swan Hotel and Spa.
Going back as far as Roman times there has been a settlement here, even having its own wool, named Lavenham Blue. Granted Market status by Henry III the Swan later became a trading place for wool merchants and farmers alike. There are images, buildings and artefacts from the past all over the village, also in the hotel, where good fortune was bestowed by placing old shoes into the wattle walls, and cats buried under the door threshold to ward off evil spirits
Parking at the hotel is simple; on street free parking, and two carparks, allow security and peace of mind.
The entrance to the Swan is through a grand oak door which opens into a corridor adorned with photos of the hotel’s past, leading to the reception, where we were greeted very politely and checked in with absolute ease.
We were shown to our room to settle in.
THE ROOM
Our room was toward the rear of the hotel called the Churchyard Suite, accessed by a small stairway avoiding low ceiling beams overlooking water street on one side and the courtyard on another.
Most listed buildings from this period were constructed using Jettied timber work, upright solid oak beams cut to fit main timbers to form a framework which was then filled with stone or wattle and daub walls.The high barn style ceilings with solid oak trusses give the rooms a very airy and open feeling,
The room has a large open fireplace which no longer sees any fire but is utilised as a centre feature to the room.
The Suite is open plan living space with a flat screen TV, a three-piece suite and coffee table, large double wardrobe with ironing facilities, subtle up lighting creating a cosy glow to the walls, coffee and Tea facilities, fresh water, Spa robes and slippers.
The bedroom is identical in structure and decor to the main room, large double bed with individual headboards, crisp white linen sheets with colour co-ordinated bed runner, twin bedside tables and reading lamps.
Off the main room is the bathroom with a large bath and monsoon shower, pedestal wash basin with chrome fixings.
The provided Temple Spa shower gels and moisturisers add a luxurious aroma when bathing. We decided if we won the lottery we would transport this room to our new abode.
THE HOTEL
Following a coffee and a chat we were invited to take a short tour of the Hotel, we met James the general manager who has an obvious passion for the hotel and proceeded with the tour.
As we entered the front sitting area, we were amazed by the artefacts mentioned earlier, shoes from possibly 16th or 17th century discovered in the walls during renovation, Medieval Graffiti on a wall above a doorway,
The Hotel boasts three main function rooms available for any kind of gathering, weddings, corporate meetings, or a family get together.
The McCallum Room, with its high barn style open beam ceiling, grand stone fireplace, cartwheel style light fittings can cater for 20 guests,
The Suffolk Room similar in style with open ceiling and large arched truss beams can accommodate 30 guests.
The Wool Hall, again similar in style, adorned with medieval weaponry, this room is the larger of the three accepting up to 40 guests.
All three rooms having similar but unique qualities for entertaining.
Further on the tour we pass a room “Under the Stairs” an amusing reference to Harry Potter, as part of one of the movies was filmed in Lavenham.
The hotel is a veritable labyrinth of stone and carpeted corridors, low beams, and awe-inspiring opulence.
There is a large garden for guests and patrons to use for snacks and drinks and a central courtyard which is reserved for hotel guests only.
THE AIRMEN’S BAR
This is a must for history buffs and laymen alike, the bar is a museum of real history, with a role call wall signed by the air men and women from the nearby airfields serving in the second world war.
As well as British forces, the bar was used by the U.S 8th Air force.
Also, there is a wall dedicated to the cap badges and insignia to the brave service men and Women in those dark days.
The bar has a stand-alone menu with inside and outdoor seating areas.
THE GALLERY RESTAURANT
The head chef and his team has created a classic style menu with subtle twists, inspired by the abundance of locally sourced produce.
We were escorted to our table on the raised level of the restaurant once used as an auction room for sheep merchants.
Choosing a stylish chilled Rose wine to compliment the courses.
Firstly, we were invited to try house baked Caramelised infused bread and Dill butter,
From the menu my wife and I chose “Pork Pressing” formed into an ingot and served with Coronation Mayonnaise, Pickled Shallots and Crackling.
Next for main I chose “the Cut of the Day” an inch thick medium rare Ribeye Steak, served with beef dripping chips and peppercorn sauce, topped with flat mushrooms and tomatoes.
My wife selected the same and we were both extremely satisfied with our choices.
Following a small break, we opted to sample a dessert.
Lemon and raspberry cheesecake for me and a trio of sweets for my wife.
Service was flawless and staff compliment the restaurant with their enthusiasm and attention to detail.
Breakfast is served in the Gallery from 7am to 10:30.
A wide selection of cereals and breads, preserves and croissants, Tea, Coffee and fruit Juices along with fresh chilled water.
A hot menu has a wide selection including a Suffolk Full Breakfast, a Vegan variation and several egg dishes including Eggs Benedict and Eggs Royal.
The Weavers’ House Spa – Review Val Jones
The Weavers’ House Spa sits across the garden area from the hotel, it’s just a minute’s walk so we felt comfortable changing to our fluffy robes and slippers in our room and taking the short stroll, it did help that the sun was shining.
As hotel guests we had complementary use of the spa, steam room, sauna and outdoor vitality pool. The sunshine was a bonus as we were able to relax on the outdoor sun loungers and take a dip in the pool, we could have been in the Med. The indoor lounge was equally inviting comfy couches, water, coffee and a cheeky prosecco or beer if you fancied it.
I selected the TRIBE517; A Tribal Moment treatment, this professed to be an other-worldly experience for superlative detachment and self-loving moments also to realign poise and equilibrium with a back, face, and scalp massage. I couldn’t wait to find out if all the above claims were true.
I started out with a friendly receptionist seating me in the lounge with a form to compete as part of my pre-treatment consultation and a dairy free smoothie shot, which was a lovely start to my experience.
I was then lead to my treatment room by Serena taking some lemon water along with me, and relaxed on my Hydrotherm heated water mattress this was a first for me and once I got used to the sinking feeling it was bliss and quite special.
Serena started out my treatment with a gong , said to relax and signal the start of tranquillity. We started with some deep breathing, I embraced this part of the treatment and relaxed my mind & body ready for the next steps; a massage to my feet, body, face and scalp. The 60 minute treatment was pure heaven and I did nod off a few times choosing the ‘quiet time’ massage option at the beginning of my treatment. The Tribe 517 products Serena used were again a first for me but loved the relaxing fragrances and the feel of the products on my skin, the products used were Tribe 517, Dust 517, Heal & Health Oil No 1, Glass Beauty Cream.
After the final gong and breathing exercises, which signalled the end of the treatment, I was invited to relax a little longer as Serena brought me a refreshing sorbet. I then went on to sample a peppermint & eucalyptus tea and a sweet treat in the relaxation lounge. I really did feel as though the treatment lived up to the description I was so very relaxed and my skin felt amazing. I was glad I used the pool and amenities of the spa prior to treatment so that I could keep the lovely products on my skin for the rest of the afternoon.
Overall, The Swan is an extremely attractive hotel with a fascinating history and great staff. Lavenham Village compliments The Swan Hotel, and the Swan Hotel does the same for the village.
Thank you all for a wonderful stay.
To book a stay at the Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa and treatments in Weavers’ House Spa call 01787 247 477 or visit www.theswanatlavenham.co.uk; rooms start from around £170 per night for two sharing including a full Suffolk breakfast. Overnight guests can enjoy a complimentary hour’s session with use of the facilities in Weavers’ House Spa including the courtyard Vitality Pool (heated to 38-40 degrees), sauna, steam room and relaxation suite. The 60-minute ‘Tribal Moment’ treatment using Tribe517 products is priced at £105.