Hotell Borgholm

Hotell Borgholm, a Michelin Key Selected property located in the charming coastal town of Borgholm on the island of Öland, Sweden, offers guests a distinguished and gastronomic experience. This historic hotel, which has been evolving since 1972, is celebrated for its commitment to exceptional cuisine, unique design, and warm hospitality.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

Hotell Borgholm generally receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many guests describing their stay as "perfect" or a "fantastic experience." It garners an "Excellent" rating with scores around 8.8 to 9.0 out of 10 from hundreds of verified reviews. The sentiment is largely one of high satisfaction, with many expressing a desire to return.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently praise several aspects of Hotell Borgholm:

• Gastronomic Focus: The hotel is renowned as a "gastronomic oasis" and "Sweden's best gastronomic hotel," with its award-winning restaurant being a major draw.
• Design & Ambiance: The hotel features a well-designed interior with lovely personal touches and a beautiful, calm herb garden in the middle of the city. The reception area, known as "Vardagsrummet" (the living room), offers a homely welcome.
• Service Excellence: The staff is frequently described as super kind, friendly, welcoming, and helpful.
• Location: Its central position in Borgholm makes it ideal for exploring the city, including nearby restaurants, Borgholm Castle, and the northern side of Öland.
• Breakfast: The breakfast often receives "phenomenal" or "best breakfast ever" accolades, featuring tasty, fresh, and homemade products.

3. Room Quality

Hotell Borgholm offers 41 newly renovated and modern rooms that are tastefully decorated with all amenities. Rooms are described as nicely designed and "super comfy," providing a warm touch and often including the hotel's own beauty products.

• Comfort: Guests appreciate the comfortable beds and unique linen collection.
• Design: Rooms are individually decorated, featuring timeless design classics and craftsmanship from Swedish and international icons.
• Amenities: Standard room features include air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars, refrigerators, electric kettles, and fully tiled bathrooms. Some rooms offer bathtubs, seating areas, bathrobes, and slippers.

4. Dining Experience

The dining experience is a cornerstone of Hotell Borgholm's appeal. The hotel's restaurant is award-winning, celebrated for its gourmet food and emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients, many sourced from its own 100-variety strong herb garden.

• Restaurant: The dining room offers a fixed 5-course tasting menu alongside an à la carte menu, showcasing Swedish gastronomy with classic techniques and modern influences. Dishes are often described as fireworks of color and taste, with innovative presentations. There's also a strong focus on vegetables, with a full vegetarian tasting menu available.
• Wine List: The accompanying wine list is considered a "treasure trove for oenophiles" and one of the country's most unique and extensive.
• Breakfast: The complimentary breakfast is consistently highly rated for its variety, quality, and homemade options, with many calling it the best they've experienced.
• Bar: The hotel features a bar serving signature cocktails, and during summer, service extends to the herb garden.

5. Service & Staff

The service at Hotell Borgholm is largely impeccable and a significant highlight for many guests. Staff members are frequently praised for being friendly, welcoming, helpful, and providing high-class service.

6. Location & Accessibility

Hotell Borgholm boasts a fantastic and central location by the main square in Borgholm.

• Attractions: It's conveniently situated for exploring the town, with restaurants within walking distance and the historical Borgholm Castle only about 1.5 km away. Solliden Palace is also easily accessible.
• Accessibility: The central location offers easy access to the island's nature and attractions, making it a good base for both relaxation and adventure.

7. Value & Pricing

As a Michelin Key Selected property with an acclaimed gastronomic restaurant, Hotell Borgholm is positioned as a higher-end accommodation. While guests have described it as "value for money" for the service and standard received, a "Small & Simple" room starts from 1590 SEK. More recent examples of nightly rates for different room types include:

• Queen room: approximately £98
• Double room: approximately £109
• Classic room: approximately £127
• Executive room: approximately £160 - £241
• Standard room: approximately £263 These prices generally range from approximately $134 to $329 nightly, depending on the room type and specific dates.

8. Common Complaints

While overall feedback is positive, some guests have noted minor issues:

• Check-in Experience: A few guests found the check-in process to be rushed and not very personal.
• Room Maintenance/Comfort: Isolated comments mentioned beds being a little stiff, floor heating in the bathroom being tricky to turn on, or the shower cubicle needing repair.
• Breakfast Area: One reviewer mentioned the breakfast restaurant could feel crowded ("morgenmadsrestaurant for trang").
• Staff Attitude/Pricing: A complaint about the attitude of "viss personals" (certain staff) and "hutlösa priser på en kopp kaffe" (outrageous prices for a cup of coffee) was also noted, to which the hotel responded by stating they serve high-quality coffee.

Sources

1. hotels.com
2. booking.com
3. kayak.com
4. hotels.com
5. kayak.co.uk