The Swan at Ascott in West Oxfordshire

Lovely, friendly local pub. The team were good, especially Jacob. We ordered a couple of pizzas to takeaway and they were really good.

stayed here for 3 nights [ 18th august 2024},had a garden room,very comfortable and very clean. continental breakfast was fine,it did lack croissants and pastries but it was quite sufficient,optional cooked breakfast was availiable at a cost.we had evening meals which were good and tasty. All the staff are exceptional,nothing was to much trouble,and they do a great pizza night!! all in all a lovely stay.

Beautiful setting. Not so beautiful service. We spent over three hours at The Swan, most of which we spent waiting for our food - despite the pub being more or less empty. We weren’t very impressed by the speed of the service nor by the 2 mistakes on our bill. The food was pleasant, but nothing to write home about. Definitely prefer their sister pub The Chequers in Churchill.

I chose The Swan for a family meal because I’d eaten in the garden before and had a good time. This visit was very different and disappointing. We couldn’t eat outside because the cushions had been left out in the rain and weren’t usable. The food was nice, but the evening was spoilt by the very poor service. We weren’t greeted and had to find ourselves a table. After a long wait I had to get up and find a member of staff to ask for the menus. The first course came. Then I had to get up again and ask for the dessert menu. The pudding came. I had to get up again to ask for the bill, by which time I was thoroughly fed up. There were four members of staff on duty and the place wasn’t full so I don’t know why we were so ignored. It really spoilt the evening for me.

Outstanding visit! Just spent 3 nights here staying in the newly refurbished Cob suite. We had a wonderful stay with our puppy for a couple days and definitely will be recommending to friends and family and hope to return again! All staff were friendly and helpful and really enhanced our visit. We had food in the gorgeous outside pub garden the first night and the pizzas were outstanding, great choice of food and drinks! We loved it so much we had dinner here again on our last night! Lovely atmosphere in the pub garden and beautiful interior to the pub and rooms. The only small criticism would be just that due to the hot weather our room was extremely warm in the night and we didn’t have any air conditioning or fans provided but that was the only small downside. Overall a fantastic visit and location is perfect to explore different towns around the Cotswolds.

The food was absolutely delicious and the staff were very friendly and the service was spot on. I would highly recommend this place.

Lovely pub. The most amazing Garden. Totally ruined by one member of staff.( You can’t miss her,Purple hair) she needs a lesson in respect and courtesy to her fellow human beings. One lovely Afternoon ruined by she rudeness.

Having read the reviews I thought the likelihood of the food being good or even great was, well, likely! Sadly disappointed. Average to say the least. The bar snacks (which we had as a starter) were okay but nothing special; the buttermilk chicken was a little suspect- not very nice chicken pieces and, unhelpfully my partner dissected it to prove it to me, I wish he hadn’t! Fish and chips was okay, although very small piece of fish, chips were proper chips, which was at least an upside. Risotto was okay but lacked flavour and seasoning. Didn’t realise pizzas are only on offer Tuesday to Saturday as part of the reason why went here. So, for a next time, think I’m going to cook at home! Lovely place for a drink but wouldn’t eat here. Discretionary service charge added onto the bill very cheeky. Don’t like this approach. Should be able to tip if want to rather an assumption made. Poor form.

Fantastic outdoor garden space, beautifully decorated and presented. It was a lovely day so we were lucky enough to eat outside and have the woodfired pizza. Fresh sourdough, perfection. Staff were all incredibly friendly and had a really lovely experience. We were earlier on a Friday evening, but it wasn't too busy at all. Thank you.

We came to The Swan for Sunday roast after having been several times previously for lunch, dinner and an overnight stay. The roast is the best in the Cotswolds. Really tasty, good quality beef, seasonal vegetables and good value. The service was great and good atmosphere.

We had a nice cosy spot next to the fire with the dog. Staff were very attentive and drinks and food arrived very quickly. Couldn’t fault the food and the local Hawkstone lager was flowing nicely. Would defo come back 👍

We are local to the area and know all the pubs /restaurants around here well. This pub used to be pretty good at one point but has recently gone down hill. This is a shame as we will always do our best to support local businesses. The food is no longer what it once was and the general place just not great anymore. There are some excellent serving staff, and we hope things do turn around soon…but until things do improve suggest trying elsewhere at the minute :-(

A lovely country pub situated with great walks and surroundings with a great selection of food and drinks available, I had the fish and chips which were 10/10 and all of the staff were very helpful and friendly. The pub also had a great atmosphere, with lit fires inside and an amazing outside space! Would definitely recommend

Went for lunch this week and was very disappointed after deciding to visit after having lunch at pubs in the same chain decided to try this pub however staff were unprofessional. drinks sat on bar for 5 minutes while staff chatted as if the pub had no guests inside. Chef coming into bar area shouting and being loud and unprofessional and mixing sauces in the bar area. Very disappointing and won’t be making a second visit

Went here for a lovely roast dinner after being recommended by some friends. I loved the interior of the restaurant and the service was outstanding with special mentions to Ben who accommodated all of our needs.

Fantastic food, great service from Alastair, nothing too much trouble. Beef a little tough but vegetables were great.

Sadly, on our 2nd visit to The Swan, we left feeling disappointed. We had booked a room for the evening, and on arrival, we were given the wrong room and they were unable to provide an alternative. Ok, I know mistakes happen, but I couldn’t have made myself clearer on the room required when making the original booking. I approached the staff, and suggested we were reimbursed in some way, and we were given a free bottle of wine with our evening meal, a reasonable gesture, but still felt disappointed. We ate in the restaurant in the evening, but again, left disappointed. The food was very ‘average’ not a great selection, and a very pricey wine list. Definitely room for improvement and a bit of ‘tweaking’.

Disappointed with the quality of the food, could have been a relief chef, but we were all expecting better especially as the prices are top end and had good reviews. Atmosphere was flat and we were stuck out in the winery which is very dimly lit. Would we go again… no

Me and my partner came here for a short break away and we were not disappointed! From stepping into the bar upon arrival we were made welcome by the staff. Hassle free check in and shown around our room. We stayed for 2 nights in the suite which was fantastic. The food was gorgeous wood fired pizzas to die for! Continental breakfast included with our stay was plentiful! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a place to stay, a nice meal or even a nice pint! 10/10 Thanks to all the staff!

I stayed at the Swan over Christmas. What a disappointment! The Christmas Day lunch itself was mass produced to the point of destroying the experience. A couple of slices of rolled turkey breast. A couple of slices of leg - hard as nails. Disgusting inedible stuffing. Very very poor roast potatoes. I have cooked Christmas lunch for many people for years - this would be lucky to earn a 2/10. Some of the food in the pub was also a huge disappointment. The smoked trout mousse was like something you could buy in Waitrose. Almost worst of all was a ridiculous wine list. Very few bottles under £99. Most bottles £99 or much more. With a 300% mark up at least on retail prices, let alone trade prices. Was the management having a laugh? They were price abusing customers. I won’t be returning. Because it was all so outrageous. The only good thing was the wonderful staff and service - I felt they were being so let down by the ridiculous demands of management.

We fell upon this wonderful eatery / hotel , it is situated in a beautiful Cotswolds village close to many other villages. The accommodation it’s self is five star , extremely comfortable in every way. We had dinner in the pub / restaurant again five star. From the start to finish of our stay we were well looked after by the two Managers Jake and Jack nothing was too much to ask for fabulous hospitality. All in all a fantastic place for a weekend away , they also have a function room and outside dining during the warmer months. Definitely I would go back. Thank you Jack and Jake for making our stay perfect .

Visited for a family meal, staff very welcoming and attentive throughout our evening. A lovely choice of food, plenty of options for children too. Our food arrived quickly - pizzas were delicious! Pub itself was clean and well decorated with log fires lit. Fantastic place to visit for a family meal, will definitely be returning.

The Swan is a lovely Inn with brand new stylish rooms and wonderful food. The staff was super friendly and professionell and we had a perfect stay

Great location. Loved the decor the food was delicious fresh ingredients and served beautifully. I was warmly welcomed by attentive and friendly staff. Who made the whole visit very special. I will definitely be back again.

My wife and I stayed for one night on the occasion of her birthday. We were in one of the new rooms which was well furnished and very comfortable. We couldn't fault it until I went to make our early morning cup of tea. 4...

Went for a couple of quiet drinks with some friends and it felt like being at a primary school with children doing gymnastics next to the table and sitting on the floor in the middle of the entrance eating ice cream, presumably from the uncouth...

A really lovely, cosy ambience, and the staff were fab. I would definitely return for a drink by the fire. It looks and feels like a very upmarket place, and I was very excited to find another setting in the same chain as Chequers, but...

Wonderful stay in charming village! We stayed here last weekend while visiting friends. Ideally located, very comfortable and well-appointed double room and bathroom. Delicious breakfast to boot. Will be back!

With its log fires and cosy little public rooms the Swan is a welcoming and warm place for a winter meal; the vegetarian dishes were unusually attractive; rare to find a nourishing cassoulet (even better if you were thinking of a day's hard ploughing to...

Superb accommodation, food and service. We stayed overnight in the Cygnet suite which was lovely and had dinner and breakfast on the pub. Highly recommended.

Incredibly expensive place to be served the wrong meat on roast dinners that weren't exactly hot, lovely pub but there's major improvements needed on the kitchen aspect.

What a stunning find. We visit many places for food and Sunday lunch and this is the best Sunday lunch I’ve ever had . I’m not even a fan of Sunday lunch so that’s saying something. I had lamb and my partner had the pork....

4 of us went on a Thursday night which is "Steak Night" so two of us ordered the steak. It's £19 including a glass of red wine. Veg was extra. It was described as a Flat Iron steak but was more like "Skirt". It was...

Great pub in a lovely location. We stayed a couple of nights and wished we could have stayed longer. Service throughout was excellent - friendly and genuine service. Everyone really cared about what they were doing. Food was all good with generous portions. The beer...

Friendly staff, beautiful garden, delicious food. It helped that we went on a gloriously sunny day and sat outside in the idyllic garden but inside looked lovely too. Highly recommend

Visited as a family of three with a dog in tow! Staff very friendly and accommodating, however the tables are really close together in the restaurant and it’s pretty difficult with a dog. We sat in the middle table which I felt was an odd...

Great lunch, super service and beautiful surroundings. A great place for a relaxed lunch after a long dog walk in the surrounding countryside. Would definitely recommend.

Amazing food, it was very yummy. The waiter Tyra was very nice and funny, he even brought us a mystery ice cream. Also a mystery whiskey for my dad. Thank you for having us. E - age 10

A traditional cotswold inn with a gorgeous courtyard garden. Very quaint and a lovely sun trap to enjoy a meal outdoors. Staff encountered were all very polite and friendly and generally attentive (but not overbearing). Clearly catering for the higher end of the market as...

My husband and I enjoyed the dinner and we loved the fact that they are dog friendly. Service was also nice and the pub was very clean.

Delicious food, lovely decoration and great vibes! Definitely recommend, great for gluten free food.

Great inn. Stayed overnight. Courtyard when dining had a lovely vibe. Young staff were excellent, both at dinner and at breakfast. Pretty village and a scenic country dog walk straight from the Inn. Many thanks.

Absolutely delicious food, we had cheese soufflé that was out of this world, a pizza made on the outdoor pizza oven - amazing- and burger was in my partners opinion “the best burger I’ve ever eaten”. Service is excellent, warm and friendly, I cannot fault...

Wonderful place to stay, great service and high quality bedding / towels / toiletries/ food. Beautiful courtyard to spend the summer evenings in and food was delicious. Great value for money. Fantastic walks around

A lovely pub that has changed dramatically over the last fifteen years, in a beautiful Cotswold village. Bedrooms are very “Hotel du Vin” but no less comfortable for that. What makes this pub is the great beer garden, dining menu and truly proper breakfasts. This...

We ate at the restaurant as part of our stay at the Swan Inn, and we were so surprised at just how good the food is! Across 3 nights we had the curry, pizzas and the steak frites - all just as good as each...

What an amazing experience, the people working here are top class. We stayed at the hotel & had dinner & breakfast. First of all we met Luca, what a welcome, so friendly , Liam was one of the chefs & I have to say the...

Dropped in for a quick lunch while in this lovely area,could not fault it whatsoever 3 course lunch double g+t and a really nice large pinot noir for under £80 which I think is excellent value,your staff are a credit to you,had the crab and...

We had an overnight stay with Lunch and breakfast and it was fabulous. We loved the hotel and the garden was beautiful and the perfect spot for lunch. Compliments to the chef as it was delicious and we cannot fault anything! Staff were great too....

Wonderful meal. The outside area was a joy on a summers evening! Staff were very helpful. Do look out for the chocolate mousse!!!!

First time we’ve been to this pub- great food and friendly staff with beautiful garden and interior

We had a disappointing visit in February but heard it had a new manager and a couple of new faces in the kitchen so we went back. And it was so different and very much improved. Still the friendly welcome and lovely buzz about the...

Great Sunday Roast and friendly service. There was one issue - absolutely shocking and ridiculous thing - bread starter consists of 2 (TWO!) thing slices of bread for £5!!!!! We were with 4 people and we though when ordering bread star for the table we...

Very disappointing evening meal. Roast pork very fatty. Lamb undercooked and tough. Awful Yorkshire puddings - dry and tasteless. Not what you would expect from a hotel of this standard. This the first time we have been to the Swan and we would not go...

Had a fantastic stay here overnight for my birthday. Staff were amazing and friendly. Felt like home from home. I’ll be back soon!! Heidi & family ❤️❤️ loved the green bedroom ❤️

From our arrival welcome - to the Livy note card of welcome I am so delighted with this lovely pub hotel. What a wonderful meal, every element was perfect - the fish main was supetb and full of complex flavours. Our room was spotless and...

Wonderful experience. The attention to detail was fabulous, everything was thought of. Excellent service from all staff. The food was divine in a superb atmosphere. The room we stayed in was gorgeous and more than comfortable and breakfast certainly didn’t disappoint- we will be coming...

enjoyed a overnight stay in the swan inn, really comfortable & clean room with a deep bath to soak away the aches & pains. comfy bed, good facilities for making tea & coffee. Evening meal was excellent & staff of all grades very polite &...

Lovely hotel and pub. The room was beautiful with a really comfortable bed. Amazing decor, really good bathroom products, bathrobes and fresh cookies every day. We really enjoyed the pizzas and the atmosphere in the pub. Really friendly and helpful staff. We will be back!

Don’t bother going. Lovely pub but awful food. £17 for shop bought gnocchi with boring button mushrooms rather than a nice variety of wild ones. Asked for Coca Cola and got a cheap alternative out of the gun. Staff didn’t offer a bottled version which...

I think it’s safe to say Tigs & Luc are sorely missed! Fourth time back at the Swan in the space of 12months. A change of ownership since Christmas resulted in raw chicken and slow service. Our waitress was very apologetic over the raw chicken...

I have eaten in the Swan twice before, the last being just before Christmas and have always had excellent food. What has changed in the space of a few months!? It’s virtually a different pub and not for the better. The food was appalling and...

The pub was busy for midweek and there was a lovely atmosphere. The staff were welcoming and friendly but that was the good side of the evening! The starter of cheddar cheese soufflé and mustard sauce was underwhelming! The soufflé itself had a good soft...

I have to agree with the previous review. The Swan is a lovely looking pub/restaurant and has the potential to be a great place. Unfortunately it is let down by a dumbed down menu and amateur service by teenagers who have clearly not been given...

After reading the online menu and review we were looking forward to a good meal. Sadly, not the case - the menu had been dummed down presumably because of cost and some prices had gone up presumably for profit. Now a very ordinary menu without...

Popped in for breakfast before travelling to a hotel in the Cotswolds. A welcoming pub with an open fire and lovely decor. The staff were lovely and attentive and the breakfast super! Thank you!

We booked up for a speciality even on 12th January 2023, where Renuka Patel, renowned Indian Chef from London, took over the Swan Kitchen! What a gastronomic joyful delight! Indian fine dining at its very best! Having just returned from a 3 week holiday in...

We stayed at the Swan for a post Christmas family reunion. The staff are welcoming friendly and professional and nothing is too much trouble. Our room was beautiful and extremely comfortable and the walk in shower was perfect for us. Breakfast was one of the...

Another fabulous stay at The Swan for a few days. Still cannot get over how comfy the beds are and the amazing food! No better place to kick back in front of the fire for a mini celebration. Looking forward to another trip in March!

I visited this pub as a group of 3 on Sunday for a birthday celebration. The whole experience was appalling. We were ushered into the pub rudely, and told to wait at the bar. Having never been to The Swan before, it felt a little...

We recently had lunch here. We waited over 50mins for our starters. The smoked salmon starter was a few strips over a large mouse. All the main courses came without veg and half a medium size sweet potato was £6 !!!. Be aware they add...

Came for a business lunch last week and I was utterly disappointed. The greeting we received from the manager was a grunt at most. We were shown to the table and then ignored for 10 minutes before asking for a drink. It was not busy. The manager was touching his waitresses constantly which did not seem Covid friendly or a safe work environment. The food was delicious, when we finally got the chance to order. I had prawns which were lovely, followed by a poached turbot. Delicious. However we will not be returning due to the rude service provided, this is not the first time we have had this experience at the swan. I would recommend they hire new staff with personalities and change the rude management.

Having visited The Swan numerous times prior to the last lockdown it was one of our favourite places to eat and drink. Delicious food, lively atmosphere and friendly staff every time. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE?! Our first meal since the restrictions were lifted was a thoroughly miserable experience. We arrived and were met by a maitre d of sorts who simply grunted to us “name” - he then turned his back on us for about a minute whilst he tried to find our booking. After three unsuccessful attempts he managed to half pronounce our name and then proceeded to beckon us like children to our table similar to a grumpy car park attendant telling you where to park. Once seated we waited an age to order drinks from our surly waiter. At 11.5 per 125ml the Provence is overpriced but the same can be said for most places I suppose. The starters are not worth the money nor are they particularly exciting so we decided to have a bread board to share when we eventually ordered our food. Fast forward 30 mins and still no bread board. We then wanted to order a bottle of wine and trying to get the attention of one of the lobotomised staff members was like Tom Hanks desperately trying to flag down a passing cargo ship in the film Castaway! We all had the burgers which were very good; the solitary positive from the night. As soon as we had started to tuck in the elusive bread board appeared. I politely told the waitress that we had intended for it to be a starter, with that she petulantly rolled her eyes and turned back around disappearing off into the kitchen. No “I’m ever so sorry we will knock it off the bill, I hope that you enjoy your main courses.” It was as if I had told her that I had scratched her car in the car park. Once we had got the bill I then noticed that they had charged the wrong wine thus increasing our bill even more. The service charge is preposterous to say the least. We refused to pay it and begrudgingly left them a tenner. The icing on the cake was the aforementioned maitre d. Throughout the evening I had used the toilet a couple of times and had given way to him without him so much as flashing me a smile - good old fashioned rude. Shortly before we left my father was confronted by him storming towards him in the narrow corridor by the toilets. At his wits end with the whole experience he decided to stand his ground and force him to do the right thing and give way to the customer with a smile. Instead he shoulder barged him and muttered the word “puta” or it’s French equivalent and continued on his way. Dumbfounded my father returned and told me what he had said. Unfortunately for him our grasp of languages is more than adequate and we know exactly what he said. At that point we were desperate to leave so decided against entering into what would have undoubtedly been a confrontation.The staff have gone from being bubbly, professional and welcoming to miserable, rude and inattentive and if the management read this review along with the others echoing our experience then I hope they address the issues swiftly. Likewise if they do read this review then the aggressive staff member is a white male, 5ft 8”, bald head, medium build wearing a jacket, jeans and a shirt and for good measure NO MASK!!!

Nice decor & ambiance on arrival. No covid track and trace available to check in.Waiter not wearing a mask.Service average. Had a paper menu but told we had to log onto the website on our phone to look at the drinks menu! Why couldn’t they just print it on the other side of the food menu? Felt more like self service than a restaurant experience.Wine heavily bias to french & Spanish, no new world wines which was disappointing. Good beer, lager & cider selection.Background music a bit odd, like being in a 70s starsky & hutch episode, but a number of restaurants using this genre at the moment so must be trendy.Good variety of food, better than the usual Cotswold standard choice. I had turbot & was disappointed that having ordered buttered jersey new potatoes that I got roasted jersey potatoes - looks like they used yesterday’s left over potatoes & roasted them? Very pricey- £15 for a starter. Veg extra cost to the mains. Turbot £27. Would possibly go back but no rush

Whilst we had precooked a table under a heater for a birthday late lunch / early dinner at 4pm it took over an hour for some simple food and was sat in coldest part of garden without any heaters despite only two other tables in use. The service took so long the waiting staff kept removing cutlery and napkins. My food was a wet mush aka Croque monsieur aka pulled pork in a wet cold roll, the Chips and curry sauce was so cold the curry sauce had a skin! My birthday and not eaten all day was a cold couple of chips and this is an expensive pub choice. Totally ruined birthday and zero recognition from staff despite previous booking. Swerve this for food. They even charged a service charge for two people with cold food sat in cold seat and made to wait over an hour for food.

We had a lovely lunch yesterday and was really surprised to see the feedback from other reviews re service. Our waitress was brilliant and the staff were fantastic. The starter was a little expensive but the food was excellent. I look forward to going back for their BBQ.

Having read other reviews, I am writing to agree that some of the staff need to work on customer service.We arrived mid afternoon to have a drink and when we finally worked out how to get in, we were greeted by a pleasant waitress.That is the reason I gave it one star. After that it rapidly went downhill. We were sitting outside when a waiter came out with our drinks and there were a few spots of rain, but we didn’t mind as it looked like a passing shower. He basically ordered us to sit somewhere else which we declined as we’re not children and can sit where we want. As the rain got heavier, we moved to a different table under cover but no, that wasn’t good enough for the waiter so we had to move again to a table that apparently suited him! His manner was extremely brusque to put it mildly but the worse thing was we were charged 12.5 % service charge for the privilege of being treated like annoying little children who prefer to sit where they want. The place was half empty and the waiter seemed more concerned about getting his cushions in than being polite to customers.Needless to say, we won’t be visiting again. I wonder if the Beckhams get better service.

We have visited the Swan Inn and their sister pub The Chequers on many occasions being a West Oxfordshire resident and have always enjoyed the food.Unfortunately customer service now seems to have been completely forgotten about. Upon arrival at the Swan we were directed by the bar staff to the garden and then left standing for some considerable time without even being acknowledged when we were eventually shown to our table it was not a garden heated table which we had specifically booked booked and the manager just shrugged (even though one was free!)After another half an hour despite asking for service the manager who apparently is the only member of staff who can take any orders finally took our drinks order. We then had to ask for our food to order to be taken and again was ignored for another fifteen minutes.We had been seated for over an hour before the bread arrived and then another half an hour before our starters arrived. The food was however very good, but then plates were left on the table uncleared for another half an hour. We were on the point of leaving when our mains finally arrived! Again food was good and the kitchen staff who brought out the food were very apologetic. After the mains were cleared the manager just presented us with the bill we don’t recall if he asked if we wanted anything else or desserts and the bill included a whopping 15% service charge. Really!!When I complained again about the service the manager really didn’t seem to care less and just blamed the poor service on a two members of staff being absent one front of house and one kitchen. A thoroughly depressing experience with family members who had travelled all the way from Manchester. We were completely embarrassed by the service and the way we were treated with a complete air of indifference. Even being short staffed is no excuse for this appalling service.

Visited last night had the double brisket burger which was poor value for money the size reminded me a kids happy meal , literally had a better Big Mac with a £1.99 bus ticket , won’t be returning soon , it’s a lovely pub but they know how to charge for under average food

I am so angry about that I have fretted all night before writing this. My rule is that I only write about coeliac experiences, as I do believe that a negative review can prevent you going to a perfectly nice pub. We have watched this particular pub go through several metamorphosis and were delighted that it seems to have finally got its act together, judging by a very good lunch I had there with my elderly mother recently. On that basis we took the very big decision(for us) to have Christmas lunch there as none of our family could come home. WE were prepared to accept the ASTRONOMICAL price and up front booking in order to make the best of an already bad day. I took the precaution of emailing the booking manager to let them know that I was coeliac(bitter experience has taught me this)and took trouble to explain.(no reply) It is depressing that plenty of chefs have NO basic training in nutrition, even in this highly aware age. You can have far better food as a coeliac in a remote village tavern in rural Italy/France/Spain/Burma/Romania. But I digress...After waiting and hour for canapes to arrive, we were presented with a platter on which the only GF option was an oyster(really?...)the waitress has told me five minutes earlier that it was ALL GF but hurried back to tell me that it wasn't (I could easily have eaten something in the meantime and been seriously ill as a result) As if that wasn't unnerving, the main course eventually arrived at 2.45(booking 1.30 and pub NOT busy) where I was given a giant plate of turkey and trimmings. I spotted the sausage in bacon and on request, the waitress went back to 'check' and guess what, it was NOT GF. They never are! However they sell GF sausages in every butcher in Oxfordshire. If this place purports to produce locally sourced food, it should know better. I requested a child's portion for my elderly mother but the only concession was a child's plate, not the amount and certainly no cash concession!. Again we could have let this pass if everything else had been fine. The turkey portions were enough for a family of four and the roast potatoes soggy. Plus we had to request cranberry sauce. What on earth is going on in a kitchen where everything has been pre-ordered.....has it been pre prepared somewhere else?All in all, bitterly disappointing for close to £400 for three. Deeply overrated and over priced

Food is on a good level, but for the location I believe it is slightly overpriced. Could be a bit cheaper. Have to say though that I’m impressed with menu and food quality

I was gandering around the beautiful village and came across this delightful pub.I only popped in for a light lunch, which was served faster than even I expected! I was fairly parched and required a glass of wine to accompany my meal, to which a lovely, friendly brunette waitress who's name I think was Mia, recommended an exuisite red wine which perfectly complemented my food.I will be visiting again as soon as this bloody lockdown is over!!!

Very noisy. Sound proofing is terrible could hear next door talking like they were in the room with us. Sounds from room upstairs were very noisy too. Smelly dog bed stored under the drawers. No milk for coffee unless we were to get dressed and walk over to the bar to ask for some. Floor seemed like it had not been cleaned. But worst of all there was not hot water for the shower in the morning.

We were booked in here today for the first time, however our youngest child felt poorly this morning so we asked if we could arrange a takeaway instead, which we did.The roast beef dinner was superb, and I don’t say that lightly! We love good food and always try to seek out the best restaurants. It was absolutely beautiful and needless to say we ate every bit.Will definitely be going back and based on our meal today it’s impossible for someone not to enjoy the food they produce!

We tried to book for 1pm for lunch but that slot was unavailable so we took the 1.30pm slot. This seemed a good sign as it meant there would be a few tables taken. It was not the case - there were only four of us in a large-ish room, which was disappointing but in fairness probably not the fault of the establishment. The bar area was empty.The waitress asked what we would like to drink; we were not offered a wine/drinks list which, with hindsight, was perhaps a mistake. I asked for a rose thinking this would be cheaper than my usual sauvignon blanc. She offered me no choices and suggested a French one which I accepted. When the bill came it turns out it cost £16.50 (250cl). My husband queried it but it was correct. Like one of the previous reviewers said - this is not a cocktail bar. I should have made my feelings known at the time but I think we were so taken aback we said nothing. But I do feel we should have been told just how much a glass cost. That said, the meal was good although we felt it was a little on the expensive side. Sadly, I don't think we will be going back which is a shame because it is a lovely pub.

Ultimately we had a pleasant meal with good service. However my first choice of skate wing was off- literally the fish was off, tasting very strongly of ammonia. The dish was exchanged but the kitchen basically has lighted me about the fish- attempting to say that the flavour of skate was an acquired one. The fish was rotting- that’s where the ammonia comes from!! I emailed the Sean directly the next day in a polite manner but did not receive any response at all, which felt very disrespectful and which had prompted me to this writing this review and giving a score that the actual experience probably doesn’t otherwise deserve. The Beckhams were there that evening incidentally, presumably they were served up rotting fish?

We visited last week for a couple of drinks with some friends and it dawned on us after we'd left they'd charged us all 12.5% service for bringing a couple of pints to our table (no food). Drinks we had to wait an age for I might add by bar staff not particularly efficient or friendly. There was no bill presented so we couldn't see this was the case, no mention of it when we asked to pay. Is this a management decision or a sneaky move by bar staff? Either way it's outrageous to think this is acceptable. A cocktail bar in Mayfair this is not. We all felt they were taking advantage of the current circumstances when everyone would much rather go to the bar and get a drink in a timely manner when one chooses. Really disappointed.

We made an online reservation several weeks ago and duly confirmed it two days before our dinner. Upon arrival we were “greeted” by a young female who seemingly could not find our reservation and escorted us to the table prepared for 4 people in a thoroughfare by the till. As we had a dog with us, we asked if we could sit at the back of the pub where there was a table set for 2 people. Her reply was that that table was reserved. When we pointed out that we also had a reservation, she made some other excuses in a very abrupt manner why we could not be seated at the table at the back of the empty pub. It went from bad to worse from thereon. The food that we tried was poorly prepared and in some instances did not correspond to the menu descriptions. BBQ prawns were not BBQed but were a chewy mess possibly cooked in a pan that was not hot enough. The dish was not seasoned properly and certainly the prawns were not “garlic and nduja” as stated in the menu as they tasted of nothing. Some peas were on top of the prawns perhaps for decoration as they added nothing to an already disastrous dish. The wine was not great either. We tried two different types of red by the glass and both were terrible. We did not even finish it. The main was lamb with braised baby lettuce. The lamb was fresh and tender but it was ruined by being grossly under-seasoned. The poor baby lettuce was cooked out its existence and was not braised by any stretch of the imagination and it looked ghastly both in colour and consistency. Cutlery was dirty and the waitress had to replace it. This coupled with a rude, arrogant and abrasive “duty manager” made the whole experience deeply unpleasant. She even acted like a bully towards one of the young waitresses. We requested that the service charge be removed from our bill as we did not think we had any service. We shall not be back and cannot recommend this place. If you want to spend £140.00 for a pub dinner, go somewhere else as there are plenty lovely pubs with great food and good service in that part of Cotswolds. We do not normally leave reviews but on this occasion we felt compelled to share our experience of this place.

Shockingly poor service given it was virtually empty.The staff were nice enough but clueless, incredibly long wait to order anything (which often had to be ordered twice). Nobody seemed to be in-charge of the front or kitchen which unfortunately didn’t have key dishes in stock and was also producing uncooked food. Poor value for money. Will not be returning. Should think about using QR codes for menus - having to google a wine list when your expected to pay up to £16 for a starter is absurd.

A middle of the road pub lunch. Family friendly, although some of the items on the children’s menu aren’t quite as described (dough balls = rock hard garlic baguette chopped up with so much garlic that no kid could eat it). Great burgers, fine chips, and friendly staff. However it’s pretty expensive for something average.. come on The Swann, Ascott needs an amazing local, and you were so promising when you opened! Bring back your sparkle please. However, great outdoor, covered seating.

Delicious. Food was so good, Dougal was FAB and the bar man (Bertie?) was lovely aswell. Thanks so much

Unfortunately we did not get a chance to try the food, after waiting half an hour to be served, with the waiter passing us several times, we decided to leave. This was also due to the very loud surroundings, we had to shout in order to hear each other (i'm not exaggerating, and I dont expect a pub to be silent by any means, but this was far beyond average). It seemed very busy and I feel for the staff who were clearly swamped. The (dinner) menu had very limited vegan/vegetarian options, I'm not sure if they had an alternative menu as we weren't asked about dietary requirements and due to the above, we did not have the opportunity to ask the staff ourselves.It's always difficult when staff are overworked and I certainly dont blame them, but of course you cant be expected to pay good money to sit in a room of shouting people, and not be served. We had a very pleasant meal in Burford instead.

We ate here for two nights in a row (Friday & Saturday) for ease as we were staying in the hotel.Despite including the request for a vegan meal on the original booking made online weeks in advance, I heard nothing from the restaurant so called up a few days before to check that vegan options were available. The man on the phone told me there were a number of items that could be made vegan and can be discussed on the day.Our seating request for the first night was also ignored as we wanted the alcove seats - and my partner's birthday was also ignored despite the guy on the phone mentioning it when I called up.Anyway - the ambience inside is good - we loved the decor and the open fires, it was a cold weekend and the fires were very much welcome! The atmosphere is good, it was busy but not packed out, locals and visitors alike eating and drinking.The vegan offering however is extremely poor - on the first night I was given the option of 2 salads to choose from for my main in the middle of winter despite calling ahead. There also was nothing on the starter menu so I was given bread with olive oil and charged the same as the bread with nice butter etc that most people would have on the side to share with their fellow diners.The grain salad I had was delicious but not what you want on a cold winters night - I just felt like they really didn't care - plenty of places you can call up in advance and check that you can be catered for properly but here it seemed that the chef wasn't interested. The girl who explained the vegan 'options' to me wasn't particularly friendly or helpful - there was no initiative and it just made me feel really not welcomed considering we were staying the entire weekend.My partner wasn't a huge fan of the fish he'd chosen but he did love his salmon/potato salad starter/On the second evening we decided to eat there again because the pub isn't near too much else and we had been out all day. I asked again about vegan options and said I wanted something warm, miraculously I was pointed to the cauliflower dish on the menu and told that could be made vegan - I don't know why I wasn't told this on the first night. Again, I had bread to start with olive oil.... and the cauliflower main which was really tasty. My partner had the burger which he said was delicious.I'm really not sure if we would come again - the menu looks good but is pricey and just doesn't even bother to cater for vegans even if you call ahead. The service was good but not all staff are as warm as the others.The atmosphere is lovely and the building itself is beautiful.

My husband met with some friends and we booked this pub on the strength of a review a while ago in 'The Week' magazine. We visit regularly different pubs in and around the Cotswolds where we live. My husband was a tad disappointed with the portion control and the pie had no gravy inside. The burger had an unusual cheese melted on top. Overall fine but not as outstanding as others we have reviewed.

We are a small group, the "Wychwood Woolly Wonders", producing our own locally raised lambs and this year we chose The Swan at Ascott to hold our annual dinner, 14 persons in all, and we were not disappointed. In fact, the whole evening was excellent. We had asked for, and were allocated the Function Room, which is cosy and has a historic feel to it, perfectly adequate for our party. We were well looked after from start to finish, with drinks in the bar on arrival, then being ushered to our room when the meal was ready to be served, at the time we had requested. The food was delicious, hot, beautifully presented, and served in a friendly and efficient manner. A special mention must be made for our waitress, Beth, who was brilliant! Nothing was too much trouble for her. She was calm, patient, efficient, she looked after us so well all evening - and always with a lovely smile! Thanks to all at The Swan - we shall definitely be back!

A very warm welcome, cosy atmosphere and delicious food for both young children and adults. Knowledgable and attentive staff, a perfect evening thank you.

This pub was extremely cold as was the welcome and the service. No heating in restaurant. Whilst the menu is extensive the portions were very small and expensive for their size. The service was abismal. We waited over 30 mins. till someone came and took order for food and drinks together. Then we waited again for for a long time for sweet menu no one asked if we wanted another drink whilst we chose our sweet. No one came back for our order so we stood up and asked for the bill. This is the first and last time we will go to the Swan at Ascot. It was an extremely disappointing evening. I would in all fairness not recommend this place for food, warmth or service. Nil point

The Swan has only been open for five months in its present guise following a no-expense-spared refurbishment the result of which will not be to everyone's taste. Dark green wall paint, dark brown furniture and subdued lighting create a sombre atmosphere not entirely consistent with a place of entertainment.We lunched there on a Monday, the only people to do so. The lunch menu is extensive, but the eating experience was mixed; my starter of crackled egg with assorted trimmings was inventive, interesting and delicious. However, the chicken and chorizo cassoulet which followed was a disappointment - rather insipid cassoulet topped by two crude lumps of somewhat dry chicken breast. Perhaps I just chose badly.An innovative menu option is offered to locals - throughout every weekday a main course dish is available for £10 flat, and no corkage is charged on wine brought in. There is a wonderful private dining room which would seat, I guess, at least twenty guests.The enthusiastic, charming and experienced manager will doubtless fix any teething troubles as this new venture matures.

A great evening dinning outside. We were promptly greeted as we arrived which I always think is the sign of good things to come. The food and drinks are well priced and the quality very good with an interesting but not too fussy menu. All the staff were very friendly.

This pub is under new ownership and has been very nicely refurbished. There is a lovely garden outside, to sit in the sunshine. The food is really good. Especially recommend Dorset Cockles as a starter and Chermoulla Chicken as main course. The staff are extremely friendly, helpful and efficient.The pub is located in a really pretty village. I highly recommend this pub