Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant

Few hotels in Sweden outdo the Dorsia for larger-than-life personality. Its extravagant style is perhaps best described as Gothic, with the qualification ‘de luxe’. The lobby takes most arrivals’ breath away: a mixture of an Oscarian brothel with a visit to the Addams family of mock-horror fame, it features gilded putti and heavy drapes. In our era of austere minimalism, it’s easy to mistake all this excess for bad taste, but despite the turgid forms, gaudy décor and loud colours, everything has been discerningly selected and expertly combined. The reception has been bundled away down a flight of steps, but does a professional job without suggestions of ‘downstairs’ deference. And if the lobby is promising, that promise is fulfilled in the rooms. They are Belle Époque not just in design conceit, but also in details that create delicious well-being, such as extra thick terry robes with monograms, pillows stuffed with mulberry silk and various temptations by the bed. And of course Ramlösa mineral water tastes better from cut crystal glasses. The larger rooms are generously furnished, and guests will be hard pressed to extract themselves from the deep, soft armchairs. Work space is not exactly a priority here. For hungry guests there is no pressing reason to leave the premises either. ‘More is more’ applies to the breakfast buffet as well, which is possibly Sweden’s most extravagant, and not lacking in the wacky detail either. Dammsugare for breakfast, why not? You fully expect a loose gloved hand – ‘Thing’ – to serve the warm food as you lift one of the cloches.