The Swiftwater — Hotel in Pocono Township

I recently had the pleasure of staying at The Swiftwater Hotel, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish! The hotel truly exceeded my expectations in every way.

From the moment we arrived, the friendly and welcoming front desk staff made me feel right at home. Their exceptional service, attention to detail, and genuine willingness to help were impressive and appreciated.

My room was modern, spotless, and impeccably maintained, with all the amenities I needed for a comfortable stay. The bed was incredibly comfortable, with:

The most comfortable mattress I've ever slept on Plush pillows that cradled my head perfectly Soft, luxurious bathrobes that wrapped me in warmth Warm, cozy blankets that kept me snug Fresh, fluffy towels that felt like a spa treat

Every aspect of the room's amenities was designed with comfort and relaxation in mind.

The food at the hotel's restaurant was delicious, with a great selection of options to suit every taste. Breakfast was particularly impressive, with a wide range of fresh, high-quality choices.

The hotel's location was perfect for my needs, with easy access to local attractions and amenities.

But what truly made our stay unforgettable was the exceptional way the hotel staff organized my husband's birthday celebration. They went above and beyond to ensure every detail was perfect, from the beautifully decorated table to the delicious cake and thoughtful gestures. Their attention to detail and willingness to make our special day truly special was overwhelming.

And then there was the incredible pool area! It was truly one of the highlights of our stay. The pool itself was pristine, with comfortable lounge chairs and stunning views. The water was crystal clear, and the perfect temperature. But what really set it apart was the cozy fireplace adjacent to the pool, where we enjoyed relaxing.

Throughout our stay, we experienced fabulous hospitality across every department:

Bar: Friendly bartenders with attention to details, tasty cappuccino and complimentary coffee as well. Restaurant: Attentive servers with exceptional food recommendations and top notch Managers. Housekeeping: Impeccable cleanliness and thoughtful touches through entire building. Front Desk: Warm welcomes and efficient check-in/check-out Concierge: Helpful and knowledgeable staff with great local insights -Housemens: Keep pool area and outside street area perfect clean.

They really go with "-We will make it happen ' And they did!!!

What struck me most, however, was the genuine warmth and hospitality of the entire staff. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcome, valued, and truly at home. Every interaction, from the front desk to the housekeeping team, was filled with kindness, compassion, and a genuine desire to make our stay special.

If I were to offer few suggestions for improvement, it would be to consider adding one or two Jacuzzis to the pool area. This would elevate the relaxation experience to new heights, providing the perfect spot to unwind and soak away any tension. And replace carpet by the bed, it's very hard and looks like it's door carpet,as well as sleepers were really small size.

The entire team's efforts made us feel like family, and we can't thank them enough for creating lifelong memories.

Overall, I'd give The Swiftwater Hotel 10 stars if I could! It's a true gem, and I can't wait to return.

Highly recommended for: Exceptional service Clean, comfortable rooms Delicious food Convenient location Friendly, welcoming staff Outstanding event planning and execution (birthday celebration) Incredible pool and pool area with cozy fireplace Ambiance perfect for relaxation and special occasions Fabulous hospitality across all departments Warm and inviting atmosphere, making you feel truly at home Unparalleled comfort: mattress, pillows, bathrobes, blankets, and tow

Special thanks to the entire Swiftwater Hotel team for making our stay so memorable and filled with warmth! Always yours, Oksana...

This “luxury” hotel left much to be desired… Terrible customer service from the second you check in. My partner and I wondered why the guests next to us were offered help unloading their luggage and had a long explanation of the hotel procedures and amenities from their desk agent, but we only received a curt “Here are your room cards, enjoy.” from ours… Perhaps a poorly trained agent? No- it turned out to be the Assistant General Manager, Ernst.

The whole hotel is under extremely poor management. First, the TV remote did not work. No worries- we called the front desk to get someone to go fix it and headed down to the bar for a drink. The bar area is small, but drink options seemed good. Unfortunately, the bartender was substandard. For $25 per drink plus auto gratuity of 25%, I would expect an experience worth spending $65/round on. Instead, the bartender did not interact with us at all. We attempted to engage by asking for recommendations after my partner did not enjoy his first cocktail, and the bartender asked what he normally drinks, then interrupted him while he was replying to give him a random drink recommendation. My partner went ahead and ordered a second round, and we asked if we could sit elsewhere as it was over 90 degrees outside and the doors were wide open right by the bar area. The bartender told us to “Sit wherever.” We moved to a table under an air vent which was much better, but then were approached by a waitress who told us “The restaurant is closed, you can’t sit there, go outside.” We explained that the bartender told us to sit anywhere we wanted and she seemed flustered then said it was fine and she would make an exception. Why is there no open seating for enjoying a drink in the air conditioning? Odd. After 20 minutes of watching the bartender make drinks for room service guests, my partner and I decided to cancel our drinks and go out of the hotel for a break from the frustrating service.

We came back, ready to give the “resort” a second try. We go to our room to turn on the TV and decompress and the remote is still not working… 3 hours later! My partner called the front desk who said they had no idea, then he asked for the manager. The manager brought a clearly nervous housekeeper to our room while he watched from the door. I spoke to Ernst after he became escalated towards my partner who was clearly just frustrated by the experience. Instead of apologizing and addressing the concerns, Ernst said “We’ll buy you breakfast tomorrow and hopefully that resolves things for you. Sorry you had a bad day.”

We went to breakfast the next morning. We had a lovely waitress who was trying her best, but was clearly not trained in a fine dining experience (Olivet is supposedly a “luxury” dining experience). We had water glasses left empty for over 20 minutes, waited a very long time for food, and then were served food that evidently was made for aesthetic rather than taste. Also, someone might want to change the omelette description from including “Osetra Caviar” to say “Salmon Roe”… there’s a rather large difference between those both in taste, quality, and price point. We asked for toast to come with breakfast, but 20 minutes later, we had finished eating and no longer needed it. We asked for it to be canceled and the waitress said they were “making it fresh” and it was almost done being plated. Finally, we finished breakfast but our waitress had disappeared. We waited for someone to address us to let us know our breakfast was taken care of, but no one returned to our table. My partner went inside to find a manager. Instead, another server was sent to the table. I explained that our breakfast was being paid for and gave Ernst’s name. A restaurant manager came out and asked “Why are we buying you breakfast?” and demanded to know the reason. It was never about the money or us asking for a free breakfast. This was the solution given from Ernst. Why are the managers not communicating with each other?

On top of that- Dirty rooms, bugs, dust. Bad management. Would never...

Check-In Experience We arrived around 11 PM — a bit late, yes, but still within reasonable hours. Unfortunately, the woman at the front desk seemed irritated and rushed through the check-in process. She spoke quickly, barely explained anything, and looked visibly annoyed when we asked questions. A warmer, more professional welcome would’ve made a huge difference and set a better tone for our stay. The Olivet Restaurant We had breakfast here and it was quite nice — good food and lovely ambiance. Based on that, we returned for dinner, but the experience was drastically different: It took 20 minutes just to get tap water. Drinks and bread/olives arrived after 40 minutes. A simple salad (appetizer) came out an hour after ordering. Entrées didn’t arrive until 1 hour and 45 minutes later. I ordered red snapper with risotto — both were completely dry, which was disappointing. Risotto especially should never be dry. My boyfriend’s lamb chops were excellent, so the kitchen seems inconsistent. We weren’t the only ones with issues — multiple tables were waiting 45+ minutes for just drinks. Whether the delay was due to the server or kitchen, the whole experience didn’t match the restaurant’s reputation or pricing. Lobby Café Experience The café also had some service hiccups: I ordered a latte, assuming it would be hot — it was served iced. It tasted fine, but a simple “hot or iced?” would’ve prevented that. The next morning, I waited 15 minutes at the counter before someone finally appeared. I ordered a cappuccino, which turned out fine, but the wait was frustrating. Later, my boyfriend picked up a turkey bacon, egg & cheese sandwich, yogurt, and chips. But: There was no cheese in the sandwich. No spoon included with the yogurt. We went back to ask, and the staff member said, “We don’t have any cheese.” I asked if she had told my boyfriend that when he ordered, and she admitted she hadn’t. That was frustrating — a simple heads-up would’ve been appreciated. Then she said she could check with the kitchen, which actually did have cheese. She asked if I wanted American, Swiss, or cheddar. I chose American — but the sandwich came with a white cheese that clearly wasn’t American. Worse, the bun smelled like it had been stored under a damp towel — almost like mildew. At that point, I gave up and didn’t eat it. We were both fed up and didn’t want to go back downstairs again to deal with it. We also asked for a spoon for the yogurt and were told they didn’t have any — that we’d have to go to The Olivet to get one. How can you sell yogurt but not stock spoons? We eventually got one from The Olivet — a gold dining utensil — but the entire situation was unnecessarily inconvenient.

One of the best aspects of this hotel is its location — it’s extremely close to the premium outlets and several great local restaurants, which we ended up turning to after our negative experience at The Olivet (and they were far more affordable too). Highly recommend Dasaki Hibachi — delicious food and great service! The pool was a nice touch, though it didn’t feel like the “90 degrees” as advertised. Still, it was clean and enjoyable. Same goes for the rooms and bathrooms — everything was clean and comfortable. While the hotel is visually beautiful and in a great location, the service quality needs serious improvement, especially in the restaurant and café. Staff often seemed overwhelmed or indifferent, and hospitality did not reflect the hotel’s luxury branding. There were simply too many small issues that added up: Poor communication Long wait times Inconsistent food quality Lack of basic service standards Staff who didn’t seem welcoming or attentive The rooms themselves were clean and comfortable, and the pool was enjoyable — but those positives were overshadowed by the service issues we encountered. For a hotel that presents itself as upscale, the hospitality fell short. We chose not to return to either The Olivet or the café after our experiences and sadly, won’t be back unless clear...