Apelviken Lägenhetshotell

The cottage had everything we needed, and the beds were comfortable. The pool was heated, so swimming was fine even though the weather wasn't very warm. There are several good restaurants close by, so we didn't need to walk into town.

The staff were so friendly and helpful. We asked if we could move to a different camping spot, and they kindly made it work. The service houses were clean and well equipped, the beach is nearby, and there's a small convenience store just around the corner. One of the best campsites we stayed at in Sweden, and a comfortable, pleasant place to stay.

The campsite itself was great, and the kids loved the heated pool, but we won't be back. The way one caretaker treated us felt rude and unfair. We had booked a tent pitch with electricity, but our extension lead was too short, so we bought an overpriced one from the campsite shop. A few hours later, the caretaker said it was illegal and that we could only use the electricity to charge our phones. We had to throw away food that couldn't stay cold, while wondering why the same thing was apparently fine for other campers. He'd ignored two nearby tents doing it too. The next day we bought food to cook later and plugged in our cooler while charging our phones. The caretaker came running over, angry, and said we weren't allowed to keep our food cold at all. Again, he only confronted us and ignored three other tents doing the same. Not a nice experience, and rude, inconsistent staff aren't good for business.

The things we appreciated most were the reception staff, who were lovely, and the fantastic food at the bodega. Beyond that, we left very disappointed and won't return to Apelviken. It advertises itself as a five-star campsite, which felt pretty preposterous to us. We didn't see that level of ambition during our stay, apart from the nice staff. Our cottage for two and a dog was an old cabin. It looked clean at first, but was dusty and dirty, and the shower had mould. The boiler only gave enough hot water for about five minutes, so two adults couldn't shower one after the other. The beds were good quality, though we had to make them ourselves. Cargo trains passed often during the night, and we hardly slept. The site itself felt bare and exposed, with a railway beside it, no trees or shade, and a sea of campers, caravans and apartments. There weren't any cosy spots or privacy, and it wasn't a pretty place. We booked because dogs were allowed, but that turned out to mean little more than being tolerated on a lead. They couldn't do their business anywhere on site, so even for a quick wee we had to leave the campsite. There is a dog shower near the beach, but dogs aren't allowed on the beach, even on a lead, or in the water. A very nice woman at reception suggested dog-friendly beaches, but they were a 15-minute drive away. That made the stay feel frustrating and rather pointless. The pool hours were ridiculous. It would've been welcome to have an early morning or late night swim, perhaps for adults only. The sanitary buildings are old, as are the washer and dryer. They work, but each wash or dry costs 40 SEK, with no detergent included, and you have to load a card at reception. With the trains, the way dogs are treated, the high prices and the other issues, we won't be visiting again.