Swaning Around In Wells

Like so many families before us, when we went on a family holiday down to Devon, we would always happily drive through the county of Somerset without stopping once.

It wasn’t until I got an invitation from Visit Somerset (2020 just a few days before Covid Lockdown) to come and stay for a few days, did I get to see just how beautiful the county of Somerset is, and how much it has to offer everyone when staying there.

Over the last few years, I have come to visit and stay in Wells 4 times, and always at The Swan Hotel (11 Sadler St, Wells BA5 2RX).

As a gay man with HF Autism, I love the fact that you have multiple options of how you stay at The Swan. You can stay in one of their luxury en-suite bedrooms, you could stay in one of the dog friendly apartments adjacent to the car park, or you you can stay in one of the mew apartments, which are totally self catering. Last time I visited, we stayed in the dog friendly section, as we had our amazing French Bulldog (Cam) with us.

Naturally, I am not someone who steers towards 5 star accommodation, as I would rather have money in my pocket to be able to eat out and visit historical places like The Bishop’s Palace (Wells). That said, I found staying at The Swan extremly good value, especially with brakfast included. This could be full english, bacon and eggs, fruit salad, pastries, all types of teas and coffees, toast and the list goes on…..

So, how was my stay at The Swan? The answer…… magnificent. The Swan has become one of my favourite hotels within the UK. We were made to feel extremly welcome, so as an LGBTQ+ couple, this is a huge factor to take into considerstion when booking a hotel. At no point did I feel uncomfioratble being a gay man sitting within the hotel with my partner/husband and our dog. Service was excellent, the staff always making eye contact and you could clearly see, not being judgemental. The one little hiccup that occurred had nothing to do with our sexuality and was a simple mistake.

The rooms are always well cleaned, and offer very comfy beds. Obviously mattresses will not please everyone, but for us they were spot on and we had 3 lovely nights sleep. The room had all the basics, tea and coffee making, a fan, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, plenty of storage for clothes, ample room within the en-suite, a lovely big shower, and plenty of on tap hot water. We brought our dog gage with us for Cam, as I am always paranoid that he will have an accident during the night as he might wake up and forget where he is and get anxious.

The best way to get to Wells is by car. Luckily, The Swan has private parking which is free, but there are limited spaces, so bear this in mind. During weekends and peak season you may well find the car park full. To my knowledge, there is only 1 disabled parking space, and currently, I am not sure if there is an electric charging station. You would need to contact the hotel direct to enquire or visit their website.

There is plenty to do in and around Wells, and here are are few examples:

• Wells Cathedral
• The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens
• Wookey Hole
• Cheddar Gorge
• Somerset Toiletry Company
• Shepton Mallet Prison
• Weston-super-Mare

So, would I recommend a stay at The Swan? …………. most definitely.

If you are a history buff, I believe this hotel is the oldest continuous use as a hotel within the UK. Also, Wells is the smallest city in England.