Bondgate Restaurant at The White Swan in Northumberland

So sad I have wanted to stay here fir many years. Food a great let down

We stayed here for 4 days. Very good location. Couldn't fault the staff, they were friendly and helpful. The public areas were attractive and comfortable. Bedroom was OK but no heated towel rail so bathroom was cold and running with condensation. No power showrr, just a trickle but a hot one! We had to remake our bed each day and towels were dumped on the bed. Food ok, nothing special

Visited twice in the week when recently on holiday, the food and service was fantastic. Staff very friendly, the bar area oasis bright and welcoming.

Parking was a challenge but ok in the end. Room was good, old plumbing to take into account. Room a bit warm for us even with radiators off

Amazing dining room and friendly staff who were able to accommodate my other half’s dietary needs. Lovely location and excellent, spacious room.

The Olympic must have been a very glamorous ship and I’m sure the White Swan dining room also was back in the day. But now the Olympic Room at the White Swan is just sad with awful food. The walls and ceiling are worth a look but they are the ONLY decoration. Not a plant or a candle or anything to suggest fine dining. Plastic salt & pepper and, cheapest of cheap glasses and jug on the tables. The menu is absolutely nothing like advertised on their website and the food is bland and obviously reheated. We had dry fish and dry pork drowned in sauces served with boiled cabbage and carrots. Croutons for pate and bread were both very stale. Service was friendly enough but not at all fine dining. Believe nothing about the restaurant on their website, it’s very misleading. Except for the walls and ceiling, everything is tired and cheap. With good bones it could’ve been a great experience. Instead it was just a disappointment and a missed opportunity to showcase a potentially unique environment.

Beautifully refurbished restaurant. Very comfortable. Excellent service from smart and friendly staff. An altogether lovely experience. Thank you

Absolutely awful -terrible food, indifferent service and no sign of any management interest. The White Swan Hotel (Bondgate) is a good-looking building in Alnwick. Their main OLYMPIC restaurant is lovely to look at, with paneling and decorations coming from the boat, RMS Olympic - that’s what originally drew us to the restaurant. They advertise their Olympic restaurant as “exceptional fine dining” with “freshly prepared food” and a “wide range of dishes”. Unfortunately they don’t live up to ANY of these claims, even though their prices, especially the wines, are geared to “fine dining”. There are some positive reviews on Trip Advisor, but these are from 2021. We ate in the restaurant around 7.30 pm on 23 August. It was less than 20 % full. The staff consisted of 2 young female trainees who were fine, who were being occasionally supported, but mainly leered at by a very tattooed middle-aged man, who probably would have been better suited to any job except dealing with diners in a restaurant. During the hour or so we were there the management were very noticeable by their absence in their “fine dining” restaurant or even the hotel. We should have been prepared when a couple who were sitting close to us were leaving and wishing us better luck with food and service than they had. We ordered starters and main courses. The fish was overcooked and the sauce congealed, the pork was dry and overcooked and all the vegetables had so obviously just been reheated from much earlier in the day. There wasn’t a single part of our meal that I could say a good thing about. We left more than half our meals because it was just so bad – the last time I can remember something so awful would have been at school on a bad day. The really funny thing was when we complained to our young waitress, she was apologetic, and told us not to feel so bad, because many people complain about the food !! The atmosphere of the restaurant and its lovely decorations were spoilt since during our meal the staff spent most of the time noisily setting up all the tables for the next day’s breakfast. I know tables need to be reset but surely this should be done after the fine diners had left. You have been warned – the place could be fantastic if they had a reasonable chef, some well trained staff, and some management engagement. The only reason I am giving the place 2 stars is because of the very good décor – I recommend going to have a look at the place, but don’t eat there ! David Bishop

We have only used the hotel for coffee twice this week, but we are most impressed. The bar and lounge are beautifully decorated with very comfortable seating. Oh, and the coffee is very good too. We will be back.

We had a short break here over February half term, and we had a lovely time. The dining room was amazing, definitely worth a visit; I felt like I was on board the Titanic! The rooms were very comfortable, and the staff were lovely; very friendly and helpful. Food was good as well. So we would definitely go back for another stay.

I finally got to touch wood in the RMS Olympic's first class lounge, something I've wanted to do for a long time. The staff are very friendly and used to people sneaking into the dining room just to look around in awe at Old Reliable. We had a very nice luncheon in the cafe and I recommend the three piece platter. You should absolutely stop off here if you are in Alnwick and spend a moment admiring the history on display.

Fantastic Hotel. Food freshly cooked. Dining room absolutely lovely. Staff very helpful and friendly.

Lovely hotel, ideal location. Staff attentive and friendly. Restaurant is beautiful and the meals were perfect. Would definitely recommend it

Great place to stay as a base for Alnwick. Lovely hotel steeped in history. Staff attentive and very helpful. Good family room, too hot for me so turned radiators off for our visit and opened the windows. Parking is limited and tight to get in to but free parkinf next to the castle 🏰 .

We booked this hotel as we like staying in older properties situated in town centres. We enjoy looking at 30's plumbing and fittings and can forgive a little tiredness and rough edges in return for that sort of character. The White Swan certainly delivers on all fronts. I didn't even spot the dining room, staircase and revolving door salvaged from the SS Olympic until we arrived. All in all a superb stay.

Amazing experience on mothers day. The Olympic restaurant is out of this world. Sister ship of the titanic and britannic. Its astonishing, history in the making. The staff were so helpful and friendly. To top of mothers day, staff handed my mam 12 daffodils courteously from the white swan. The Best mothers day I've ever had with my mam. Definitely recommend to go to this hotel

When we visited, it was as if the bar had just been decorated and all you could smell was paint. I am sure that will pass. Certainly aiming for the top end of the market, with prices to suit. As with many things, you pay your money and you take your choice.

Listed building so no lift. Room clean and comfortable. Meals excellent. Lounge areas comfortable. Staff very accommodating. Car park at rear. Town centre position. Dining room lined out with reclaimed wood from Liner Olympic, sister ship to the Titanic.

My Husband and I always like coming to this Hotel when we come to Alnwick. The rooms are very nice and the staff are always friendly.

I was given a voucher for Afternoon Tea, last Christmas. Finding somewhere in the North East to accept it was another question and I had to choose The White Swan in Alnwick even though it meant a 40 mile drive. I was quite pleased to find that the tea was to be served in the Olympic Suite as it seemed that they could not staff Hardy's Bistro at the same time. I won't bore you with details of The Olympic, sister Ship of Titanic as it is covered on the hotel's site, but it is impressive. I gathered that it is used to serve afternoon tea on defined Saturdays, perhaps principally for those of us with vouchers? However in the time we were there, only three other tables were occupied. Having had afternoon tea in many places, this one is good, but not 'premier league'. My wife, who is the afternoon tea aficionado, is always disappointed when the crockery is not real china. It wasn't. However the table was well presented with cotton tablecloth and serviettes and clean cutlery. The service was good and attentive. The menu was a little limited, but then I wasn't paying. A wider choice of savories would have been good. There were various teas on offer and a choice of two types of sandwich from four listed. The fruit scone with clotted cream. and jam was particularly nice. We were offered more tea and coffee. It seems churlish not to award 5 stars, but there was adequate food for our limited appetites, particularly at 1 pm in the afternoon. However in such cases we are used to taking any uneaten items home in a box provided. This was where it went 'pear-shaped'. We were informed that we could only take food away if we signed a disclaimer and that on some future occasion it would not be allowed at all. I thought this was a joke, but was assured that it was not and duly signed a hotel-printed form. The excess food then arrived wrapped in aluminium foil which did the cream cakes no favour. I have checked with my contacts in the catering industry and legal and they can find no record of such a pending law.

My husband and I went in at lunchtime and ordered a cream tea and a sandwich with salad plus a coffee and tea at the bar. Our tea and coffee came straight away but we had to wait 35 minutes for the rest of our order! At no time whilst I was at the bar did the bar manager say we would have to wait so long or did she say would we like our drinks now or with our meal. Hence by the time out meal came we had finished the tea and coffee. I pointed out to her when our order came that our drinks were done after waiting so long for the rest of the order. She said it was company policy that they didn't say at the bar how long our meal would be or about the drinks. She did say that there was only one chef on hence the wait. Better training of the bar staff of how to talk to customers and deal with their complaints, would be in order and not to quote company policy at them all the time. It's time the company woke up!!! As this is a hotel and seemed very busy, maybe having more than one chef on would have made such a difference. My husband's cream tea scone was so tiny the price of £4.95 was in my opinion, exhorbitant. Having visited many hotels I certainly would not come back to this one and would put it at 2 out of 10.

Fitted out with fittings from the Olympic liner, the sister ship of the Titanic. We had two breakfasts and two dinners. Although the menu is slightly limited due to Covid everything was delicious, although I thought it a bit strange that on the first night the supplement for steak was £5 but the next night it was £3.50. The staff were exceptional.

Great food and first class service in what is actually the first class lounge from Titanic’s sister ship, Olympic. Felt like we were on a film set. The staff were brilliant, even remembering favourite drinks and breakfast choices. Well worth a visit!

Really good evening meal at the Olympic Restaurant in the White Swan. The portions were just right and the service excellent.

This pub is almost the last will and testament of Titanic; The White Swan owning many of RMS Olympic artefacts and decorations from, the first class dining room revolving door to enter the hotel, the marble fireplace or ceiling from The Olympic suite. RMS Olympic was almost a carbon copy for Titanic. Apparently this pub has the staircase too or part of it made so famous on Titanic the film. For the staff not to know that the original owner, travelled on Olympic and when it was dismantled he helped the auction of its artefacts putting many in his pub is SHAMEFUL to the current owners. Not training your staff on such a thing is a disgrace.

We visited the Bistro restaurant at the White Swan while on holiday, It was very nicely furnished. The staff were friendly and efficient. The food was very nice but a bit pricey. also the drinks were expensive. Mixed feelings on this one

The hotel is looking a bit worse for wear but the staff were welcoming and helpful. The food was nothing special but overpriced. The biggest shock was the price of the wine, a large chardonnay was nearly £9. We expect to get ripped off at least once on a holiday and this was it!

Eating in the Olympic Suite is something on my non-existent bucket list. We were passing through Alnwick on our hols and nipped in for some photos one morning, asking about booking an evening meal the lady knew what my next question would be. She advised that there were sufficient bookings for the Olympic Suite to be opened up for the evening, enough to get me slightly emotional at the thought. As a lifelong fan of Titanic, it felt special walking in there. Ok, it’s not exactly as it was originally but it’s a lot to take in. The food (set menu for £25/3 courses) was great, a bit posh fitting the room. We made it a special evening out, and then spent an hour taking as many photos as we could. A great evening.

There is a wonderful period dining-room here, rescued from the Titanic’s sister ship Olympic, but we ate in the less formal Bistro. Although less elegant, it provided us with an acceptable meal, accompanied by fairly-priced wines; and a slight delay in service was amply compensated by a reduction in the bill. Altogether, then, this is a good dining option in the centre of Alnwick.

We stopped by for an evening meal and we both ordered the game pie with sweet potato mash and red cabbage. The fashion in restaurants these days is to pile the food up in a pyramid and hide the veg underneath the meat. Unfortunately in this case the veg was little more than a garnish, very annoying as the sweet potato and red cabbage are my favourites and was my main reason for picking this dish. At £14.50 for a pie and a bit of garnish I think this is very poor value.

There are two sides to the White Swan as a restaurant. There is a very formal backroom and a less formal front restaurant. We went into the back room which is fitted out with panels from Titanic's sister ship. It was all but deserted and a bit starchy. It was also rather infexible. We just wanted a single course but were told that we would still have to pay for the full three course menu. I'm not surprised the place was deserted. However on the way out we passed through the front restaurant which had a bit of life to it. Better still it was steak night. 2 steaks and a bottle of wine for £30. Perfect. And it was pretty good. No complaints at all. I would have given it 4 stars if it hadn't been for the frosty reception we received in the "posh" bit.

Welcoming staff, Louise, and good menu. Main courses are cooked to order but still arrived in a timely manner. Well presented and hot. The dessert menu is short but the Raspberry Creme Brulee was a delight and my cheeseboard was full of interest. We had an unhurried meal in a nice environment. Well done The White Swan and well done Louise.

Afternoon tea at the Swan was delightful . Very tasty and well presented. A nice interlude to a very pleasant day in Alnwick. Our waiter was the perfect gent. Very polite and friendly. Treat yourself and pop in.

went to the white star dining area for sunday lunch. we enquired if there was a table for 2 and were told to wait as it was very busy. a good ten minutes later a young lady from the eating area was eventually interrupted to ask if we could be seated. another 5 minutes then yes, follow me we have table. we expected to see a bustling packed dining area,strange then that in the dining room only 3 tables were being used. there were no reservations either. (1.45) anyway, never mind, the carvery was delicious, hot cauliflower cheese, red cabbage small but tasty Yorkshires and selection of veg. to follow, bread and butter pudding , light and very nice indeed. two meals two desserts and drinks £27- we 'l be back even if we have to encounter the same strange ritual on entry.

Arrived 12:30 to an empty dining room. 7 lunches ordered. 50 minutes later it arrived. Quite small portions. Staff very friendly.

The staff were trying hard but the bar staff were not too friendly when we called in. However the food was good and the bar was clean.

Took my mum here for mothers day lunch and it was fabulous. From the minute we arrived the staff were all very friendly, helpful and attentive. The food was extremely tasty and thoroughly enjoyed by all 3 of us and although we were the last people to leave we never felt like we were being rushed out. Finally, they very kindly chose not to rip people off my escalating prices because it is an 'occasion', prices were very reasonable. Highly recommend.

Had a lovely lunch at this restaurant. Good choice on the menu and generous portions. Fair price too.

We along with another 40 friends and members of Alnwick Lions attend the Monday night steak night where each couple enjoyed a choice of steak with all the trimmings and a bottle of wine for £30 all agreed it was excellent.

It was a Monday when we were in Alnwick and, of course, many places were either not open or not serving food. So we tried the White Swan and were so glad that we did. The resturant was warm and comfortable, and the staff were very obliging. We had good beer and food and the price was reasonable. Would certainly visit again.

An lovely character hotel, feeding off it's association with White Star Line - (panelling in the Olympic Dining Room from RMS Olympic, sister ship to the ill-fated RMS Titantic).

Comimos una noche después de conducir por toda la zona, y para ser sincero, me gustó el aspecto del viejo estilo pub desde el exterior por dentro era muy moderno nos sentaron inmediatamente y sirve bebidas, yo soy muy exigente acerca de comer una hamburguesa, pero no suficiente hambre para un bistec, le pregunté a la camarera las hamburguesas bien? Ser sinceros si no están no vas a encontrar un buen consejo:) bien como su palabra que era muy bueno, los postres también estaban muy bien.

We didn't book but the hotel wasn't busy so we asked if they would do 4 afternoon teas. We ordered the full tea at £14.95 per person Okay the sandwiches had to be made etc but we did wait a long time, the tea was brought long before the food so it was cold by the time it all arrived The scones were warm but they were burnt on top, the sandwiches were ok but the cheese was tastless The biggest disappointment was the cake which was bought from the supermarket down the road I think for the price this was very poor and woudn't recommend

Go for afternoon tea if nothing else. One of best I've ever had, as sandwiches made to your order. Warm scones too.

Organizamos un evento familiar para 50 personas tomando el té de la tarde. El gluten té era excelente, pero la cantidad y calidad de la comida para los otros fue muy pobre en particular dada la por encima de la media total de la comida. La mayor decepción fue el personal. Por lo menos en 3 ocasiones en 3 horas de evento el bar estaba desatendido y teníamos que ir a recepción para intentar conseguir el servicio. Este establecimiento está desgastado y debe ser que sobreviven en una reputación construida en antaño, ya que el servicio y la tela en muchas zonas están ahora totalmente anticuado. Es una pena, ya que la suite olímpica podría ser increíble. Tenemos planeado un evento similar este año y se va a un competidor. Una pena, ya que este evento nos costó un par de mil libras.

Perhaps the food did not fully match the setting, but it was of an acceptable standard with efficient and cheerful service. Dining here is a unique experience which we hope to repeat!

Wow, what plusher surroundings can you expect than to dine in the Titanic's identical sister ship the Olympic's 1st class lounge, we had 2 breakfast and 2 evening meals, breakfast was just perfect, had egg Benedict with salmon, eggs were perfectly poached, evening meals were even more special, proper linen and table service, waiters were so friendly and attentive, really loved the food, I had chicken wrapped in bacon with steamed veg on first night and pork chops on the second night, perfectly cooked and very yummy food ;)

Disfrutamos de un té de la tarde en este restaurante. Personal hospitalario y una gama encantadora de sandwiches y pasteles.

The meal was very tasty and well cooked. The service was good. The only thing was that The navarin of lamb came only with mash and no veg. Maybe you had to order them separately but nobody told us.

We were staying at the hotel (excellent - see separate review) and used the restaurant twice for dinner and once for lunch. Sunday roast was very good indeed. Pheasant, on another occasion, was bland but ok. Fish and chips a disaster - don't think I've ever seen so much almost-burnt batter and skin and so little fish. If you happen to be there for Sunday lunch, enjoy. Otherwise you are probably better-off at Barter Books or Lilburnes.

light lunch needed after heavy shopping foray. We'd been before but eh layout has changed. Ther service was cheerful and nice range of beers. Food not terribly exciting and about average price for a hotel. Lovely place, but much better value to be had elsewhere in Alnwick I felt. Barter Books has a cracking buffet cafe at the old station

We were in Alnwick on a Bank Holiday weekend so we booked to eat here on the Monday given that there was likely to be some restriction on the number of places open. It turned out that Monday is steak night and is, even on a Bank Holiday, surprisingly busy. The food perfectly acceptable, just not outstanding. Whilst this was not fine dining (indeed, we hadn't expected it to be) it was certainly as good as we could have anticipated. The meal deal was steak for two at a very good value price, and included a bottle of wine, which was very pleasant. The biggest let-down, for me, was the hand-pull beer which came from a local (Alnwick) brewery. I found it to be tasteless, weak and insipid. But then I am a real ale drinker.

On a rainy day, my husband and I took shelt.er in the White Swan and were pleased to find a pleasant menu in the small restaurant. The meal was enjoyable & the service good.. We would go there again

Visited here for Sunday lunch on the way home from a weekend away. We parked around the back and saw some of the staff having a fag (nice) but continued in anyway. It was extremely quiet in the restaurant and we sat down with our twins in their car seats. It was friendly and the food was nice. It remained quiet throughout our dinner. The only thing letting it down I feel was seeing staff smoking outside the back...staff that served our food. If you want to smoke, so be it but I'd rather not know someone had been smoking prior to handling my food and despite it being quiet out food did take quite a while to come. Although having said that, it was worth the wait. Overall nice food and would return/ recommend.

Excellent service and food. The staff were very helpful and would certainly recommend if visiting alnwick

Sunday lunch was very good, the choice and quality of the vegetables was excellent, the beef was a little tough and the gravy was tasty but too thin and watery, overall a good experience but a bit disappointed it was not in the fabulous dinning room.

Six of us enjoyed an excellent meal at this restaurant. It had a great atmosphere with pleasant staff and lovely surroundings. Highly recommend this on a visit to Alnwick, very central. We all had the 'steak deal' which included two steaks and a bottle of house wine - excellent value.Would certainly return.

The food is good. We found nothing extraordinary to recommend to you. The service was good. We tried the lamb, the burger, and the fish. All good but nothing out of the ordinary.

Nice bar and people but we had several drinks there (larger) on different occasions and they all had bits in them! yuk. We took them back and got replacements but it kept happening....

We booked in for Sunday lunch while staying in Seahouses for a week. We couldn't find fault with anything, except maybe that we were too full to have pudding! The service was excellent and the waitresses were very attentive. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. We were even offered a complimentary glass of champagne before our meal. Had sorbet between 1st and 2nd courses. Puddings looked great but we were too full. Three course lunch for £18.95, excellent value. We felt really posh!

Two things: Firstly I do not recognise the name “The Bondgate Restaurant” and have only ever known it as ”The White Swan Hotel” restaurant. Secondly I fail to understand the most recent review of this “classy” establishment and the descriptions of the service and standard of staff.That said we had two very nice meals here during our brief sojourn in Northumberland. It is a set price “Table d’hote” menu and the food is always of the highest quality. The surroundings are beautiful, as mentioned before in other reviews the dining area consists of wood panelling lifted for the RMS Olympic the sister ship of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, the rest of the room is complimentary to this décor. We found the staff to be very attentive and the service excellent.We highly recommend this restaurant they do accept bookings from non-residents and if you’re in Alnwick looking for a really good meal then look no further.

What a treat, I would definately eat here again. The sunday lunch experiance was fantastic. The service was superb, the food was amazing and the whole experience of eating in the First Class Lounge of the Titanics sister ship RMS Olympic was amazing.

We had a deluxe afternoon tea bought as a christmas present, living in the north east the White Swan at Alnwick was our only option.I would not recommend The White Swan considering this was supposed to be a deluxe afternoon tea it was poor to say the least.We were given a pot of tea which the teapot spout was chipped, we were told that there were a selection of sandwiches a scone,cake and a jelly.We were not offered a choice of sandwiches hence they were left as the three fillings we did not like, they were cucumber,salmon and ham & mustard even if we had been offered ham without the mustard it would of been a start,the jam & cream scone & a piece of victoria sandwich cake were the only things eaten as the jelly was also left because it had cucumber in.We had to ask for another pot of tea as the staff did come to our table to ask if we wanted anymore.The afternoon tea menu needs to be looked at & choice needs to be given.

Alnwick has a huge choice of places to eat, we chose The White Swan as they advertised a steak night deal on Monday's. We booked a table, a good choice as it was busy, even though it was early. The deal is two steak meals plus a bottle of wine for £29.95. You could be forgiven for thinking portion size/ quality of steak or indeed the steak may be compromised at that price. There are a choice of 4 steaks, and a choice of wines with this deal. The meat is served with the traditional accompaniments, and it was delicious. Freshly cooked, served hot, it was a real bargain. We both chose the "hanger" steak, as we had not had this cut before, it was first class, cooked medium rare to perfection. The service was excellent too. We will return as the usual price for this meal is still reasonable.

Poor meal, hardly any vegetables, my salad starter was OK but the services was not very attentive. Decor comes from the Olympic, the Titanic sister ship.

My partner and I were in Alnwick for the day, although we are local we had never tried eating in the bistro. When we went in there was a nice atmosphere and we were greeted by a lovely girl named Louise who seated us. She offered us the menu and a wine list and explained the specials. After looking through the menu I decided on the calamari starter which was recommended by Louise. We went on to have another two courses which me and my partner both really enjoyed. Louise was very attentive making sure everything was ok and topping up our drinks. The service we received was excellent as was the food. We cannot believe that we have never tried here before and will definitely be going back.

We have visited the White Swan three times. This visit was for lunch during a long day trip to Northumberland. We enjoyed a quiet lunch in the brasserie/bar. We had not booked, and midweek it was not busy. The food was good and well served by friendly staff. All was as we hoped/expected and we shall definitely be lunching here next time we are in Alnwick, which is a comparatively frequent destination.

A lovely Sunday lunch was enjoyed at The White Swan. Very good food and great service, highly recommended.

I visited with my husband and parents for afternoon tea. I was hoping that we'd be seated in the Olympic room but we were in a bar area. It was pleasant and quiet and we were able to look in the dining room before leaving.The service was excellent, our waitress was attentive and polite and I couldn't fault her in any way.The afternoon tea was average, pleasant enough but not brilliant. The sandwiches were good (smoked salmon, cheese and cucumber, chicken, ham) and the cakes were nice, 2 pieces of carrot and 2 pieces of chocolate with 4 scones. The jam and cream serving was really small for 4 people and although the cakes were good an afternoon tea usually has a selection of small things rather than a big slice per person.So it was fine but really it was lunch with a small sandwich and a piece of cake each which wasn't what I wanted when I booked it.I wouldn't rush back but at the same time I wouldn't say 'avoid' it was just average.

Nothing was too much trouble. Kind and attentive service, and helpful adaptations for dietary requirements.

The white swan has a room which is a replica of the state room of the sister ship of the titanic. The Bondgate restaurant has nice service and a nice coffee.

Having left my husband behind at our holiday cottage to look after our three dogs, I went off on my own to Alnwick on my own for shopping and lunch and decided to have lunch in the Bistro at the Ship Hotel..I enjoyed salmon served with a velute sauce, french beans and chipped potatoes followed by chocolate bavoise at a cost of £10 for two courses and a large glass of white wine. I was served by the delightful Louise who was sporting a magnificent tan having just returned from holiday in Tenerfife and i found her to be most pleasant helpful and efficient. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch as I sat at my own table by the window watching the world go by. Altogether a most pleasant experience and a place that I would be pleased to recommend. I will most certainly visit again in six months time when I return to the area on holiday..A most enjoyable meal and highly recommended.

My wife and I decided to try this restaurant after a friend of ours very kindly bought us a Virgin Experience Day to the value of £99.00. We chose this restaurant instead of afternoon tea at the Ritz - mistake.The voucher entitled us to a three course dinner each and a bottle of house wine, going on rough figures a bottle of house wine shouldn't cost more than £19.00, therefore we were looking forward to a three course meal costing roughly £40.00 per person.I ordered the peppered mackerel with horseradish potatoes for starters, my wife had the chicken liver parfait. I was very disappointed to find that the mackerel was cold and what you would buy from your local supermarket, however the horseradish potatoes were just lovely, my wife's chicken liver parfait was lovely and light but we have a feeling it also was bought in, also the crostini she had were definitely shop bought and somewhat stale.For mains we both ordered the wild salmon and we have to say it was lovely, however we were once again disappointed to find out that it was Alaskan salmon and not local caught, which for the prices they are charging you would expect.Then came the deserts, my wife had the sticky toffee pudding, which was home made, unfortunately it was slightly burnt, but the toffee sauce was excellent. I had the cheese board, which came with three of the smallest pieces of cheese, albeit the blue was lovely and just three crackers.As for the restaurant itself, the decor is stunning and the staff were excellent. Like we stated in the title there were some highs, but way too many lows. For £99.00 we expected food of a much higher standard, we left feeling totally underwhelmed and sorry to say a little robbed.To sum up, we definitely won't be back and won't be recommending this restaurant to any of our friends, my wife and I eat out a lot and also write a lot of reviews and we honestly hate leaving bad ones but feel we have to in this case, sorry.

Had a lovely meal on Monday at the White Swan Bistro. Steak night was very reasonably priced, food was great and staff Louise and Julie were very polite and attentive even though the resturant was quite busy. Will go again

We enjoyed a good afternoon tea with a selection of sandwiches, cakes, scones and a jelly concoction which was might have been Pimms with fruit and cucumber. The service was good, the staff friendly and the hotel's links to the Titanic were fascinating to read about. The hotel looked very 'posh' from the outside, but the inside of the retaurant area - that could benefit from some redecoration - meant that you felt comfortable however casually you were dressed.Cannot comment on the restaurant's other meals though we did see some wholesome food appear!

I had an afternoon tea which was excellent in quality. Nice sandwiches, very nice cakes and friendly service. We were stuck in a cafe type atmosphere which did not give the right impression. I would not go for a return visit

Enjoyed a very relaxing afternoon tea, with a nice selection of sandwiches, cakes, and scones. I can't comment on either the lunch or dinner menu, as we did not partake, but the tea service was very swift and friendly. The atmosphere is relaxed but not tardy, and the decoration style is art deco (there is some connection with the sister ship of Titanic). We thoroughly enjoyed our little tea treat, and certainly had several top-ups, but not enough to sink a ship!

We were attracted to eat by the Titanic connection which the ebullient manager explained to us at length! The Olympic room has a great atmosphere. Food and wine were perfectly satisfactory though nothing special. Service courteous and attentive.

We had a poor tasteless main meal here which was expensive, we decided against a pudding. A lacklustre menu. The staff were uninterested and lacked training. The decor and lighting was shabby and the restaurant needs upgrading. Some of the seats were so called benches which means you sit up and beg and they are uncomfortable at best. No alcohol free beer or wine was available.

We ate in the Bistro area & enjoyed excellent service & a wide menu from which to choose. The food was delicious. Good value, and an extremely convenient location.

The food we ordered was burned and not very nice so ordered another and it was supposed to be a burger but it had girkin in it and raw in the middle, when ordering asked for chips when it came their was only six each this was not very nice.

We have eaten here three times now, once with friends. When we first came to Alnwick we would often walk past the hotel and see few if any guests in the bistro, which put us off using the place. However, eventually we did try it and were surprised at just how good the food was. There are two restaurants at the White Swan and they apparently cater to a lot of coach parties as well as their other guests.The bistro at the front of the hotel is less frequented by their coach parties who use the main restaurant and we were told that when busy they don’t fully staff or open the bistro which is possibly why it used to look so empty when passing.The food served to us on our three visits was at a very high standard. Service was variable, going from excellent to acceptable and the atmosphere was also variable depending on the number of guests in the bistro. Number of staff seems to fluctuate as well, and I assume that is based on how busy they are with coach parties et al in the main restaurant. The staff were always friendly, though not always fully up to speed on what was available on the night.Choice was good, though on two occasions some items weren’t available. The wine we chose was in the mid range and again very good value.Overall an excellent experience and a restaurant we will continue to return to.

The White Swan is worth visiting for several reasons. The main dining room is an elegant room, with wood panels deriving from the timbers of the sister ship to the titanic. The wooden staircase is similarly of historic interest, Food here is not cheap but the menu is varied and food generally well prepared and well presented. If you need something 'special' the staff will go out of their way to be helpful. Service is good and staff very friendly. Overall a place to be recommended for atmosphere and quality.

Our third night in Alnwick and we risked trying somewhere in the High Street on spec. First reaction from one of the male staff was a pretty firm 'no' and we were on our way to the door when this young lady (whose name we should have taken so she could get her just credit) friendlily offered us a table in the bar area. So, off to a good start and the food that followed - char grilled bacon chops, battered haddock and a Northumberland beer rarebit (I only remember because I kept the receipt!) were all extremely acceptable, as was my marmalade bread & butter pudding. As it happened, this informal area suited us even better than the full restaurant section, so a win all round...even though, had we turned tail at the original negative response we might still be tramping the streets of Alnwick! A bonus to the evening was that the same lady then showed us the hotel's amazing guest breakfast/ballroom which was fully furnished with the wooden interior from the ballroom of a sister ship to the Titanic - a wonderful and unique but hardly publicised feature of the White Swan.

My friend and her boyfriend invited me out here for Dinner last week. I used to live in Northumberland, so knew this old Alnwick coaching house from those days. The meal was excellent, good wine and very efficient staff. I note SteveKeys comments and must admit, we did hear several complaints about the restaurant/hotels VERY expensive 'Afternoon Teas.' But from my point of view the evening meal was just about on the money.

A good place to eat before an event in town with good food and service. The history of part of the building having items from the sister ship to the Titanic adds a bit of charm to the locale.

Went up to The White Swan today for 'Afternoon Tea' - a gift from my cousin. We booked over the phone and the receptionist was very helpful, friendly and polite.We arrived with our voucher and were shown to the restaurant. We took a seat in the window and were told someone would be over to take our order. We waited.... And waited.....Whilst we sat waiting, nobody else came in. Nobody who was already in were being attended to. Nobody was paying their bill. WHY therefore were we left waiting for so long....?After 15 minutes had passed I was literally getting up from my chair for go and find someone when 'John' came over. He apologised and said he thought we were being seen to. He appeared to be the only staff member on, so I'm not sure who it was he thought was serving us?! He explained that the voucher gave us a choice of 2 sandwich fillings each, plus the scone and cakes. Lovely!My wife chose the Cucumber and Cream Cheese, and the Salmon. I opted for the Egg Mayo also along with the Salmon.Again, we were left to wait. And wait. And wait. again, with nothing else at all happening in the restaurant for 'John' to be troubled with it took almost 25 minutes for our sandwiches to arrive.The first thing we noticed was that none of the sandwiches had butter, marg or spread on them. Maybe it's just me, but isn't this a basic part of a sandwich?My wife was less than impressed at the Cucumber and Cream Cheese. Mainly due to the fact that the Cream Cheese was non existant. It was literally 2 dry bits of bread with a lump of cucumber inbetween. And when I say lump, I really do mean lump. More hacked than sliced.After a quick word with John, he brought us some Cheese for my wife to add to her chunks of cucumber.The scones were fresh and warm, with a good helping of Cream and Jam to go with them. The cakes were also very nice.The table we were sat at, as well as the one next to us (and one would presume a fair few others) were 'chocked up' to stop them wobbling with old beer mats. For this to be in a venue that strives to be one up from its competitors, this sadly gave an impression of being "All fur coat and no knickers" to me. From the outside it was a quintessentially English "Afternoon Tea with Cucumber Sandwiches" yet scratch the surface and you see tables propped up with beer mats, just like they would be in the greasy spoon down the road.As for a return visit - I very much doubt it. I think the only chance of us visiting again would be if someone got us an afternoon tea gift again. However, if they did I think we may take the time to travel slightly further and try Doxford Hall slightly further north.

Easy access from the main street. The lunchtime menu was simple and the quality of food was good. Bistro was clean and fresh looking. It was also a treat to be shown the dining room with the panelling from RMS Olympic. A pleasant lunch in a great little town.

We have visited many times for a cream tea and all was well , Untill last couple of times , A young barman didnt know what a cream tea was ? and when we explained he got it !! This week we went and same lad said we dont do food today :( thort we would go elsewhere and on the way out we seen a couple with a cream tea ?? So I went to reception to complain but they were not intreted (playin on computer she was )

Went in early afternoon so had missed the lunchtime service and were told that we could have drinks and sandwiches, which was fine. My 'undoing' was when we were offered afternoon tea, which we were informed would be very filling (not an idle boast !).There is a large selection of sandwiches of which you can choose 2 types per person. These came swiftly with a scone, jam, cream and a selection of cake. A pot of tea was provided along with subsequent free pots as well.Overall a nice experience - pleasant environment, good service, and great tasting food. The cost of around £12 per person seemed reasonable for what we had.I would go back again.

This looked like it could have been a good choice for a lunch, how wrong were we! We were soon hurried to a table and someone came to take our order, the waiter seemed so uninterested. After what seemed an absolute age our food was brought out and one of the meals was wrong, having ordered sausage and mash the order became sausage and chips (badly over cooked and looking quite awful) we were not consulted as whether or not this would be acceptable. We ate some of our food and couldn't wait to leave. We know not to visit here again.

Lasagne served lukewarm, but with bunt bits at the bottom. Sides for Lasagne included cole slaw (??!). Bad food. Hard stop.

We managed to get a table here after every where else was fully booked on Sunday evening. The food was very good so we weren't disappointed. Being in a hotel the service was impeccable.

I visited the Bondgate Restaurant at the Swan Hotel on the 19th December with my family. The visit was a Christmas treat for my great aunt. Unfortunately it turned out to be a very disappointing experience. My aunt walks with the help of a Zimmer so was unable to go through the main hotel entrance. Fortunately there is a fire exit at the side of the restaurant, although it was unfortunate that it was covered by a large curtain from the inside, attracting a lot of attention as I opened it for her to enter. We had reserved a table for 1pm, the table was laid out nicely and there was plenty of room for the four of us. One waiter was on taking orders, pouring drinks and serving. Once sat down we noticed that there was a Christmas menu and a normal lunch time menu. We wanted a Christmas meal but noticed there was no price displayed. The main course consisted of turkey, lamb shank or fish. The menu was not very exciting or interesting and when we asked the price we were told that the four courses cost £14.95 each person. My aunt asked if she could just order part of the set menu as her appetite is small. Regretfully the menu was none negotiable, they had one set menu, one set price. Also by this time we noticed that the restaurant was very cold, only one radiator was obvious in the large room.Three of us ordered the pate and one the melon. Everything came in enough time but the food did not look very interesting and the taste was pretty uninspiring. Three of us ordered the lamb shank and one the turkey. When the lamb shanks arrived they were served on a bed of mash. Two were a good size but the third was half the size of the other two. We complained to the (happy) waiter and he took it to the kitchen. One minute later he was back to say that the shanks do sometimes come in different sizes and there was nothing they could do! (If the chef had any sense they probably should have made sure everyone at the same table got the same size shank?!). My sister had ordered the turkey that also came on a bed of mash. The portion was small, more like a child s portion. When the veg eventually came the bowl was missing any green veg. Instead it was full of coarsely undercooked chopped turnip, parsnip and some other root vegetable. If the chef was trying to be fashionable by cooking the vegetables in this way, he/she failed miserably. We complained again and the waiter asked a lady manager to apologise to us and sent the veg back to be re-cooked. I enjoyed my lamb but finished the dish before the veg came back. I ordered the lemon mouse with shortbread and cream for my sweet. Thankfully it was a revelation and I really enjoyed the taste and texture. Unfortunately I had to eat it with my coat on as the temperature was freezing! When it came to the coffee we asked if we could have it in the hotel lobby next to the fire. After struggling with my aunt and her Zimmer up the stairs, we were able to warm up and enjoy a hot drink. Overall the starters could have come out of the fridge at home and plonked on the plate. I have bought similar lamb shanks from the supermarket and would always expect one type of green veg. I don’t expect to sit with my coat on during a meal and struggle to get my less agile family in and out of any restaurant. A smile from the service is always welcome and if I’m paying for any food, I expect something tasty. This restaurant is obviously taking advantage of the thoroughfare by not giving a care of the overall quality of their meals. My aunt did not enjoy her experience but at least they took a huge £6 off the bill! (disgrace).

Lovely location, helpful and friendly staff, but the food was distinctly average. We had a set meal as part of a group, but it was neither good quality or value.

Good service but the food was disappointing given the price. The lamb shank was tasteless and the custard on the crumble was thin and smelt awful. Shame as the staff were lovely but the food was AWFUL and expensive.

Booked this for a special occasion four days in advance so that we could be sure of a table. Got there on the night only to be told that there was no reservation and would we like to eat in the bistro, we said no and we want the table that we booked... 5 mins later we were shown to our table. Now to the food. piping hot food , little waiting time between courses and very tasty , £25 a head plus drinks, well worth a visitJust keep ringing if you book in advance to check on your reservation.