Hotels · Sweden · Halland
Falkenberg Strandbad: a pool club by the Kattegat
A long wooden pier, clear water, a glasshouse pool club and a peach sour served with a kiss. One night on the Swedish west coast was not enough.
The verdict
The rooms are not the point here; the experience is. A walk on the pier, a slow morning in the Pool Club and dinner by the window make this one of the most relaxing hotels on the Swedish coast.
The pier starts right at the edge of the beach and keeps going, plank after plank, far out over clear water. On a summer evening people walk it slowly, stop to watch the light, and every now and then someone climbs down the ladder for a swim. Falkenberg Strandbad sits right behind it, a long, white seaside hotel facing the Kattegat.
We stayed for just one night in August, to celebrate an anniversary. It was not enough.
Around the hotel
Falkenberg is a small town on Sweden’s west coast, halfway between Gothenburg and Malmö. The beach in front of the hotel is long, sandy and shallow, with water so clear you can see every ripple in the sand. Perfect for long walks.
The beach
And then there is the pier. Walk it in the evening, when the light turns gold. Or swim from it at night, like the staff do after their shift.
Clear water rolling onto the sand in front of the hotel.
The rooms
The room itself was not the most impressive part of our stay, and we suspect it is not the reason most people come. But the welcome was lovely: a red heart balloon tied to the bed, sweets, and a handwritten card wishing us a happy anniversary.
The Pool Club
This is the heart of the hotel. Under a glass roof, a long pool is lined with olive trees, parasols and soft, double lounge beds. What struck us most was that it never felt crowded, the way spas so often do. There was always an empty lounge bed waiting.
The Pool Club
Set aside a whole morning. Order from the pool bar and they bring it to your lounge bed: we had grilled Cubano sandwiches with avocado and bacon, spiced melon and drinks, with the pool in front of us and the sea beyond. A perfect morning, even when it is cold outside.
The glasshouse pool, on a slow morning.
Next to the pool is a fire relaxation room: dim light, a crackling fireplace and a row of daybeds. Upstairs, the bar has more double lounge beds where you can order a drink and look out over the sea.
The fire room
Our tip: order the signature peach sour. It arrives with a pink lipstick kiss on the foam.
The fire relaxation room.
Food and drink
Dinner is served in a restaurant with tall windows and a wide view over the beach, or out on a pleasant terrace. The food was very good, but it was the service we remember: our waiter told us that the staff like to swim from the pier after their shift, and that a night swim out there is something special. At breakfast, the fireplace in the restaurant was lit.
Dinner
There is also an outdoor pool in front of the hotel, with sun loungers and a view of the sea.
Dessert, with the beach outside.
What we loved
- The Pool Club, with room to relax even on a busy day
- Lunch and drinks served straight to our lounge bed
- The pier, at any time of day
- Personal service, from the anniversary surprise to the waiter’s night-swim tip
Worth knowing
- The rooms are comfortable but not the highlight; spend your time in the Pool Club
- Children have quite limited access to the Pool Club, though they will love the beach
- One night is too short. Stay at least two
Good to know
Falkenberg Strandbad really suits almost everyone: couples, friends, and families who want a beach holiday. Our best tip is to set aside a full morning in the Pool Club, and to order food and drinks to your lounge bed.
A lovely summer escape: clear water, long walks, and one of the most relaxing pool clubs we have found in Scandinavia.
More stays
