A Relaxing Getaway in Stockholm’s Archipelago

It feels like ages ago that I was boarding my Scandinavian Airlines’ plane to Arlanda, Stockholm’s main airport. A couple of hours delay, a night at the airport and I would be on my way to a relaxing getaway in Stockholm’s archipelago. Needless to say it hasn’t been ages at all, barely a week, but man oh man, what a week it has been. TBex did not only allow me to meet some awesome, incredibly talented and inspiring people (some of whom I already had e-met before), but also inspired me to finally go follow my dreams. Because, with a lot of hard work and perseverance, the craziest goals can be attained! But hey! I’m getting carried away here. Let me first tell you how the amazing week in Stockholm started. And that is. with…

A relaxing getaway in Stockholm’s archipelago!!

How cool is that, hm?!

If there’s one thing I love more than Scandinavian culture and languages, it is their predilection for salmon, saunas and, what I like to see as the ultimate relaxing spot, lake houses. Stockholm, if you aren’t familiar with it, is composed by more than 30 000 small islands (4th biggest archipelago in the world!). Some of these islands are connected through bridges. Some of them are only reachable by boat. And all of them are full of the famous swedish lake houses (of many shapes and forms of course). From traditional red wooden shacks to mansion-style love nests. And all of them within 1-2 hours from the bustling cosmopolitan swedish capital city (here are some tips on what to see in Stockholm in a day, in case you want to do that first).

One of the many islands in the archipelago of Stockholm is Djurö. It is the furthermost you can go by car in the Stockholm archipelago. Also the location of Djurönäset Hotel. A resort built to be invisible in the surrounding nature in the late 70s. Refurbished in the last couple years, the Djurönäset Hotel is one of the favourite spots for companies to bring their teams in week-long team-building retreats. But don’t be fooled, it is a beautiful place for families and couples alike to enjoy a relaxing getaway in Stockholm, without the noise of the city.

We arrived at around 2pm after a 45 minute drive from Central Stockholm. The friendly hotel marketing manager (who, in collaboration with Visit Stockholm and TBex, had organised out trip) was waiting by the door to greet us to the lovely Djurönäset Hotel.  After an expertly cooked meal by the sea (I took the salmon, of course!)

She took us on a tour of the grounds. From the sauna and hot tubs by the sea, the seaside bar on one side. To the different accommodation buildings in the very center of the grounds. And finally the water activity area, where you can go for a swim, boat or even submarine ride!! Yes, yes, you read that one right!!

A submarine!!

But I’ll tell you more about that next time!

The beauty of the surroundings left us mesmerized. Stunning doesn’t even cover it. After our informative tour, a creative version of the traditional swedish “Fika”was waiting for us at the lobby. A Fika mostly consists of coffee and cinnamon buns or some other sort of delicious baked goods. Similar to the german “Kaffee und Kuchen” or the british tea and pastries. During this we chatted excitedly away about the next couple of days.

Bellies full again, we made our way into the hot tub.  Live music playing across at the seaside bar. Does it get any better than that? Well, yes, sir/ma’am! After that, we went on a submarine ride, of course! Oh and let’s not forget the food, please! The food at the Djurönäset Hotel was worth the visit on its own terms. And always perfectly paired with the right drink.

By the way, did I mention how attentive the staff were? Friendly, sweet and funny like no other I’ve ever met. It seems to be a common trend in Sweden, people are incredibly friendly and ready to help. And last but definitely not least, the rooms. These are simple but really comfortable. So much so that I wanted to take the bed with me, with that I’ve said all I wanted to say 😉

Anyhow, I couldn’t have wished for a better way to start my first ever TBex. With a lot of new wonderful friends, new experiences, and a relaxing getaway in Stockholm at the Djurönäset Hotel. And all that thanks to the wonderful people of Visit Sweden and TBex team!