Ett Hem

From the Hideaway Report

December 2012 Hideaway Report

Stockholm’s most charming small hotel, 12-room Ett Hem, opened in May and occupies an art nouveau mansion in the quiet Lärkstan district. Owner Jeanette Mix, who bought the building six years ago, has worked with architect Anders Landström and London-based interior designer Ilse Crawford to create a flawless urban sanctuary.

The imaginative use of oak, brass, leather, ceramics and glass establishes a visual richness that feels relaxed yet elegant. Mix recently told a Swedish newspaper that her goal is to make guests feel completely at home. (“Ett Hem” means “a home” in Swedish.) Most hoteliers share that laudable aspiration, but with remarkable attention to detail and professional yet personal service, Ett Hem actually succeeds.

The hotel sits behind a red brick wall, surrounded by a small landscaped garden. Emma, the polite front desk clerk, greeted us on a rainy Saturday afternoon and showed us around the property. After the tour, we made ourselves at home in a glass conservatory off the kitchen, where Johann, the on-duty chef, served us coffee, homemade cookies and mineral water, and told us we were welcome to rummage around in the open kitchen for snacks and drinks whenever we liked.

We’d arrived on a Swedish national holiday, when most of the city’s restaurants were closed, so we’d requested a light lunch in advance. Our meal was simple and delicious: pan-fried Arctic char with herb mayonnaise; a terrific salad of roasted baby carrots, shallots and potatoes with salad leaves and fresh herbs; and a good Côtes du Jura, poured by the glass.

We’d originally intended to visit some museums that afternoon, but that thought vanished in the comfort of the plant-filled conservatory, with its gray wool-covered sofa and chairs, and stacks of art books and magazines.

Our lovely room came with a herringbone oak parquet floor, a Gustavian-style crystal chandelier on a dimmer, and a brown leather sofa with a soft, nubby ash-gray sheepskin throw. A bronze ceramic pot of fresh flowers sat on a coffee table painted a pale sea green to match the walls. An old-fashioned sleigh bathtub occupied a sunny alcove by a bow window, and a woodburning ceramic stove warmed a corner of the room. An incredibly comfortable bed was made up with a down-filled top mattress and fine Italian cotton sheets.

The small bath held a white marble-framed Victorian-style double vanity and a roomy stall shower; there were stacks of fluffy white towels, as well as linen hand towels with hand-embroidered logos, plus a variety of Kiehl’s bath products.

We marveled at the attention to detail: a rank of handmade oak coat hangers in the wardrobe; an in-room iPad for personal use in a handmade case by DODOcase of San Francisco; and a ruinously well-stocked minibar housed in a brass-clad étagère. (Les Crestes Priorat is one of my favorite Spanish wines, and I was astonished to find it there.)

Later, we went downstairs for a sauna in the garden- level fitness area. There, we also found also a large, well- equipped gym. In nice weather, hotel guests can read on sunbeds in the lovely walled garden.

The hotel’s relaxed atmosphere, spacious public spaces and easy access to a kitchen make it popular with families. It would also work well for a group of friends, or as a place to stay during a business trip, since one can host private cooked-to-order meals on the premises.

The only downside to Ett Hem is that it is well inland from the waterways that are so emblematic of Stockholm. And while the smart young staff never intrude, a stay here, where there are just 12 guest rooms, is a more communal experience than that found in a large, anonymous hotel. For my part, returning to the hotel from dinner, it really did feel as though I were coming home.

Amenities