Villa Strandvägen

Think New England, add a bit of the Kennedys in Hyannis Port and the Great Gatsby on Long Island. Then you amble down to the sea and the Salt Creek Spa in the Villa’s bathrobe and straw hat. Pausing at the Shuffle Bar on your way there or back is always a good idea, after having relaxed with a sea view or enjoyed one of the hot springs. You almost feel like one of the statuesque beach boys or girls whose likenesses decorate the hotel’s walls. As in all old houses, the stairs are pretty steep. Less mobile guests are best off staying on the ground floor. There’s also a cosy terrace outside and a small heated pool. A hotel’s standard can often be determined by the bathroom, which here is a discreet orgy of lions’ paws, china, marble and chrome. Rooms are in blue and white, with cretonne and upholstered furniture. You feel a little chez quelqu’un, which is repeated in the library, where you have a drink, or in the dining room, where breakfast is also served. The burgundy Molteni stove is the room’s pièce de résistance and is used to make excellent scrambled eggs, as well as to prepare Daniel Müllern’s delicious dishes.