MM
Matthew McLeod
Jul 30, 2026
I've stayed at Hotel Swexan twice. Both experiences were less than optimal if not terrible.
The first experience was shortly after they opened. My panoramic corner suite felt like an oven, even at night and was decorated with cheap, plastic decor. Inexplicably, the bar closed early due to lack of patronage.
The second time, I opted for the Heritage Suite. Despite having reservations and calling ahead, the restaurant failed to honor my 10:00 reservation when I checked in at 10:10. Not the end of the world, but not ideal. Then, when I ventured to the bar, the head of security stately "you can't be here!". I'm pretty thick skinned, so I asked "why not?". He then inquired if I was a hotel guest, to which I presented my room key as confirmation. "You're ok then" was his response. That's odd, but again, not the end of the world. I ordered a scotch and alone, sat down in the library. It was fairly empty, so I chose a book from the shelf and started reading. During that time, I engaged the hostess (who I knew from the Ritz) multiple times. Security walked by me many times as well. After an hour, a the other security officer approached me and told me I couldn't read the books from the shelves. I explained that I had been doing just that for the better part of an hour. Then I was asked to leave and my tab closed. For a struggling hotel, it seems odd that they'd want to stop serving me JWB doubles, but I suppose the filler books they bought a $1.00 a copy are more precious than I understood.
With no restaurant option and kicked out of the library for reading a book, I went to my room. Things were worse. The space was great, but the decor again, was cheap and tacky. The bed was uncomfortable and despite maintenance coming twice, the room never got below 72 degrees this was in February. Just bonkers that it was that warm...
So: if you're seeking cheap, tacky decor that looks like it's trying to be "fancy", enjoy rude, abrasive gate keepers for spaces that are mid, at best, and enjoy sleeping in an oven; the Swexan is for you.
If you enjoy uncompromised service and actual luxury, I suggest the Rosewood Mansion, The Joule, The Ritz, Stoneleigh, Warwick Melrose, or even Zaza instead. The Swexan offers a Zaza quality room at a Rosewood price with and a healthy amount of feigned "exclusivity" attempted via abrasive knuckleheads.
Why bother?