Stockholm, Sweden
Hotel J
Nordic Never Never Land
What it is
A thoroughly charming, garden-shrouded 158-room Scandinavian retreat on the Baltic sea with a sister spa in an 1800s villa.
What it isn't
Cold. This is the embodiment of hygge, thanks to flickering fireplaces and a seasonally inspired restaurant in the 1912 brick building.
What we think
Any visitor to Nordic lands likely has a vision of streamlined, white-on-white interiors—and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. Guest room walls are bleach white, with blonde wood furniture and striped blue and white curtains that billow against your private terrace (where Adirondack chairs await) and seem to only highlight the ocean view all the more. Because the hotel is so nautically-embracing it has its own pier set out on the water, you likely won’t be surprised to find a host of seaworthy activities on offer—including speed boat rides through Stockholm’s archipelago and fishing via sailboat.
You're here because
The restaurant draws its produce and meat from many of the surrounding 30,000 islands; you don’t want to miss the lobster, smoked shrimp, langoustine and bleak roe platter.
The Moment
You’ve had umpteen spa treatments, but never in the legendary former home of Swedish singer Povel Ramel’s grandfather. Even the building itself relaxes you—a gingerbread-laden Victorian villa set on a frothy cliff. You sink into the al fresco hot tub and watch waves lapping in the inlet as a whooper swans soar overhead, and feel yourself sinking into a new level of vacation rapture.
Restaurants & Bars
Restaurant J - Boasts dining in Stockholm with a spectacular view over the beautiful bay and a cosy interior
Location
Set directly on the Baltic Sea a 15 minute drive from downtown Stockholm and about 45 minutes from Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Nearby: a 331 acre reserve, Nyckelviken, for all manner of outdoorsy exploits.