News

The Swan is one of only two hotels in East Anglia to receive this prestigious Michelin Key. It is among a select group of just 123 hotels across the UK and Ireland. The Michelin Key Awards have been launched to honour hotels that offer exceptional stays, and results are achieved after a rigorous period of inspection and evaluation. 

‘This 17th-century hotel was relaunched last year, and its top-to-bottom refurb is a triumph. In the sitting room, constellations of contemporary lamps hang beside 18th-century portraits; upstairs, pink-tipped bedsteads float on a sea of teal and taupe. The furniture is robust and chunky, and the bed linen deliciously soft. Best of all is the lack of nautical nonsense in the decor. Who needs it when the beach is 150 yards from the front door?

“In the delightful, oh-so-English seaside town of Southwold, with its beach huts, pier, pretty shops, pubs and churches – plus Adnams, its famous family brewery and wine merchant’s – The Swan (owned by Adnams) has always been beloved by residents and summer visitors alike.”

“The pretty seaside town of Southwold is the epicentre of Adnams, a thriving company that embraces the trades of brewer, publican, wine merchant and hotelier.

The Swan is at the heart of the operation (the brewery is at the back), overlooking to town’s Market Square, with an elegant Victorian façade concealing its 17^th-century origin…

Britain’s Best Seaside Stays

The Swan is named ‘one of the stand-out places to stay’ in Southwold

Aoife O’Riordain, journalist at iPaper, counts down her 10 favourite seaside stays including The Swan, Southwold.

O’Riordain describes our flagship hotel as ‘an old-meets-new look masterminded by hip design and architectural firm Project Orange.’

Read what else she had to say about her visit to Southwold.

The Swan “guarantees a stunning stay whatever time of year you visit”.

Alex Fisher, editor of Coast Magazine, visits Southwold and creates the perfect itinerary for a weekend by the seaside, including dinner and a night’s stay at The Swan.

“Friday PM

The Still Room

Having settled into my room at The Swan, with its elegant four-poster bed and complimentary Adnams gin, I go downstairs to the hotel’s main restaurant. Sumptuous, sage leather seating contrasts with the copper lighting, which is influenced in style by the neighbouring distillery.

For lovers of the seaside

Lonely Planet visits The Swan and describes it as “one of the most exciting places to stay in the region”

“Owned by Adnams brewery, which has kept the people of Suffolk hydrated for close to 15 years, the Swan hotel underwent a massive refurbishment last year, and is now one of the most exciting places to stay in the region.

Occupying a handsome Georgian building in the town of Southwold, a short stroll to the beach, The Swan combines brewing heritage with nautical references and a bit of metropolitan dash. Bedrooms are in the main hotel or in a sweet little annexe overlooking a courtyard garden, and range from ‘excellent’ to ‘outstanding’…”

Complete with a stay at The Swan, “a pebble’s throw from the sea”

Southwold named as one of Britain’s Best Seaside Towns

Rough Guides lists Southwold as the second best British seaside town, admiring all of its charm, from the working lighthouse to a stay at The Swan.

“Perched on the east coast of England, the small town of Southwold offers typical seaside merriment with its sandy beach, traditional pier and candy-coloured beach huts.

Adnams is moving with the times, and The Swan is doing the same

Supper Magazine journalist, Richard Frost, reviews the 2017 refurbishment of The Swan

“It’s hard to imagine a destination where F&B is more integral to the offering than The Swan, the flagship hotel of one of the UK’s largest independent breweries, Adnams…

During Supper’s visit, however it quickly becomes apparent that Adnams is playing the long game here, seizing what it viewed as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to transform the hotel and create a gateway to the brand… Adnams is evidently moving with the times, and The Swan is doing the same…

Hot hotel alert

A beacon of great design and hospitality, serving the best coffee around

Editor of Coast Magazine, Alex Fisher, checked in to The Swan Southwold and featured our boutique beauty as a “hot hotel” in the May edition of the mag. From The Swan’s Project Orange design to her concierge, right down to the coffee served in The Tap Room, Alex Fisher provides an in depth review of her stay with us.

The National Geographic Traveller Online included The Swan in a round-up of the best beer-friendly hotels, as they reflected on 4 companies that have long “combined bed and bottles.”

The Swan, Southwold

“This revamped hotel (picture) in Southwold, Suffolk, is an annex of the Adnams brewery, where beer has been made for over 600 years. The restaurant and bar take their names and decor from the old still and tap rooms, while its cocktail bar showcases Adnams’ spirits. There are tours and tasting at the brewery and distillery next door. Doubles from £200, B&B.”

Stylist contributor Mandie Gower discovers why everyone who’s anyone is heading to the town of Southwold on the Suffolk coast.

“I’m in Southwold, Suffolk, one of the UK’s most popular seaside towns. At first glance it’s a world away from the buzzy scene and bus-clogged arteries of the chi-chi north London enclave. But don’t be fooled by the candy coloured beach huts and quintessentially English tearooms. Trad little Southwold is a hotspot, with a long history of celebrities, intellectuals and, yes, wealthy Londoners in Hunters making it their second home. It’s not unusual to see a Hollywood name in a local restaurant, nor eye-watering prices in estate agents’ windows. A ‘humble’ beach hut recently commanded a £120,000 tag.”

The Swan’s just been given a complete makeover by Shoreditch design studio Project Orange and is now an Instagrammer’s fantasy. The 35 rooms are divided into three different categories: Excellent, Outstanding and Fabulous and they stick to a colour palette of contrasting millennial pinks, baby blues and duck egg greys with the odd lime green sofa thrown in.

The Weekender

The Swan, Southwold, Suffolk

Why come here?

“Right in the centre of pretty, seaside Southwold, The Swan has been an affable gathering point for centuries. Now, after a dramatic facelift, it’s open for business again, for artisan-coffee-clutching weekend walks along the wind-whipped sandy beach, dips in the bracing North Sea, jaunts to the madcap pier arcade and pints from Suffolk’s most accomplished beer-maker.”

Stepping into The Swan from Southwold’s high street you’re greeted with a wooden deck chair – just one of the many seaside nods that feature throughout the hotel. Coastal tones of teal, navy blue and green are prominent but velvet textiles and pops of vibrant pink give it a modern feel.

Read more…

Unashamedly contemporary, The Swan is not for the quaint-hearted. But, after a weekend in one of their four-posters, you’ll probably have lost interest in quintessential beachside activities anyway.

Read more…

A £6 million transformation of Adnams’ flagship property, The Swan at Southwold, is more than skin deep. As Tessa Allingham discovers, it’s about positioning the company as the country’s go-to luxury boutique hotel brand.

Read more…

Nick Howells from The Metro reviews The Swan on 7th January 2018.

“Seated in the grand Still Room… strewn with lively paintings and bathed in copper-hued light, we are led through an excellent mini-banquet of local, seasonal produce.”

Oonagh Brennan from Red reviews The Swan in the February 2018 edition.

“There’s nothing like a wintry seaside break. If summer is all melted ice creams and seagulls stealing your fish and chips, winter by the sea, for me, is about wrapping up in a cosy Woolrich parka for a long walk by the water, the salty air whipping fresh colour back into my cheeks.”

Homes & Gardens magazine reviews The Swan in the February 2018 issue:

“Lovingly restored by the owners of the local brewery, this Suffolk hotel features vibrant rooms showcasing a combination of contemporary and industrial elements.

Once a traditional inn, The Swan in Southwold has long been owned by Adnams brewery, which has been making beer in the town since 1872.”

Hotel expert and writer Tom Chesshyre reviews his stay at The Swan Southwold in The Times Weekend Cool Hotel Guide on Saturday 9th December 2017. Verdict: 9/10

The Swan is reviewed by Harper’s Bazaar and is described as “an Instagrammer’s dream” with “superb food and drink.”

The Swan is reviewed by The Telegraph Travel as described as “contemporary and metropolitan” with “an excellent restaurant” and “soothing and beautifully equipped” rooms.

Watch our new film to celebrate our reopening!

The Swan is reviewed by The Telegraph as part of the publication’s ‘This month’s best new hotel openings’ section on 3rd October, 2017.

Adnams has appointed Ross Bott as Executive Head Chef at The Swan, Southwold. Ross will oversee two new restaurants, The Still Room and The Tap Room.