"Set the scene: Where is this place, and what does it look like?When it opened in 2012 this was something totally new in the Swedish capital—an ultra-stylish townhouse hotel, small in scale but big on luxury. In the years since, it’s lost none of its charm. Truly great design never ages. Buzzing the door to be admitted to the courtyard, you have no idea just how nice an experience awaits you. The flawless interiors are actually incredibly comfortable, plus there’s exquisite carpentry on the staircase, a little library, and interesting art everywhere. It sounds nearly perfect. Is there a story behind it?The Swedish owner, Jeanette Mix, invited Ilse Crawford to design the interior of this 12-room townhouse hotel, dating to 1910. Which was a very good idea indeed. Interesting! What can we expect from the bedrooms?Each one different, showcasing individual handmade furniture, ceramics, and antiques—one room has a wonderful Pelican chair by Danish designer Finn Juhl that was made for sinking into with a paperback. The one-bedroom mezzanine suite is best, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them. We'll be thinking about that chair all day. How about the food and drink? The whole concept of Ett Hem is that it’s a home, so it has a kitchen you can stroll into anytime. Breakfast is included and it’s outstanding, served in the garden glasshouse. Bear in mind that breakfast is always good at Swedish hotels—it’s one of the things they do best—but this buffet really is excellent. If you want lunch or dinner, the chef will whip something up for you from scratch. Perfect. Anything to say about the service?Swedes are not noted for being effusive, and the service here is pleasant and understated. Being able to wander into the kitchen and chat to the chef as he’s prepping some food is a great pleasure. They’re very happy to help, but you have to be sure to ask for it. Got it—and thanks for the heads-up. What type of person stays here?In a place with so few rooms, you quickly get chatting to the other guests, who can range from music industry bigwigs to visitors from the American Midwest. Well, that's a range! What’s the neighborhood scene like?The location is central enough to be close enough to everything, but Lärkstan is mainly a residential area—with several ambassadorial townhouses—so it’s peaceful by night. Great. Anything we missed?There’s a hammam in the basement. As if this place didn’t have enough brag about. Right? So, is it worth it—why?The name, of course, means ‘a home’ in Swedish, which is exactly what it feels like. A home of a friend who is far better off than you and has far better taste. But who is happy you came to visit." - Stephen Whitlock
