A storied hotel where history meets heartfelt hospitality
In the heart of Stafford’s historic Greengate Street, the Swan Hotel stands as a captivating blend of past and present. Once an 18th‑century coaching inn where post‑horses clattered into the courtyard, it now welcomes travellers in stylish rooms with modern comfort. The bar spans two atmospheric rooms, while the coffee shop offers a gentle morning cup of joe. Seasonal, locally sourced fare delights in the brasserie, and a charming courtyard garden basks in summer. With fireside warmth, gracious service, and a reputation for excellent breakfast, the Swan is quite the refined stopover.
Take a walk with us, back in time
The Swan Hotel in Stafford is set along the town’s historic Greengate Street where it has presided over centuries of change with the quiet poise of a place that’s seen it all. Its story begins not as a hotel, but as a rather grand 17th-century mansion, built in 1606, back when Stafford bustled with trade, gossip, and the rustle of silk skirts on cobblestones. By the mid-1700s, it had transformed into a full-fledged coaching inn, just imagine the horses clattering into the courtyard, passengers wrapped in travel cloaks, and the scent of roast meats drifting out into the street.
By 1752, the Swan had grown into one of the most reputable inns on the coaching routes, handsome, prominent, and essential to the life of this thriving market town. The turnpike era brought ever more guests through its doors, including merchants, ladies en route to spa towns, and no doubt the occasional rake. There were assembly rooms for dancing, rich meals served with silver candlesticks, and bedrooms filled with the whispers of travellers from afar.
The hotel even attracted the literary glare of Charles Dickens, though he wasn’t entirely taken with the town; you can imagine he found the Swan sufficiently atmospheric for inspiration. As the age of steam dawned and railways swept across the Midlands, the Swan pivoted gracefully, welcoming a new kind of guest with valises and pocket watches instead of trunks and top hats.
Today, the Swan is every inch the refined host it’s always been. The interiors are elegant but cosy, the restaurant serves splendid food, and the bar has the kind of quiet intimacy that makes you want to linger over a second glass. Outside, the Georgian façade still stands proud, a beacon of heritage in a town that wears its history with style.
Stafford & West Midlands
Stafford is the proud county town of Staffordshire. Steeped in history from its Norman castle ruins to elegant Georgian streets set beside the River Sow. A place where past and present meet with charm, tradition and quiet dignity.
