Sweden’s first gastronomy hotel filled with small town charm and classic Swedish design
PM & Vänner / Växjö / Sweden
PM the restaurant was launched back in 1992 by two friends, Per and Monica (hence the name PM). It quickly became a place that people started to talk about, well beyond Växjö and the region of Småland where it is located. It didn’t take long before they received their first awards and soon also a Michelin star. This lead to people from all over Sweden and beyond started to travel to Växjö to experience the culinary fabulousness, but this is where a problem occurred. There wasn’t any good places to stay that matched the ambition or the level of the restaurant. So for entrepreneurs Per and Monica there was only one thing to do, to take matter into their own hands and build their own hotel. And this is how Sweden’s first gastro hotel came about.
To create something really unique and in line with the profile of the restaurant they commissioned super-architect Jonas Lindvall and for the interior they decided to work with one of my absolute favorites and truly iconic Swedish designer, Ingegerd Råman. This was a match made in heaven. What they have created is something that brings together the local with the international, the traditional with the contemporary and the result is something that feels timeless.
The 74 rooms is a tribute to local Swedish design and most of the material used was sourced locally, like the lime stone used in the bathrooms is from nearby island of Öland, the rugs from Kasthall, floors are made of local oak and so on.
If you come to stay here, make sure you are hungry. If you want to snag one of the tables in the fine dining restaurant you have to book well in advance. If you like us are ok with the more relaxed, the bistro serves delicious food in a retro French looking local. And if you are in the mood for something sweat, just go around the corner and the bakery will have you covered.
PM has almost an entire block in Växjö where you’ll find several restaurants, a flower shop a bakery/café, a beauty salon and the hotel.
I love the splashes of color in the otherwise discreet color scheme in our room.
The interior is very Scandinavian. Clean lines and uncluttered.
Most of the interior is from local (or local-ish) producers/deigners. Like the rugs in our room that is from world renowned Kasthall. The floor is limestone from the nearby island of Öland. And the list goes on and on.
I love this powerful Scandinavian light and how it filled up our room.
On the roof top there is are two pools and a bar/restaurant where they have a great brunch in the weekends.
It is great to see how the hotel blends into the city scape.
The PM Bakery located at the back of the hotel is well worth a visit. This is a classic trio in my book: a shrimp sandwich, a cardamom bun and a great cappuccino.
The are of Småland is known for the deep forests and the many, many lakes. I recommend borrowing one of the bikes from the hotel and explore the area. This is Barnsjön, a short bike ride from central Växjö.
I love these pine forests, with the ground covered in the green and how the light is filtered through the crowns of the trees.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…are a foodie and if you appreciate solid, Swedish design and hospitality. If you are looking for a weekend retreat beyond the three main cities of Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö this could be the place for you.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the quality. It feels like nothing is left to chance. It doesn’t matter if I am referring to the cappuccino in the bakery, the bed-linen, the art work, the service or the food, it is all delivered with so much passion, attention to detail and solid quality.
The quality booster…
…is to have a Michelin star restaurant in the hotel (if you like me appreciate a relaxed dinner experience the bistro is equally great).
Selected by RG Coffee Index…
…is a clear 5. The coffee here is top. You might even think you are somewhere in Italy while drinking it. It is that good.
What not to miss when staying here is…
…to explore the region. If you like nature you have come to the right place. There is plenty! Deep forests, countless lakes, dramatic seaside… And this is Sweden’s centre for glass so you can find some really beautiful pieces to bring home, for example the classic Palio or Dagg vases from nearby Skruf.
If you like this hotel you might also like…
Talldungen, Brösarp, Sweden
La Maison, Saarlouis, Germany
Mühltalhof, Unternberg, Austria
Dorsia, Göteborg, Sweden
