Avalon Hotel

Class: First

Style: Modern design

Rooms: 101

The Swedish tradition of warming guests is alive and well in Gothenburg. This ancient port city with a newly vibrant downtown is now anchored by the Avalon at the center of the Kungsportsplatsen district. However, the hotel is a destination in itself, with a lodge-like feel produced by jutting angles, a mix of low and high ceilings and abundant use of wide swathes of light wood. The Avalon Restaurant and Bar on the ground floor offers gourmet dining as well as an international bar and a wine-tasting room. A rooftop swimming pool and penthouse terrace offer views of Gothenburg's main boulevards and the Storan theatre. The 101 spacious rooms continue the rough-hewn lodge theme, managing to be both modern and cosy with their wood accents and low-slung feel. Earth-tones aren't the only game, however: luxurious materials, including white marble, and chiaroscuro effects ensure a visually harmonious environment equipped with typical modern high-tech. Every detail, from lighting to artwork, helps contribute to the overall aesthetic pleasure. But this is no cold paradise, rather a testimony to an emerging holistic school of design and comfort in Scandanavia.