Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Swedish Hidden Gems and Romantic Getaway Experiences
Cool boatel for foodies Named one of the most spectacular floating hotels in the world, Salt & Sill is praised for its great design and scenic views. Popular among foodies, this is also a fabulous restaurant specialising in seafood. By Malin Norman | Photos: Salt & Sill
Located on Klädesholmen, an island on the west coast of Sweden with a long tradition in the herring industry, the floating hotel Salt & Sill offers an unbeatable combination of extraordinary accommodation and wonderful food. It actually began with the restaurant, which since its start in 1999 has been renowned for high-quality food and local produce, with a special mention in the White Guide. In 2008, the same owners opened Sweden’s first floating hotel next to the restaurant. As the island had no capacity for new buildings, they instead built the hotel on pontoons on the water. Made up of six houses, the minimalist Scandinavian-style hotel has 23 bedrooms, some of which have their own ladder into the sea. “Our guests come here for the unique setting, being able to stay so close to the 62 | Issue 113 | June 2018
sea and experience the tranquillity of Klädesholmen, as well as for the food,” says director Jonas Espefors. Unsurprisingly, Salt & Sill has received plenty of attention in international media, with articles in, for instance, CNN Travel, Condé Nast Traveler, Evening Standard and The Telegraph, and has been named one of the coolest ‘boatels’ in the world.
Salt & Sill also works actively towards becoming a more sustainable business and uses turbines powered by the sea’s currents to provide heating for its facilities. During the construction of the hotel itself, the excess material from the seabed was used for a new lobster reef, enriching the marine life further. Often referred to as ‘the herring island’ by locals, Klädesholmen hosts Day of the Herring on 6 June, in celebration of the herring tradition, when Herring of the Year will be announced.
Celebrating herring The word ‘sill’ means herring, and the restaurant serves traditional local dishes with a focus on fish and seafood, including a popular herring board with six different types of herring, as well as classics with a modern twist. Espefors explains that Salt & Sill wants to promote herring as a healthy everyday food. “It’s such a shame that herring is mostly seen during special occasions such as Christmas and Midsummer. Herring is a healthy food which there is no lack of in the sea.”
Web: www.saltosill.se Facebook: Saltosill Instagram: @saltosill