Swans Nest Hotel Stratford Upon Avon

We came for the weekend to see a play at Royal Shakespeare and do some sightseeing. The hotel is a lovely boutique place with friendly staff, easy check-in, and a lovely suite. I loved the location, and the modern bathroom was beautiful, with both a bath and shower. There's plenty of paid parking very close by. The only snag was the lack of normal sockets for my phone charger, so I had to charge my phone in the bedroom, which wasn't my room.

We had a great two-night stay for Valentine's weekend and will 100% come back. The rooms were very comfortable and the bed was excellent, we slept well both nights. The hotel is right by the footbridge towards the canalside and town. If bringing a dog, you'll be on the ground floor; rooms 18, 19, or 20 are handy for the car park and exit for comfort breaks. The Bear bar is open to non-residents and welcomes dogs. It has a relaxed atmosphere, a decent range of ale, and offers each day. One evening, two mains, two pints and two doubles came to £46, and showing your room card gets you a discount. Dogs are only allowed in the restaurant at breakfast. Check-in was quick and we felt very welcome. Special thanks to Tracey at reception and Ollie in the bar.

The room was very clean and good for the price, and the parking behind the hotel was convenient at an extra £10 a night. Everyone on the team was welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. We didn't eat there in the evening, but breakfast was freshly cooked and good quality. It's easy to walk into the town centre quickly from here, while staying just outside it. I'd definitely recommend it for a Stratford stay.

Reception was the best-kept part of the hotel, and the rest of the stay was disappointing. Our room was basic and not maintained to a decent standard. There were workmen on site when we arrived, with no warning, and when we needed to get ready for an event, there was no hot water. We called reception twice and were told it was coming through, but we couldn't wait any longer and had cold showers. Breakfast was included but not very good, and I wouldn't eat in the restaurant again. Building work began around 9am on Saturday, with workmen walking through the hotel.