Strand Hotel Borgholm

It was really peaceful in mid-September. This old-fashioned hotel in Borgholm had friendly staff, and our upgraded room was good, with an okay bed. They let our tiny dog sit with us under the table in the hallway during breakfast, which was well equipped. That felt great.

The apartment was huge, with all the facilities you could imagine, and we had a wonderful view from the large patio and balcony. We were a group of six and had the place to ourselves over the Christmas long weekend. Jonas and Sebastian helped sort out our questions and problems, and every interaction with the hotel management went perfectly, from booking through checkout. We had no issues and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We’d love to come back and enjoy Öland in summer.

For 1500SEK in the off-season, this average hotel feels overpriced. The location is nice and there’s a pool, though we arrived late and didn’t try it. Nobody even told us whether we could use it. The rooms and equipment are very outdated. It was clean, but the room smelled old when we walked in, and the beds were a bit too soft. For the price, I expected a minibar or a kettle for complimentary tea and coffee, but there was neither. We didn’t get a sea-view room. We were told few were available, and nobody offered us one of the remaining rooms. Breakfast was average, a typical buffet. The restaurant also looks untouched since it was built, from the wall-to-wall carpet, ceiling, and walls to the picture frames and plastic flowers.

It looks and feels like a two-star hotel in the Mediterranean. The rooms were clean, but worn and impersonal. The pool area was far from okay in a lot of ways, and the beach left plenty to be desired.