Avalon, Gothenburg – Routes North

Of all the luxury hotels in Gothenburg, Avalon has the strongest focus on art and design. Everywhere you look, unusual shapes and colours seem to pop out from the walls and furnishings, adding a cool, playful feel to the place.

Just across from the tourist office in the main shopping district, the hotel is easy enough to spot: tilt your head upwards on a sunny day and you might see folks swimming in the rooftop pool, which hangs out over the street.

Inside, the whole place is brimming with sculptures and paintings, and there are high-end furnishings by designers such as Arne Jacobsen (his famous swan and egg chairs decorate the suites). It’s not all Nordic, however – look around and you’ll find influences from across the world. Indeed, the whole place was built with feng shui in mind, so you won’t see many sharp edges as you explore the public spaces.

One of the things we really like about this hotel is that its ground-floor bar spills out onto the street and attracts plenty of passing locals. You can grab a bite to eat here, too; the menu features hamburgers, pasta, prawn sandwiches and caviar toast with lemon jelly.

The cheapest bedrooms at Avalon aren’t that spectacular but if you upgrade to a superior room or higher you’ll get something a little different – an in-room multi-gym machine, for example, or a circular bed.

Breakfast is laid out for guests each morning and features more than the usual toast and cereal. There’s cured salmon, pâté, fresh fruit and – for those who overdid it in the bar – packets of vitamin tablets and paracetamol.