Ellery Beach House is a spa resort located in the northern part of the Stockholm archipelago in an area called Lidingö.

There are numerous spa resorts in the area but what made this one stand out to me was its aesthetic which is very unique. Although it is self described as Cali style, it is more quintessential 70s summer themed and the Home of Ess interiors create such a perfect feel that is very different from anywhere else we have stayed.

We booked the Dinner Party Cali Style package which was heavily discounted being a midweek stay. It included a one night stay in a deluxe room, the Cali style dinner, spa access and breakfast. The room was located in the outhouse that overlooked one of the four pools and views of the archipelago with the same retro design that runs throughout the whole hotel.

The dinner was a five course menu with two options to choose from for each serving. It was served in the Coco Beach club and came with a delicious cocktail menu.

We chose, chilli and lime melon to start, followed by scallops, beef tataki, grilled entrecôte, finishing with pineapple sherbet for dessert. It was all delicious and we left sufficiently full ready for our spa evening.

It says on the website that there are four pools at the resort but what they don’t make clear is that only three of them are included in the spa. The fourth is free to use whenever you want during your stay and is based right outside the outhouse where the deluxe rooms are located. It is heated at a consistent 34 degrees and was uncovered for use between 8am and 11pm.

The spa is whole different world on its own completely designed for having a good time. There is an outdoor pool which is covered out of season, set up with a DJ area and a mini bar. There is an indoor pool which is surrounded by seating.

There are two outdoor saunas, one right down by the water and one just outside the hotel around the back. This sauna had a heated outdoor pool just outside with views over the archipelago and the trees. We spent a lot of time in there and it was completely relaxing. There is a fire room where you can relax on lounger beds and be served drinks by staff in the bar next door.

Finally there is another more open seating area for during the day where you can enjoy food and drinks from Cocos beach club and views over the archipelago.

Although the spa is a delight and the vibe of the hotel is very relaxed, to get to the spa you have to walk through Cocos beach bar which is really weird when we left at 10pm in our bath robes, and wet towels and everyone else was dressed up drinking cocktails and having a generally good time. But as everyone has to do it, you don’t get looked at for long.

After a relatively peaceful night we woke up the next morning and headed to breakfast in the main restaurant. It was a typical Swedish buffet breakfast with a fruit and vegetable table, cold cuts table, hot food selection (including pancakes,) a bread selection in addition to the drinks and yoghurt table. It was delicious as usual and we ate whilst enjoying our last view over the water before heading home.

Overall our stay at the Ellery Beach House was a delight and exactly what we needed as a short staycation. It is a mere 18mins away from Stockholm centre and less than 2 hours away from Gävle making it a perfect mini break. The food, the atmosphere, the decor and spa are all worth the trip and we will certainly be making an effort to come back again as the weather gets warmer.

We have something big planned for the summer to celebrate Rob’s big 40th birthday and we could not be more excited but we will be quietly planning that and surviving the last eight weeks of term until then.

SP x