Arriving in Lavenham is like rewinding several hundred years in time. Often hailed one of England’s best-kept medieval towns, this ludicrously pretty village is stacked with 300 listed buildings, many with warped, crooked timbers and facades painted in chalk-box pastels.
Craft shops and quaint tearooms huddle along lanes, and the striking National Trust Guildhall, a testament to the wealth of the town’s woollen cloth merchants, presides over the Market Place. On the edge of town is the truly magnificent late-Gothic St Peter and Paul Church, bankrolled by John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, back in the 15th century, which is more like a cathedral in its lofty proportions. And if Lavenham feels like a stage set, this has not gone unnoticed by filmmakers: De Vere house featured as Harry Potter’s birthplace.
A dash of timeless luxury
Fitting into this medieval tableau neatly is The Swan at Lavenham, a gorgeous black-and-white timber-framed building that brings together three houses built in 1425 when the wool trade was flourishing. Again, entering the hotel is like being winged back in time, with sagging timbers and lounges full of hidden nooks. When I visited in winter, I was more than content to sit by an open fire, read the newspapers and sip tea whilst waiting for my room to be ready. Not only does the building have a genteelly old-fashioned air, but also the spirit of the place: the minute you enter The Swan, the pace slows.
The Swan at Lavenham isn’t a hotel you’re likely to stay at just the once. Its one-of-a-kind character and historic flair has a certain magic that keeps you returning time and again.
A maze of corridors unfurls to rooms that haven’t lost a jot of their original character: dressed in heritage fabrics and warm colours. The Gainsborough Bedrooms, some with four-posters and the spacious Constable suites, with features like inglenook fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and mullioned windows, really ramp up the romance.
Five-bubble spa
A more recent addition to The Swan is the Weavers’ House Spa, real icing-on-the-cake stuff with its calm, peaceful, glass-fronted welcome area, a jetted tub in the courtyard garden, aromatic steam room and hot stone sauna. It’s small but perfectly formed, and overseen by Alex Hurt, the charismatic spa director, with experience in some of the world’s best spas under her belt. Hence, perhaps, the five-bubble rating in the Good Spa Guide.
Embracing holistic principles, Alex understands that wellness should go beyond a quick back rub, meaning that spa-goers are welcomed with all-important little extras like smoothies and given herbal tea and blankets to snuggle up on the chaise longues in the relaxation area – perfect for a pre-treatment doze. Using British, aromatherapy-driven Temple Spa products, treatments reveal a touch of innovation: bespoke facials involving skin analysis, top-to-toe ‘Drift Away’ massages with essential oils on water-filled mattresses, and Himalayan Salt stone massages with facial lymph drainage are among the many options delivered with a gentle, intuitive touch. Then there is the signature two-hour Weavers’ House Hug, a blissful top-to-toe treatment, involving deep-tissue and hot stone massage, a facial and body rocking.
New to the hotel is auricular acupuncture with Alex, a 90-minute experience that involves an in-depth consultation, Qi Gong meditation, gentle ear acupuncture while reclining on a heated water mattress and a foot or scalp massage with aromatherapy balm. I was thrilled with the results: I left walking on air and that night had the deepest sleep I’d had in ages.
Food fit for medieval minstrels
Gastronomically speaking, the crowning glory is the terrifically atmospheric Gallery Restaurant, built from 400 tons of English oak, where you can just picture wool traders throwing great banquets beneath the soaring beamed ceilings and weighty chandeliers. Breakfast served here is an elegant affair, with a thoughtfully composed buffet of fruits, cereals and pastries, eggs to order and a full Suffolk breakfast should you wish. In the evening, candles are lit on white linen-draped tables, creating a romantic backdrop for dishes that play up regional and seasonal sourcing.
Drinks in the snug, 1940s-style Airmen’s Bar, crammed with WWII memorabilia, pique the appetite for dinner. The bar takes its name from the 487th Bombardment Group of the 8th US Army Air Force stationed at Lavenham during the Second World War.
Since I first visited The Swan at Lavenham more than a decade ago, the food has gone from strength to strength. The menu spotlights key ingredients and serves them with old-school finesse. Starters like freshwater prawns with fennel, lime, sea-salted beans, frisée lettuce, caviar, mango and soufflé with cherry and pistachio are a palate-awakening prelude for mains like truly excellent venison with braised and puréed salsify, garlic mash potato, confit shallot and cavolo nero. Desserts include an indulgent croquandine with dark chocolate mousse, kumquat compote and mandarin sorbet. A pianist plays during Sunday lunch, as has long been the tradition.
The Details
The Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa, High Street, Lavenham, Suffolk, CO10 9QA, England.
Tel: +44 (0)1787 247477
Website: www,theswanatlavenham.co.uk
Email: info@theswanatlavenham.co.uk
The Swan is situated on the corner of the High Street and Water Street. The main car park is opposite the main hotel entrance, on High Street, off Hall Road.
Lavenham is situated on the A1141, about 2 miles east of the A134, between Sudbury and Bury St. Edmunds. From the A14, exit at J44 and follow the signs to Sudbury A134, then follow signs to Lavenham A1141. The Swan is 30 minutes from Newmarket, 40 minutes from Cambridge, one hour from Stansted, 1 hour 20 minutes from Norwich or Southend and around 2 hours 10 minutes (76 miles) via the M11 from London or London Heathrow Airport.
The train from Norwich – Stowmarket – Bury St Edmunds with one change takes 55 minutes, then about a 30-minute bus or taxi ride. From London Liverpool Street – Ipswich – Bury St Edmunds with one change it takes 1 hour 55 minutes. From London Liverpool Street – Sudbury with one change it is 90 minutes, then a shorter 15-minute drive.
Type of Hotel: 15th Century AA 4 Red Star Hotel & Spa
Number of Rooms: 45 rooms, including complimentary Wi-Fi.
Price Band: Medium to high.
Insider Tip: There is an entry/exit code for the hotel car park barrier – the code is changed weekly (usually on a Monday).
Fact Box: To book a stay and treatments in Weavers’ House Spa call +44 (0)1787 247477 or visit the website. Rooms start from £129 per night for two sharing including a full Suffolk breakfast; dinner from the à la carte menu is from £43 per person for three courses.
Overnight guests have a complimentary two-hour session with use of the facilities in Weavers’ House Spa including the sauna, steam room, outdoor vitality pool and relaxation lounge. A 90-minute auricular acupuncture treatment costs £140; the two-hour Weavers’ House Hug costs from £180.
The hotel also has a civil wedding licence and can accommodate private dinners for 20 to around 100 guests.
Families are welcome. Most rooms can accommodate 1-2 children on extra beds. For children aged five to 17, there is a £10 supplement per child per night. Children under eight are welcome to dine in the Brasserie. Weavers’ House Spa is for guests aged 16 and over.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10/10
Author Bio:
Kerry Walker is an award-winning travel writer and guidebook author.
Photographs courtesy of The Swan at Lavenham
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