Arholma Nord

Arholma Nord is my go-to place for Swedish summers, and I indeed go back there every year. Arholma is the northernmost island of the archipelago, and Arholma Nord has big, expansive views of the sea like no other place I’ve been in the archipelago. The island is beautiful, well-preserved (there is a big nature reserve there) and there are many trails around. Arholma Nord has great food and the staff is fantastic! Really good people, always an amazing vibe. I’ve met many people that go back there every year, so I guess we all agree the place is fantastic and worth a visit. Also, the bunker is super cool. I brought friends there who are into military history and they were very impressed with how complete it is, how you can actually imagine yourself as a soldier in there, so if you are into these things, you will probably enjoy the visit as well. Pro tip: wake up before sunrise to enjoy the most beautiful colors you’ve ever seen!

This is a true gem in the Stockholm archipelago. Both the Arholma island but in particular Arholma Nord. So much to do and explore: picnic with amazing view on the mountain, great swimming from cliffs, a small beach, zip-line, a former military base (now museum, a must see with tour guide), mountain-biking, kayaking, stand up paddling, live music, great forest for picking mushrooms and berries and more! Food and drinks are excellent. Arholma Nord works amazingly both for a romantic weekend, family fun or with friends.

This is a true gem in the Stockholm archipelago; both the Arholma island but in particular Arholma Nord. So much to do and explore: great swimming, a small beach, zip lining, a former military base (now museum), mountainbiking, kayaking, stand up paddling, and more! The food is excellent: perfectly cooked meat and fish with a buffet of sides. Arholma Nord works amazingly both for a romantic weekend and as a family resort.

I came there with my family in early May (low season, long before the restaurant/accomodation opens). Our intention was to grill and enjoy the beautiful views. By a mistake we left our picnic grill (engångsgrill) at home. Luckily there was some Arholma Nord personnel, doing some repairs before the season. They were really nice, welcoming and helpful! They've showed us around, and let us grill in one of their outside grills and even gave us their coal and grill starter! Such a nice extra mile. We'll definitely return there in the high season for a few nights.

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.

We loved it here! We stayed in the small cabin by the water - it was basic but really beautiful, and the shared facilities are all as you'd expect from a high-end campsite. The breakfast was great and the food in the restaurant is really tasty - particularly with the unlimited salad buffet.

First the positives: this is a very beautiful place. A spell in the sauna by the lake followed by a dip in the Baltic to cool down is quintessential Scandinavia (or Finland, if we should be honest). The view is absolutely fantastic.||Also, the tour around the now decommissioned coastal artillery battery is a chilling reminder to anyone that this was a closed Cold War frontier area only 20 years ago. For any Swedish males of a certain age it also brings back memories of military service.||Then the mixed/negative: what kind of place should you expect?||The Swedish term "vandrarhem" becomes "Lodge" when you click on the English button. ||I personally think that if you expect a "Hostel", i.e. something very basic, you will be pleasantly surprised. If you think Lodge=Chalet, you might expect more mod-cons and privacy and be underwhelmed.||Therefore the key to enjoying this place is to bring the right gear, the right expectations and the right attitude. This is the great outdoors with the great views, but only a short trip from Stockholm. As such, I can wholeheartedly recommend it!

When I was there with my family the water was not working. We could not shower nor could we could we go to the toilet. Moreover the lock on the door to one of the showers was not working and i accidently locked myself in. The barracks where you sleep are nit very comfortable. It‘s much too hot and the rooms are very very small.