Quality Hotel The Box

Location, location, location, as property agents like to intone – and in one way The Box is well placed, right by the E4 motorway just outside Linköping, and close the airport. But apart from those practical considerations the location of this ambitious, newly built hotel, opened in April 2018, is hardly a boon. But let’s ignore the fact that the view – of a roundabout and a motorway – could have been more inspiring. Because The Box actually has two very strong cards up its sleeve: a spa that is really worthy of the name, and amazingly pleasant staff. For a paltry SEK 95 you get access to 600 square metres of spanking new, paradisiacal spa offering three pools, of which one outdoors, various sauna options, experience showers and a relaxation section. If you’re travelling with kids, they get access to the spa during the day on weekdays (see the website for details), which is a guaranteed hit. Staff in the spa as well as the reception are enormously friendly and accommodating, and manage to convey a sense of personal connection, despite the fact that we’re in a 176-room hotel run by the biggest chain in the Nordics. Rooms are designed in a young, urban style, with some edgy details and, above all, very comfy beds.