Hotel Skeppsholmen

"With its unfinished natural wood floors and clean-lined, understatedly modern furnishings, Hotel Skeppsholmen looks, at first glance, like another ode to contemporary Swedish design, especially considering it was designed by the star team at Claesson Koivisto Rune. But you’d be wrong to think the Hotel Skeppsholmen is new. Its buildings—hidden just 10 minutes from the city center on the leafy island of Skeppsholmen—date back to 1699, and are so fastidiously preserved that no structural changes were allowed during the renovations and no holes could be drilled without approval from the preservation authorities. And that’s just a small piece of the hotel’s dedication to all things authentically and traditionally Swedish; unlike many trendy Stockholm hotels and restaurants, the Skeppsholmen has focused on local cuisine, local designers, local beers, and, of course, local insider knowledge. Now, that’s Swedish hospitality."

"With its unfinished natural wood floors and clean-lined, understatedly modern furnishings, Hotel Skeppsholmen looks, at first glance, like another ode to contemporary Swedish design, especially considering it was designed by the star team at Claesson Koivisto Rune. But you’d be wrong to think the Hotel Skeppsholmen is new. Its buildings—hidden just 10 minutes from the city center on the leafy island of Skeppsholmen—date back to 1699, and are so fastidiously preserved that no structural changes were allowed during the renovations and no holes could be drilled without approval from the preservation authorities. And that’s just a small piece of the hotel’s dedication to all things authentically and traditionally Swedish; unlike many trendy Stockholm hotels and restaurants, the Skeppsholmen has focused on local cuisine, local designers, local beers, and, of course, local insider knowledge. Now, that’s Swedish hospitality."

"Transforming a military barracks into a luxury hotel isn’t an easy task, particularly when the building, dating from 1699, is so historic that structural changes are forbidden. Fortunately, the design firm of Claesson Koivisto Rune overcame the obstacles, producing a triumph of Swedish style—a modest, minimalist, yet supremely comfortable property housed in two low, long buildings. The sense of antiquity is preserved (stone staircases worn smooth by the centuries, wooden shutters in the bedrooms), but there’s no shortage of modern amenities, from the amazing Duxiana beds to bathrooms with rain showers. The hotel takes its name from the island it sits on: Skeppsholmen is an easy walk to the Nationalmuseum, NK department store, and high-end shopping in Östermalm. It’s an even easier ferry ride from the Old Town, visible across the water. By day, lots of people cross the bridge to visit the hotel’s neighbor, the Moderna Museet, but at night the island is virtually soundless. As a result, the hotel is perfect for those who want quick access to the best of the city followed by undisturbed sleep."