Just 25-minute boat ride from the center of Stockholm, Nacka Strand lies at the beginning of the city’s picturesque archipelago. Life is unhurried, noise ebbs away and there are calming leafy views of Djurgården island across the water. This is the peaceful setting for Hotel J, a 19th-century seaside villa that has recently emerged after a refresh as a year-round wellbeing retreat, combining Scandinavian design, locavore food, and wellness rituals rooted in nature.
Led by Helena Toresson, Wingårdhs Architects were tasked with designing several new additions: the Terrace, the Panorama Sauna, the Pavilion, and the Garden House. Throughout the summer, the Terrace is the perfect spot for long lunches, sundowners, and casual suppers by the water’s edge. Seasonal Swedish flavors from both sea and land appear on the international menu, created by head chef Henrik Wittgren. The rest of the year, the space can be used for private events and social gatherings. At Christmas, it will be transformed into a winter wonderland, illuminated by lights, where guests will gather for mulled wine, before a special festive buffet created by Michelin-star chef Mathias Dahlgren.
The soothing water vistas continue at the Panorama Sauna, which offers a moment to recharge, while the Pavilion is a nature-inspired oasis for wellness classes. Both are available for private bookings and open sessions as part of the wellbeing program which runs Friday to Sunday, expanding to daily in the summer. Classes are split into two sections: dynamic (such as pilates, calisthenics and body strength) and recovery (for instance, yin yoga, breathwork, sound journeys). Other mindful activities, like forest bathing and wild herb walks, further connect guests with the bucolic surroundings. Meanwhile, pampering spa treatments include a rejuvenating aromatic massage, ultrasound therapy, and reiki with chakra balancing.
Created in collaboration with Nobis Hospitality Group’s gardener Jessica Lyon, the Herb Garden is divided into three levels, each carefully structured to naturally collect and recycle rainwater – as well as encouraging guests to smell, taste and linger. The scented garden features red and orange tones that harmonize with the hotel’s façade; the healing garden is planted with herbs such as lemon verbena, rosemary and lavender which feature in both gastronomy and spa treatments; and the serene garden is a swathe of blue hues that reflect the colors of the sea. Finally, The Garden House isan exclusive hideaway with its own lush garden, 27 rooms, and an inviting lounge all under one roof—ideal for events, or larger groups travelling together who prefer next-level seclusion.
During the hotel’s three-year renovation, all 158 rooms were also revamped, with a focus on reuse and sustainable design. Key to the project was retaining all the oak, treating it with new finishes, and reupholstering the furniture. This, alongside a warm, neutral palette, results in a restful, modern Nordic sensibility. For those wanting the complete wellbeing experience, Signature Seaview rooms come with a red-light therapy lamp; a science-based wellbeing journal, The Algorithms of Life; yoga mats; and carefully selected aromatherapy oils, herbal teas, and supplements, as well as a rooftop terrace overlooking the harbor.
Wellbeing is the underlying thread throughout Hotel J’s transformation, whether guests wish to sign up for wellness classes, savor a cup of tea in the garden after a swim off the private jetty or enjoy a guided sauna ceremony overlooking the sea. This is somewhere to pause and reset while embracing the healing power of nature.
Hotel website
Hotel J
Ellensviksvagen 1
Stockholm, 131 28
Sweden
+46 8 601 30 00
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