Why Smögens Havfsbad is my favourite for a weekend away
When you arrive at Smögens Hafvsbad it’s hard not to immediately feel a little more relaxed. As you walk up to the entrance you are surrounded by views of the open sea, rocky cliffs and cosy white wooden houses, the sounds of softly playing music coming from the reception.
As it is nearing the end of the summer, we were really eager to make the most of the August sun and explore a little more of the Smögen, but this time we wanted to take it slow and really enjoy every minute. I am not sure if you can technically define it as a “staycation”, but that’s exactly what it felt like. Smögens Hafvsbad felt like home for the 3 days we were there, the perfect mixture of relaxation, luxury and local experience. There is something special about this little hotel, it has a vibe that really makes you slow down and live in the moment, which I guess is exactly what a spa should do!
There are so many reasons why this is one of our favourite hotels along the West Coast, and I can’t wait to share them all with you!
Disclaimer: I was a hosted guest of Smögens Hafvsbad but all thoughts and opinions in this post are genuine.
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The Location
Situated in the heart of Smögen, a picturesque town on the West Coast of Sweden, Smögens Hafvsbad is easily reachable by car and bus, with great connections to Gothenburg as well as other smaller cities in the area. It makes the perfect stop on a road trip along the West Coast with it’s proximity to other islands and the city!
From the entrance of the hotel, it is only a 5 minute walk to the harbour where there are so many boutique shops, restaurants and boats that do day trips into the archipelago. It is a 2 minutes to one of the best swimming spots on the island, and a great place to watch the sunset!
How to get to Smögen’s Hafvsbad
If you are travelling from Gothenburg the best way is to catch the “Västtågen”, or train, to Trollhättan, and then catch the 860 bus from here. It can take anywhere from 2 to 2.5 hours depending on your connections! It is a 10 minute walk from Smögen’s Bussterminal to the hotel.
The best way to check this is on the Västtrafik website – you can use this if you are travelling from other coastal towns too.
If you are travelling by car it takes around 1 hour 40 minutes from Gothenburg Central. If you want to make it into a bit of a road trip there are some great spots along the way!
The Best Things About Smögens Spa
The spa is what makes Smögens Hafvsbad, it is everything you expect a spa to be, with a little bit of added luxury. The spa itself is made up of quite a large indoor pool, with a jet stream, a jacuzzi, a steam room and indoor sauna. Outside there is the sauna, a heated swimming pool and a beautiful bridge and boat house down by the water. In the summer time you can sit out on the deck and bask in the sunshine, but in the winter there is nothing more cosy than sitting inside, with all the lights lit, watching the darkness through the windows.
We spent most of our time down by the boathouse, of lying in the jacuzzi drinking wine and eating fruit. I don’t think I can think of anything more peaceful than that.
The spa is included in your booking if you are staying overnight. You can access it anytime between 7am and 1pm, although does need to be booked from then onwards!
As well as being for overnight guests, Smögens Hafvsbad also offers smaller spa experiences. Our favoruite of these is Morgon Sol – a brunch and spa afternoon. These are all available to view on their website!
Our Room At Smögens Hafvsbad
We were lucky enough to be staying in the Suite (Svit in Swedish). The room was on the top level of the spa and was so luxurious. We had our own balcony with the most incredible view of the water and cliffs below. It was amazing to wake up in the morning to watch the sunrise over the water. The room had a great outdoor area and is somewhere I’d definitely like to return to with friends. Inside the room we had an indoor lounge set and the most incredible bathroom. It was beautiful, with dark green and white tiles, and had a spa bath. We loved using this in the evenings, it just added that little bit extra to our staycation.
The Restaurant
The restaurant fits the spa perfectly – a big open room with a light colour palette and dim lights in the evening. The times we were there it was super quiet and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. I know that can sometimes feel a bit weird, but here it just added to the staycation vibe!
Smögens Hafvsbad Is My Favourite Buffet Breakfast
If you are anything like me, then you know that there is nothing better than a hotel breakfast. I was in heaven with this one -They have everything you could possibly want! I am talking bacon and eggs, a muesli buffet, to pickled herring sandwiches to carrot cake and a waffle machine! There was also a great section for allergens with gluten free bread and cakes, and lactose free yoghurts!
A Luxury 3 Course Dinner
We were lucky enough to enjoy a 3 course meal in the restaurant on our first night. It was so nice be able to have a delicious dinner and then just roll back to the room afterwards! The first course was salmon tartar with cucumber and carrot sauce which was delicious! It was really great and the portion size was perfect! The second course was an amazing garlic and thyme roasted veal in a red wine sauce. The veal was cooked to perfection and was one of the best meats I have eaten in a long time! We ended up splitting the creme brûlée for dessert too!
Other facilities
Hire Bikes And Explore Smögen
If you are staying for a bit longer and want to do some exploring, Smögens Hafvsbad also rent out bikes! This is the perfect way to see a bit more of the island! Especially because some of the best spots are a bit further away from the town!
makes me want to go there!
It is so relaxing! You’d love it
Wow! Beautiful pictures. I’ve always wanted to visit Sweden; I’m adding this hotel to my list of places to stay. Love it!
I am so happy I have inspired your trip a little bit more!
Wow, gorgeous pictures. It looks amazing there, Katie! And Smögen sounds like such a cute little town. Going to save for my Sweden trip inspo! x Bri
Thank you so much! If you ever make it over give me a shout! x