Page 26 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Great Places to Stay in Europe

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26 S WE D E N

SWEDEN
WEDEN IS traditionally regarded mountain lodges, medieval inns
as an expensive country to and 18th-century manor
Svisit, but recent changes in houses. They can provide
exchange rates means it is excellent accommodation in
presently more affordable than beautiful surroundings. Many of
usual. For many tourists the best places are members of
visiting for the first time, it two hotel marketing organisations:
may come as a surprise that the Countryside Hotels and the
the country has so many Historiska Hotell groups. In
beautiful hotels. Often these Stockholm – which was European
have been converted from City of Culture in 1999 – we also
historic buildings such as castles, have some exceptional entries.
they offer walking,
windsurfing, fishing
and boating; in
winter, cross-country
skiing. The winter
months, especially
around Christmas, are
a sensible time for
breaks if you can put
up with the short
days, as are May and
September, because
there are fewer
mosquitoes than in
July and August.
Far North
The tundra and forest
of the far north,
above the Arctic
Circle, is the home of
Gripsholms Värdshus, page 33, Mariefred’s delightful old inn the nomadic Sami people. In
June and July it never
SWEDEN REGION medieval and Beaux-Arts properly gets dark. Here
BY REGION architecture, and its reputation hotels are few and far
for open-mindedness is well between; among them is the
WEDEN CAN be divided founded. There are woods ultimate one-off hotel, the Ice
Sinto five regions: south, and water on its doorstep and Hotel near Kiruna, which
southwest, central, north an archipelago of islands a operates in winter, carved
and far north. ferry ride away. each year out of ice. In fact,
it’s more comfortable than
South and Southwest Central and North you might imagine and is
These regions are relatively The forest and fjords don’t popular for weddings and
flat. Apart from the capital, the begin until you get some way christenings. Its phone
main towns are Gothenburg, farther north of the capital, number is (0980) 668 00.
Malmö and Helsingborg. and here there are many
Gothenburg has an elegant excellent places to stay – HIGHLIGHTS
city hotel, a useful first stop many in beautifully remote
before heading for the settings – served by the main OTELS ILLUSTRATED on
region’s attractive beach highways or the ‘Inland Hthese introductory
resorts, often based around Railroad’. The choice ranges pages are by no means the
old, fortified towns. The Baltic from an inn built on the site only highlights. Other favour-
islands of Öland and Gotland of a Carthusian monastery to ites include Stockholm’s
are both popular, relaxed manor houses dating from the Mälardrottningen, converted
beach holiday places – 16th century and country from heiress Barbara Hutton’s
relatively uncrowded, with house hotels in peaceful lake- former yacht (page 35); and
attractive seaside hotels. side settings. These last are Tällberg’s Åkerblads (page
Stockholm, Sweden’s flourishing concerns, with 36), a much-loved family
capital, makes a welcome tremendous atmosphere and property run, amazingly,
urban interlude. It mixes very good food. Many have a by more than 20 generations
brutalist modern design with dual personality: in summer of Åkerblads.