Introducing Sweden’s Pioneering Floating Hotel
In October of 2008, Sweden celebrated the inauguration of its inaugural floating hotel, positioned in close proximity to the restaurant. This establishment also houses a versatile meeting and conference facility, featuring 48 accommodations, and operates seamlessly throughout the year. It provides a serene maritime backdrop for guests to convene, relish delectable fare, and retire to the gentle lullaby of lapping waves.
Despite the tranquil setting, an array of engaging and enjoyable activities await, all centered around the sea, culinary delights, and libations. The team, distinguished by their professionalism and dedication to personalized service, direct their focus towards connecting on a human level, prioritizing each individual over a mere customer. Salt & Sill epitomizes a harmonious blend of contemporary Nordic minimalism, offering an ambiance of tranquility and simplicity.
Salt & Sill is nestled on the historic herring island of Klädesholmen, just off Tjörn, amidst the rugged beauty of Bohuslän’s salty rocks and islets. Since 1999, this establishment has been under the passionate stewardship of individuals deeply devoted to both gastronomy and community.
Today, Salt & Sill encompasses a multifaceted venue comprising a hotel, conference center, and restaurant. With its quayside seating and expansive windows overlooking the sea, it offers an almost surreal proximity to the waters—a truly extraordinary setting for your workday.
Since its inception, Salt & Sill’s culinary narrative has been woven with the threads of locally sourced ingredients from the coast and sea. Our kitchen team enjoys a wide canvas, allowing them to channel their creativity and expertise into crafting top-tier culinary experiences day in and day out.
Boasting a bridge connection and private jetty, Salt & Sill ensures seamless accessibility for our team members, whether arriving by sea or land, all year round. For seasonal staff seeking accommodation, we also provide comfortable housing options.
For over two decades, Salt & Sill has woven a story under the dedicated stewardship of its current owners, Susanna and Patrick Hermansson. They became the proud custodians of this cherished culinary gem on the isle of Klädesholmen. Their fervent passion for both food and people laid the foundation for an internationally acclaimed establishment, which now encompasses not only a renowned restaurant but also a distinguished hotel and conference center.
A Journey with Salt & Herring: The restaurant’s mission, beyond becoming a renowned archipelago eatery, was to offer both summer visitors and Klädesholmen’s residents exquisite cuisine crafted from locally sourced ingredients, heavily influenced by the coastal and marine bounty. Herring, a timeless Swedish culinary tradition with boundless possibilities, became the restaurant’s pièce de résistance.
And where better to house Sweden’s quintessential herring establishment than on Klädesholmen? This ancient fishing village, with roots tracing back to the 15th century, bore witness to early herring salteries and canning factories. Salt & Sill’s ambition then, as it is today, was to kindle guests’ culinary curiosity and ignite their palates with fresh flavors.
Sweden’s Pioneering Floating Hotel: The notion of a hotel had already begun to percolate in the minds of Salt & Sill’s proprietors, Susanna and Patrick, back in 2004. Their vision was a venture that would offer a complete sensory experience in gastronomy, libations, and lodging, all set against Klädesholmen’s tranquil maritime backdrop. A hotel with comprehensive meeting and conference facilities, unlocking an entirely new spectrum of possibilities—year-round—was the answer to their dreams. Given Klädesholmen’s confined terrain, there was only one viable approach—it had to be a floating hotel.
Come March 2005, their dream took a substantial stride towards reality, thanks in no small part to the collaborative efforts of the Tjörn municipality, local businesses, community associations, and Klädesholmen’s residents. All were in unanimous agreement that Sweden’s inaugural floating hotel would elevate Klädesholmen into a sought-after year-round destination. The Environmental Court’s green light in March 2008 marked the commencement of full-throttle hotel construction.
To minimize disruption to residents and the island’s environment, construction unfolded at a nearby quay in Wallhamn. Erecting the hotel on floating pontoons at a different location than its eventual mooring posed a unique challenge. The subsequent hurdle was the relocation itself—on water. In the heart of July 2008, amid sweltering summer heat and a perfectly still Marsstrandsfjord, the six hotel modules were towed from Wallhamn to Ängholmen. Then, they embarked on their final voyage to Klädesholmen, where guests have since savored the experience of living atop the gentle undulations of the sea’s surface.
Spaces for Community and Growth: With the hotel now a proud fixture, Susanna and Patrick’s vision for a year-round thriving enterprise came to fruition. Over the years, interest from both private individuals and conference guests swelled, prompting the next organic step—expanding the conference and banquet facilities. This wasn’t a straightforward undertaking on the island’s limited expanse, yet it was ingeniously resolved through skillful extensions of existing structures. By spring 2013, the new 300-square-meter premises were ready to welcome guests seeking to confer or celebrate in close proximity to the brimming sea.
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Photo Credit: saltosill.se
Contact Info
Address:
Rytterholmen 1,
471 51 Klädesholmen
Phone: +46 304-67 34 80
Email: fo@saltosill.se
Website: saltosill.se