Anna M
Google
I have been twice before at Arholma Nord, under the previous managaement. ||I still love it and will probably return again.||||The most important about Arholma Nord is its location and surroundings. ||That is what I come there for and that is why I keep returning.|||| The location is a remote location by the sea surrounded by beautiful nature, archipelago forest and cliffs. ||It is kind of remote because it takes a long time to travel to Arholma from Stockholm, a beautiful 4.5 hours boat ride through the archipelago, (or 3,5 hours by bus and ferry), ||but also because the 15 - 20 minutes walk from the jetty, partly through the forest, makes it feel kind of remote even on Arholma.||But the remoteness is part of its attractivenes.||||Exploring the island of Arholma itself on which it is located, there is all kinds of archipelago nature and farmland, the old harbour, the village and its buildings, beautiful meadows, small forest lakes, and nice trails by the seashore with views towards the outer skerries and the open sea. |||||| The accomodation itself is in a number of larger or smaller former military barracks scattered around in the archipelago forest. ||The bedrooms are very basic, but furnished with extremely comfortable hotel standard beds. The beds are almost the only furniture there is room for in the rooms, except for a very small bedside table and some hooks on the wall.||Shared showers and toilets in each building, (most of them). ||||There are doubles, some singles, and some rooms that accomodates 3 or 4 persons. ||||The restaurant which also has the reception and serves the breakfast, has a large deck with a view towards the sea, with plenty of seats. This is new since my last visit and review. It's lovely to have your breakfast, or other meals outdoors in nature, ||looking out at the forest and the sea.|| The breakfast is a standard Swedish breakfast buffet, with home made bread, cheese, ham, liver pate, cereals, boiled eggs and Kalle's Kaviar. || During the day the restaurant serves a good lunch and dinner, on which they have put their own touch, but if you want budget food you need to self cater.||||There is a well equipped self service kitchen, and there is a grocery store on the island, by the main jetty.||||The staff are all friendly, relaxed and helpful.||The guests are mixed, younger, older and middle age people, and quite a few families with children. Despite its remoteness it does not feel deserted but is full of happy relaxed people all the time.|||| There is a small beach, and a bathing platform for those that don't like bathing from the cliffs. There are some benches and tables here and there outside. ||There is a short path to a hill with a view over the sea and the surrounding archipelago, beautiful at sunset.|||||| There are some activities, for those that need them; like a guided tour in a Cold war coastal battery now out of use, (recommended), a zipline, and bikes and kayaks for rental. However , in my opinion, the place is about relaxing and enjoying the peaceful and beautiful surroundings.||||The location is about a km from the jetty, a 15 - 20 minutes walk from the jetty. There is a transport for every boat, that will transport your luggage, (if you can bear leaving the luggage until the transport arrives), but you yourself will have to walk. ||||The hostels on Arholma do not fill up as quickly as some of the other hostels in the archipelago, which might be due, I assume, to the time it takes to get to Arholma.||||This, is definitely an outdoors, wilderness hostel type of place, but with some comforts, and it is good to have that expectation when booking it.
