REVIEW
François the sommelier was happy to chat through drink options, guiding us towards suitable pairings from the hotel’s staggeringly large wine list"
come equipped with the sort of mod cons you’d expect from a four- star hotel, including a flat-screen TV and sparkling bathroom filled with premium toiletries. What to do For one of the most enjoyable things to do during your stay, you don’t even have to leave the hotel, merely follow the signs through the tangle of creaky corridors to Weavers’ House, The Swan’s in-house spa. Your surroundings suddenly shift from medieval to modern as you make your way down the steps, greeted by sleek taupe walls and a waft of aromatherapy oils. It’s a treatment- led spa, so don’t expect a fairground of heat and water experiences, but Weavers’ House is small but perfectly formed, cleverly fitting in a blissful relaxation room, sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy pool in the outside courtyard. I’ve been to many spas but
with pappardelle and a dusting of pistachio nuts, a silky confit chicken wing with sweetcorn and chili relish, and the gorgeous desserts, particularly the expertly executed spiced apple souffle. François the sommelier was happy to chat through drink options, too, guiding us towards suitable pairings from the hotel’s staggeringly large wine list. In the mood for a nightcap, we took a quick stroll up the high street to work off some of dinner’s indulgences and then settled into one of the hotel’s many hidden nooks for a cocktail from the Airmen’s Bar, a snug drinking den packed with mementos from Lavenham’s military history. A couple of Old Fashioneds later and we were good for nothing more than hitting the hay in our room (The Clare), which continued the luxuriously furnished, timber-beamed charm of the hotel’s downstairs. While the styling is unapologetically traditional, all rooms
IMAGES The Swan’s traditional,
elegant rooms are equipped with all mod cons, and The Gallery restaurant is a big draw
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