Ellery Beach House describes itself as a Disneyland for adults, but that rather undersells it in my opinion. Set on the waterfront on Lidingö, outside central Stockholm, it combines the fun of a beach club with Scandi design, great food and drink, and enough opportunities for R&R that if you check in for a long weekend, you might never want to leave the grounds.
The setting – 8/10
Ellery sits at Elfviks Udde on Lidingö, a small island municipality around 20 minutes by car from central Stockholm. The hotel is surrounded by water, pine forest and walking trails. One sunny morning we walked almost 10km through the surrounding countryside, past coastlines, flower farms where you can pick your own bouquets, and a children's petting zoo.
The location is glorious if you're coming for Ellery itself, less so if your priority is sightseeing in the city. While Ubers into Stockholm were quick and easy, once we'd settled in, we rarely wanted to leave.
Eat – 9/10
There are two main restaurants. Palmers is the calmer, brasserie-style option with a large outdoor terrace. Coco is livelier, serving Latin American-inspired grills, seafood and sharing plates. There's live music at Coco on Friday and Saturday (although not on the Saturday that we were there and nobody could quite figure out why – perhaps because our stay clashed with a wedding) and dinner, which started with a choice of shots (alcoholic or non!) and ended with a dance.
Everything we ate was excellent (at Palmers the steak tartare is made at the table and is amazing), but the cocktails deserve almost equal billing. Drinks at Ellery are serious and delicious – do not miss the chocolate negroni. They can be ordered directly to the pools, while champagne buttons beside some day beds summon refreshments without you having to move. Food and drink aren't cheap, though, so costs can mount quickly.
Sleep – 8/10
The entry-level Petite Mini Double rooms are genuinely petite: just 14sq m with a queen-size bed, shower room and views across Lidingö. They're stylish but small; something worth noting if space matters to you.
We stayed in a larger room in a newer section of the hotel, with considerably more space, a super-king bed and en-suite bathroom. The décor was so great (dark wooden panelling is contrasted with white linens and pops of pastel pinks and greens) that I have saved a bank of photos for home renovation inspiration.
Play – 9/10
There's almost too much to fit into a weekend: three padel courts, indoor and outdoor gym facilities, games, summer SUP and miles of surrounding countryside to explore.
And then there's Stockholm. We managed the Vasa Museum and ABBA Museum before the heavens opened and Ellery lured us back. But we squeezed a lot of cultural fun into one morning – the ABBA karaoke booths aren’t soundproofed, incidentally. Consider yourself warned.
Relax – 10/10
This is where Ellery excels. Coco Beach Club has four heated pools, saunas, relaxation rooms and a bathing jetty stretching into the Baltic. Take a cold-water plunge and you can be warming up in the waterside sauna moments later.
The relaxation rooms are pure Scandi interior inspiration, with beautiful day beds, soft furnishings and fireplaces, while my massage and body treatment took me from relaxed to almost asleep.
It's not a quiet vibe though; the unwinding happens alongside cocktails and relaxed partying. Most guests are Swedish and I hadn't realised quite what a party culture the country has. Albeit in a refined way (the hen-dos didn’t interrupt us at all). While there are busier parts, there was always somewhere more secluded to escape with a book.
Value – 8/10
Double Room: From 2,175 kr (includes breakfast and beach club access). From 3,190 kr (includes breakfast, beach club access, and three-course dinner)
Stockholm isn’t a cheap destination and Ellery is far from a budget hotel. I'd look carefully at the packages rather than simply booking room-only, particularly as some include breakfast, dinner and Coco Beach Club access, which really is necessary. It is possible to book hotel accommodation without the Beach Club, but it would severely limit your experience.
With Beach Club access, the value lies in how much there is to do without leaving. If you make full use of the pools, saunas, gym and activities, it feels much more like a resort stay than simply paying for a hotel room.
Overall score – 9/10
Ellery was a bit of a wild card for me and my friend. Our original plan when visiting had been to explore Stockholm. But when the beach club popped up on my searches, I found myself wondering if I could combine a beach break and a city break - the pictures of sunloungers and sea views entranced me.
You sort of can. The hotel was close enough to town for sightseeing, but in reality the beach club was too tempting to resist! Even in decidedly mixed weather, the Beach House has created an environment where the show must go on – despite the rain. Heated pools, fireside relaxation rooms, cocktails delivered to your lounger and a sauna located right next to the jetty to warm up after a plunge into the Baltic make this a superior year-round destination.
Our stay was fun, energetic and pleasingly age-inclusive: young groups, couples and guests of all ages happily coexisted in a way that Europe seems to manage so much better than the UK. I’ll have to get back to Stockholm for the sights another time!
- The chocolate negroni is not to be missed
- Coco Beach Club access costs more, but it really is necessary if you want to make the most of your stay
- If travelling with children, make sure you check the age restrictions on the Beach Club and pools before you travel to avoid disappointment
Booking details
Website: ellerybeachhouse.com
Room, Breakfast, Beach Club Access, 3 course dinner and doubleroom: From 3.190kr
Room, Breakfast, Beach Club Access and doubleroom: From 2.175kr
Address: Ellery Beach House AB, Elfviks Udde, 181 90 Lidingö, Org.nr 556947-5006
Phone: +46 (0)8 505 637 00
Accessibility: Reasonably. The hotel features an elevator, stair-free entrance paths, accessible parking, and multiple specially-adapted accessible rooms located in the annex
Family-friendly: Yes, although there are some specific age restrictions for the pool and beach club areas which change with the seasons (please check before booking)
Dog-friendly: Yes (for a fee)
Sophie was a guest of Ellery Beach House Stockholm. All hotels and experiences have been independently reviewed by our expert writers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis, but this never affects our review process.