Innkeeper's Collection Norfolk Broads, Horning - Norwich

Mark Naseby

The location is fantastic.
We have stayed twice previously with previous management so expecting the same experience. I requested the same room as before when booking.(2)
Upon arrival we were given an alternative room and told that the requested room was already booked for a week. Should have been advised this before arrival so we could decide on an alternative.
Room 1 bathroom was very dated and no adjustment on the heated towel rail (absolutely boiling). The thermostat on the bedroom radiator didn’t turn the rad off- windows opened 2” for safety- so no way of adjusting temperature- hot.
Walls grubby, mattress like a slab of concrete and the room needs a Kingsize bed for the size and price of the room.
The TV bracket was broken, so if you wanted to watch it, you’d have a cricked neck.

Arrived late afternoon to be told no food until 5- only crisps. The menu said food 12-5!
Bar staff busy chatting with the manager and we just didn’t feel welcomed.

Evening meal was average bar food, all fried- sea bass served warm, not hot.
Evening restaurant staff were lovely and tipped generously.

Breakfast when ordered, asked if we could have a bowl of cornflakes- advised that would cost extra.

Breakfast of full English was a good quality sausage and bacon, unfortunately we think we had the last serving of scrambled egg which had been scraped with all the burnt bits.

NoAccounting

The Swan is badky managed and maintained. At every meal, including one breakfast, items of food and wine were unavailable and the wait for dishes was too long. We made our views known at the time and excuses were made for the 'chef', who should either be trained or sacked or at least taught how to poach an egg, and the company was blaed for not fulfilling orders. Most draught beers were off when we arrived. The room was the victim of a cheap makeover. Woodwork had been repainted without first being rubbed down and the bathroo door had been shortened by having the bottom sawn off with the rough wood being neither sanded nor repainted - all very unprofessional. No wardobe was provided, instead some lengths of heating pipework, presumably a cheap attempt to be avantgarde, had been bolted together to accommodate our clothes. I presume an estate agent had taken the photographs on the website.||I paid £148.55 per night for this shamble and couldn't wait to leave. I shall certainly never be back.

Tony W

Stayed one night. We had a large room overlooking the Broad. Bathroom was also quite big & well equipped.|Check-in was friendly & efficient, and we were shown to our room. We had drinks outside, but did not eat dinner there. The breakfast was unusual by modern standards, Cooked to order Full English, and several cooked options - what we had was very good. But there is no "continental" offering - no cereals or toast.|Parking is free in a car park just metres away, but I imagine this gets full at busy periods. Wi-Fi worked well.|All in all - a good experience.

Tell Tale Strings

Nice peaceful room in an atmospheric, historical building. Lovely bathroom too! The location was idyllic right by the river with a lovely boat ride on the southern comfort just a stone's throw away. The room was well equipped and nice and clean. The food in the pub was delicious and the breakfast was huge and really great value for money. I loved the breakfast choices and the unlimited coffee and tea. The staff were very friendly and helpful. My car had broken down and I got a lift to the hotel. But this meant I was too early for check-in. But a lovely staff member let me put my case and bags in the room anyway so I didn't have to carry them around with me. I had a wonderful stay and there is nothing i didn't like...except perhaps for the lack of phone signal (but there's nothing the hotel could do about that). I had to keep signing in to wi-fi whenever i needed the internet, instead of it automatically connecting. But that really was a very minor issue. I loved my stay and will definitely be back!

LESLIE CHRISTIANSEN

Very pleasant staff, nice room clean and spacious. Poor cleanliness to glasses, cups and some areas of bar. Breakfast service can take upto 40 minutes for food to be delivered to table and when ordering vegetarian options be sure to check you are given vegetarian and it is not supplied with pork sausages.

Alison Parry

Great parking & free for residents. A warm welcome and pleasant room with a firm bed and all the facilities you expect inc. a tall fan which was essential as it was a very warm night. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening meal and large full cooked breakfast, worth the wait (breakfast took a while but the manager explained that they're currently short staffed). Location was perfect for us.

Rob Wakeling

This one star review is only our personal experience due to not being able to stay or eat here. I'm sure it would have been higher had we been able to do either.

We arrived at 19.45, with a table booked for 20.15 for dinner, we were then advised that they had run out of food! No one contacted us ahead of our arrival to advise of this. Surely if you see you've got table bookings they might want to eat?!

Then the good bit happens! we went to our room and found bird droppings on the floor, sofa and bed! I went back to reception to change rooms due to the obvious health risks. My wife called me whilst i was down to say my daughter had looked up and there were two pigeons sat on the lampshade! Having a fear of birds this was less than ideal for her.

The manager on duty and the barman then followed upstairs and removed said pigeons from the room, he returned to where we were waiting and said 'there you go all gone' as if we were still going to stay in the room with bird mess everywhere?!

I said we'd still need another room and he said sorry we're fully booked, which is fair enough. He then looked somewhat shocked when i said i would need a refund as couldn't have my young children one who's six months old stay there.

Although pleasant enough and an apology was made it did feel like i was causing an inconvenience asking for a refund!

I must say though the room did look nice had it been clean.

All in all not a good experience for us.

Doug Roberts

Excellent location, friendly staff, but the new management (4 weeks) obviously experiencing ‘settling in’ issues.
e.g. bar ran out of beer/cider on our first day, meal quality was fine but took over an hour to deliver, breakfast pricing (also slow) was very confusing. Kitchen was closed due to ‘unforeseen circumstances on our 2nd day, building looking tired, several defects in our room (lights not working, creaky doors).
The place has huge potential but not yet realised.