Skepparholmen Nacka

The location and facilities are beautiful, and the spa looked promising. But the sauna smelled overwhelmingly of old feet, so I had to skip it. Service was poor, to put it mildly. It felt like the people running the hotel would rather not be there, which was a shame. Lunch at the restaurant was a bad experience. We all waited an hour for sandwiches, fish, and lasagna, and people were upset enough that some sent their food back. I wanted to send mine back too. They’d clearly split my lasagna in two and given me only the top two layers, then seemed to try to hide that with an excessive sprinkle of Alfa Alfa. My friends’ fish came with a very thin, watered-down sauce that wouldn’t stick to the fish. When I desperately asked the waitress for bread, she said the bread order would put such a strain on the kitchen that we might never get our food. Dinner was much better, and breakfast was great. The Wi-Fi in the room kept coming and going, mostly going, along with the new TV, which wouldn’t stream anything. After 45 minutes of painful troubleshooting with someone from the front desk, I guess, and a bunch of different cables, the TV finally worked, but not as intended.

The breakfast was very basic, and construction was going on all around outside. If you’re hoping for a romantic escape, I’d think twice. The corridors gave me the feel of a church group outing, with no spa atmosphere, and the rooms were so dull I wondered what the interior designer was thinking. A painting or some flowers might help. Definitely not worth the price.

The sauna and spa were great, but the dining room was unpleasantly dark. The food felt very simple, though the menu was oddly extensive. With the spa hotel package, three of the main dishes were only available for what seemed like maybe double the price of the same dish at other restaurants. I’d recommend the spa, but not the package at all.

The oceanfront setting is gorgeous, and the staff have always been friendly and accommodating whenever I’ve visited. I’ve been to Skepparholmen several times and it hasn’t disappointed me yet. The food is amazing, and I really like the spa too. There’s a nearby competitor with fancier facilities, but I prefer the experience here when I consider everything together. It’s incredible value for the price, and one of my favorite places.