Cygnet Restaurant at The Swan Hotel in Powys

Very disappointed.☹️ dull boring deserted public bar. No prices displayed as required by law. THERE WAS A REASON. SHANDY £5.90 PER PINT Another pub on corner of Bridge St only £3.60, and much more lively atmosphere.

Of all the meals we've had this summer travelling around the country this Sunday lunch was the worst. Inedible cod and chips while my partner had to suffer the roast. I ate about 3 mouthfuls of frozen brown cod deep fried in gunk with undercooked peas and fat chips. Oh and the roast... Frozen potatoes hidden as roast potatoes and overcooked veg. We've had consistently an amazing meal here before and the venue is amazing but what has happened? Shocking

We called by "on-spec" on the first Saturday of the Hay Festival, and although very busy and towards the end of lunch-time, a table in the restaurant was found for us. The staff were coping very well, and we weren't in any rush, so plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere of this busy country-town hotel. Our choice of the Welsh cheddar and asparagus tart with new potatoes and salad was outstanding both in quality and value for money. So pleased, we booked a table for the following Saturday. Once again, the staff were excellent, choices were the Welsh Cheddar and Pearl Las ploughman's and the Prawn and Crayfish salad as a main course - which was once again excellent value for money. Sitting in the restaurant of hotels such as this watching the world go by no doubt provides wonderful material for novel writers. Will certainly visit again!

Very nice meal. Great decor. Very friendly and helpful staff. Full marks all round. My wife approves, so I can't get a better recommendation than that

Had dinner here on a very rainy night first week of August the dining room was very quiet. One meal the baked plaice was very good at £15.95 but my meal of beer battered fish and chips must have been cooked in old burnt oil and was very dark, the chips were rock hard and to seemed as though they had been recooked not what I expected for the £14.95 price. My small desert came with half a scoop of ice cream and was poor value for £6.95. I tried 3 different chairs and all had loose joints and creaked loudly in the quite room and I had to sit still during the meal. The wooden table had no cloth on it and was sticky from the last wipe down I presume. The only redeeming point was the young man who served us and he was very pleasant. The room could do with a revamp of its furniture before a chair collapse injures someone.

we had dinner at The swan and it was absolutely delicious. All perfectly cooked and presented. Would definitely recommend it.

Just left the Swan Hotel. We were a little late to have lunch in the town. We were told The Swan may do food. We were offered a sandwich, great I was thankful to get some food. Beautiful sunny day, lovely garden, the staff were grumpy and unhelpful. Very dry sandwich, which we didn't eat. I asked for it to be taken off the bill, which they did but with a sullen attitude. Very disappointing.

Having previously enjoyed using the dining facilities here for lunch and dinner we have now had three very poor experiences! We have observed several changes in the presentation of food over the last three visits for lunch but this no longer satisfactory with poorly filled sandwiches missing some ingredients, served with a few wilted leaves and avoid ordering the 'triple' cooked chips that have barely been cooked at all, they are greasy and floppy! The French fries equally horrible the visit before and you ask what the soup is and order it to then receive something completely different. The service has always been a very hit and miss experience and to receive all the items you order at the same time does seem quite impossible at times. The young girl on this occasion was pleasant and tried to be attentive when we discussed our concerns but was called away by a man (probably the manager, who barely engages in conversation). The town has a number of much better cafes and places to eat so we would definitely recommend elsewhere not only for better service but for quality of food and value as for prices here have been increased recently but portions and quality definitely have been reduced. We certainly wouldn't risk coming for dinner anymore if lunch is anything to go on and think our custom is better valued elsewhere.

I came here to host my local management team and had dinner at the Swan. The bar is really nice and has a nice selection of beers and wines. We sat in a private room but the lighting in th room was very dark. I ordered the lamb spring roll and the ribeye main, both were not good. The spring roll was very dry and the steak was served cold. To their credit they didn’t charge me for the steak. The dessert was actually very good, so next time it will be beer and dessert.

We were told by a local it was a good place to eat. We booked for 5 in the bar and they put us in the restaurant with lovely garden views. The food was delicious and fairly priced. Loved the Lamb and Feta with roasties.

Stayed here 3 nights. Food very good and great choice and excellent service. Staff were very patient with our rather noisy group.

I went there today for a late lunch / snack and ordered the leek and potato soup with bread. It arrived on the table in a gorgeous bowl, but inside the bowl was the thickest bright green liquid - more like children's Play-doh. It was luke warm with no taste of leek or potato but the gooey consistency of thick cream. I guess it was blended watercress mixed with cream and slightly heated in a microwave. The bread? A slice of very stale French loaf. Absent: a napkin and a pat of butter to accompany the bread. Quite disgusting!

After a days walking in the Brecon Beacons I fancied a steak for dinner last Saturday 11th August, so I called into The Swan. I entered the bar and asked the barmaid regarding the Restaurant and she pointed me in the general area. Next I came to reception where the receptionness told me to wait at the end of the corridor and I would be seated. I arrived at the Restaurant door but no sign of anyone to receive me so I took a seat on a nearby sofa and waited perhaps 5 minutes until I was noticed. The waitress apologized for any delay and prepared a table for me. The first thing you notice in the dining room is plum, the walls are plum, the carpet is plum, the upholstery is plum, the curtains have plum detail, a little OTT perhaps. My 10oz rib eye steak came medium rare as ordered and was tasty, the tomato, two spring onions and little heap of watercress were average, while the truffle and parmesan chips consisted of skinny chips with some parmesan grated over the bowl, no hint of truffle in any shape or form. My waitress was very friendly and anxious to help but appeared inexperienced, my wine was served by the barmaid who just left the bottle on my table unopened ! There appeared an air of panic in the dining room and I noticed several diners complaining even though there were less than a dozen customers while I was there. Overall it was not a great dining experience.

We called in for some lunch and a couple of drinks, only to be told they had a private function on so there wouldn't be any food served. The place was empty, so we had a cup of tea, and meanwhile the place started to fill up with families and couples and they we told the same thing. They lost a lot of business that day. I still can't believe a hotel can't cope with a function and lunch time trade at the same time. I have been a catering manager for many years in the past and I was astounded.

We recently visited Hay but did not stay at the Swan. However, we did book dinner there on the second night and it was a real treat. The food was good, reasonably priced and the staff so friendly and helpful. Next time down there, we will book to stay at the Swan. Thanks to everyone on reception and in the restaurant. Well done.

We sat in the lovely, well kept gardens given it was a beautiful day. My husband and son ordered the Sunday roast and I had the sea bream. The fish was well cooked and nicely presented but the mashed potato underneath was watery and tasteless. The roast dinners were OK but not outstanding. The service was good and a waitress gave our dog a bowl of water without us having to ask. I think they were a little understaffed as it was difficult to get served drinks at the bar and to pay for our meal. I would go there again though as the place has a nice atmosphere and is well presented and cosy.

We came here to arrange a group meal for our orchestra later in the year and were delighted by what we found. The food itself was excellent, well presented and reasonably priced. I had the lambshank which was succulent and tasty with appropriate and inventive trimings. My friend had salmon which was also delicious.We ate in the beautiful dining room with the largest Georgian sash windows I've ever seen showing a beautiful view of the garden and the hills beyond. Our group meal will be in the function room, a large and characterful space.The events team has been most attentive so far to our needs and I am looking forward to the event and will report back. This place deserves to do well!

Excellent dinner with friends, good choice, good wine with good surroundings, will come again as very good value.

Four of us had a meal here on New Year’s Day. The food was SERIOUSLY good; one of the best meals any of us had had in a long time. I started with trout with egg yolk which I thought would be strange but was delicious. My main course of halibut was perfect, and the chocolate dessert divine. Two others had beef fillet which was done to perfection. The vegetables were just right in flavour and quantity. All four of us had wonderful meals. The price was also excellent - £21 a head for three courses. It was a shame it was quiet but that hopefully was the time of year. As more people get to hear of this place I am sure it’s popularity will grow.

The Swan Hotel is one of the main venues for events in the Hay winter festival so was always busy we grabbed a meal in the bar area but there was a good selection of food from main meals to snacks . As you would expect in a hotel drinks were expensive, But food quality and service were very good. I would also add that this year they were offering pork or beef baps during the day at least which were excellent and they are a good reason to return for sure!

My husband and I enjoyed the three course lunch offered for Sunday, with the best sauce I had all trip. The dishes were interesting takes on classics, with gourmet upgrades featuring locally sourced ingredients.

we were so looking forward to dining in the swan's restsurant as the menu sounded delicious but unfortunatly it was definitely style over substance and extremly overpriced for the area and quality and quantity of food provided

Some dishes stood out, the seabass 'fish and chips' had the largest and thickest sea bass I have ever seen,with a very light batter, the creamed peas were absolutely delicious and the foamed tartare sauce was very novel (and green!), the beetroot salmon mousse starter stood out, and the pannacotta with pistachio/gooseberry crunch accompaniment tasted great and the texture worked well. Other dishes were different too, and it was great to see such novel ways of presenting food. The service in the restaurant was good. The coffee was absolutely appalling.

Hemos visitado el Swan antes y uno de sus principales características es la comida y el ambiente de su restaurante. Esta noche visitamos y pedimos una mesa y nos mostraron la Bistro donde nos lo pasamos muy bien si no cara comida para dos en nuestro propio sentados en una mesa de pino fregado plagado de gusano de madera. Se supone que el restaurante no abre los domingos por la noche ( a pesar de que había comido allí antes en un domingo) pero nos sorprendió saber que estábamos sentados y el "Bistro" es el único lugar para comer.

The food was lovely, both meals cooked to perfection. Great service as well as we were on a lunch break time limit and Craig made sure we were served promptly. I can also highly recommend the Sunday lunch menu.

excellent quality food,many interesting choices,excellent wait staff,cozy,limited wine-by-the-glass selections

Buena comida y una buena relación calidad-precio, en particular, a nosotros nos gustó el pescado y las patatas fritas y la lista de vinos era variada, con mucha variedad.

Los Casi todos los años, alrededor de siete de nosotros vamos a el Hay Festival, de lo mejorcito cuando el sol brille siempre es el almuerzo perezoso en el jardín de Swan. Este año tuvimos una cena en el restaurante para la primera vez y fue excelente, uno de nuestro grupo nos pareció demasiado caro, pero el resto de nosotros pensamos que la comida y la bebida bien vale la pena los precios. Los aperitivos eran fabulosos, me encantaron los espárragos con salmón ahumado y salsa holandesa y; platos principales estaban igual de bueno; pero la única decepción fue la fresa de Herefordshire desastre de Eton, que le faltaba el merengue importante. Es un restaurante formal y no estaba muy lleno mientras estuvimos allí, así que le faltaba ambiente, pero se nos hizo un cambio agradable de tarifa del festival.

Great hotel, friendly staff. Food and accommodation excellent. Old hotel with loads of character. No dislikes. Avery pleasant two night stay

Really good well prepared food served by young and enthusiastic staff. The Hereforshire steak was one of the best that I have had anywhere.

We pre-booked for Sunday lunch as we had heard they do a great roast beef dinner. We chose the bar rather than the restaurant to eat in, for a more relaxed lunch. When we asked what was roast of the day we were told roast pork, we asked did this include Yorkshire pudding we got a vague look from the waitress. As a previous reviewer has stated they don't have children's menu but do a smaller portion.Lunch arrived which consisted of a melody of greens, cabbage, peas & pea shoots topped with sliced roast pork, a piece of crackling, 4 small new potatoes and gravy. We asked the waitress for apple sauce & she replied 'it should be on the plate'. She did return with a jug of gravy & apple sauce, saying it does come served on the side.The food was very tasty, however the portions were small & roast potatoes/Yorkshire pudding would have made all the difference.The hotel bar area & restaurant are really lovely with a glorious garden, but the service needs great improvement. We couldn't find any staff when we wanted to settle our bill.tip= ask what lunch consists of before ordering.

Booked here for a family Sunday lunch. On arrival we were told that there was no children's menu but we could have small portions for the full price!! We dined elsewhere. It's unbelievable that in a town which seeks to attract tourists there is positive discrimination against families. Thankfully there are more enlightened restaurants in Hay.

We made a last minute booking for a table for six at the Swan Hotel in Hay-on-Wye for 30th December and were very impressed with the service. With two vegans amongst our guests we were worried that they would not be able to cater for us at such short notice but the chef actually came to the phone and discussed the options. Nothing was any trouble and this was evident with the rest of the staff too when we arrived there. Our vegans were very impressed! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and we had a very convivial evening with excellent food and could not fault anything.j The sirloin of beef was cooked to perfection. We enjoyed our meals so much that my husband and I returned for Sunday lunch today. We can thoroughly recommend it! Lovely food, well presented, and at a good price. Today we had three courses priced at £5 per course. They also have a good selection of beers, ciders and wine.

Good quality homemade food in a sought after location.The seasonal staff were a little clueless and could benefit from extra training. On the whole, I would like to call there again. A nice selection of food and drink.

We were here for a Wedding, and ate lunch, and later a Buffet supper. The food was well-cooked, the starters were highly imaginative and very delicious. Service was good and well-managed.Our Buffet supper was Lebanese, and really nicely thought through.

I recently spent three weeks touring England. It was the first time that I have been to Hay on Wye- famous for its Book Festival held in July. I found the town delightful, set in beautiful countryside. There was a special atmosphere due to Josie Pearson, a local Para- athlete having won Gold for the discus in the recent Para-Olympic games. There were flags and bunting everywhere and her picture was in many shops. On the Sunday evening, I decided to have a meal and looked at the menu at a number of the hotels. As it was starting to rain and i did not wish to go further, I chose the Swan Hotel which looked imposing and inviting. The costs for a three or two course meal in the Bistro looked reasonable. There were a few people dining. I sat in bar /dining room and was given an unpriced menu which it was not clear related to the Bistro meal. I chose a couple of items from this. After quite a wait, my lamb came and I had to send it back as it was too bloody. It was a reasonably tasty dish of roast lamb on a bed of mashed potato and with green beans. I followed this with a cheese board which was nothing special- a few small pieces of cheese, butter and a few biscuits. I had a half of draft beer. Generally, i waited quite a time for the courses. I had expected a bill of around twenty pounds based on what I had had and wthe prices for the Bistro menu displayed. The bill came to close to thirty four pounds, which was grossly excessive for what I had eaten. When I complained, I was told that the bistro menu applied only at lunch time. I paid up reluctantly and said that I would never visit this hotel again. This meal cost was way in excess of the prices that I paid in England during this trip for much superior meals

I ate here in April having been recommended to eat in the bistro. I have previously stayed in the hotel a few times and had a good breakfast and nice game in the hotel restaurant.This time though the experience was awful. Welsh rarebit was awful. Stale pieces of bread with just melted chedder cheese on; nothing else. The worst thing was the lamb shank. Fatty and tasteless served in the water it had obviously Bern boiled in for hours. The meat was grey, room temperature with fat on the top of the broth. It was inedible. I sent it back and the coat was refunded but I couldn't bear to try anything else.Hay really deserves a good hotel and the Swan just isn't good enough. The food on this occasion was unforgiveable. I hope it improves as I am in Hay a lot and would like to go back. As it stands I can't bring myself to.