Eriksberg Hotel & Nature Reserve

The road to the hotel passes through part of the Eriksberg game park, the biggest of its kind in the Nordics and home to species such as European bison, mouflon and deer. The hotel is an exceptionally beautiful farmhouse whose oldest parts are from the 17th century. The present owner renovated and extended it, and in 2012 the new complex was inaugurated by King Carl Gustaf. Everything is top-notch and themed around hunting and game. You can see it in everything from the staff uniforms – small-check shirts and green trousers – and the luxurious furnishings with plenty of leather to the air-cured wild boar ham served as a starter at dinner. The feeling of being in a South African hunting lodge sinks in when we spot a sounder of wild boar running across the Blekinge savannah from our lofty position in the terrace jacuzzi. Dinner is served in the Havsörnen, or White-tailed eagle, restaurant – the species was saved by the ornithologist Bengt Berg, a previous owner of the farm. Staff are polite and friendly, but the service level varies somewhat – it’s at its best at the breakfast buffet. This is lovely, with treats such as freshly baked bread and charcuteries made from the farm’s own meats. A guided tour of the game park is recommended during the part of the year when this is possible.