Who doesn’t love taking a day or two off for a swell long weekend break? We sure do, and it’s something we hope to do more of in the New Year. But rather than going abroad for a weekend, we’re staying right at home. Honestly, chances are you live in a really cool city, but amid work and other bores, never get the chance to enjoy all that it has to offer. So why spend loads of time and money on dreary travel, when you’ve got an awesome weekend escape right in your backyard?

Our local favourite “home away from home” is called Ett Hem, which expectedly, translates as “a home”. And it really lives up to its name! Even though it only opened in 2012 it feels like it has been lived in for ages, located in a beautiful 12-bedroom townhouse, decorated with an abundance of modern art and a lovely garden. The atmosphere isn’t very hotel-like, but rather like you’re a guest staying at a (well-off) friends place. During the cold Swedish winter you can curl up in front of a fire in the sitting room, retreat into the library for a quiet read or sip a cocktail by the piano. There’s a gym if you feel like being active, and a marble hammam if you feel like a steam.

The twelve rooms at Ett Hem are all unique, just as you would expect in a private house. Some are more spacious, others more compact, but they all share that warm domestic feeling created by a Swedish sensibility using tactile materials such as oak, Gotland stone, and sheepskin. Several of the rooms have open fireplaces or tiled stoves. The bathrooms are lovely, most of them with walk in rain showers, and the brass cocktail cabinets are a nice touch.

There aren’t any fancy a la carte options for meals, but the home-style meal service adds to the family feel. We loved eating in the kitchen, watching the chef prepare us treat after treat, but you can also choose to dine more formally in the library. And the garden glasshouse is a great place for breakfast!

The staff, whom are remarkably friendly and relaxed, make you feel even more at home. Ett Hem is definitely one of the most beautiful, stylish, and comfortable places in Stockholm. Most importantly, it feels just like home.