Review: Varbergs Kusthotell

We arrived to find the enormous buildings surrounded by sand dunes, grasses and unruly wild roses. It looked as though nature had spent decades reclaiming the edges of the property. The slightly secluded location added to the effect: from here, the bay almost feels like it belongs to the hotel.

Then we discovered that much of this landscape was brand new.

Two large asphalt turning areas had been removed and replaced with coastal planting and sculpted dunes. It is an inspired piece of landscaping. The solid old buildings suddenly feel at home in their surroundings, with the beach and sea taking their rightful place in the foreground.

The art of getting lost

The spa was the reason we came, and our expectations were high. Two newly designed floors opened in May 2026, the first major stage of an expansion that will eventually take the spa from approximately 400 to 3,000 square metres.

Developed by interior architect Petra Hjelm and Danish architecture practice Norm Architects, the new interiors draw on the site’s sanatorium history and the textures of the Halland coast. Tall windows, timber, stone and fabrics create a series of spaces that make inventive use of the old building.

We soon lost track of how many rooms we had explored.

On the second floor, saunas inspired by nature bear names such as Skog (forest), Hav (sea), Blomster (blossom) and Sten (stone). Their design challenges expectations. Fabrics soften the interiors, timber-framed windows bring in daylight and stone benches provide gentler heat. Some rooms barely resemble saunas at all.

There are footbaths, spaces for washing and grooming and places to rest between the different experiences. Upstairs, an orangery, tea room and salon with a fireplace extend the possibilities, while another relaxation room has mattresses filled with sand.

The layout is labyrinthine, which turns out to be part of the pleasure. You wander into a room, find something unexpected, settle in for a while and eventually move on. There is always another corner to investigate.

No treatments, no problem

Perhaps the most radical decision is to dispense with conventional spa treatments altogether. No massages, facials (other than the one you apply on your own) or appointments to organise your afternoon around.

Instead, the hotel has placed its faith in the environments themselves. Guests choose how to spend their time, moving between temperatures, sensations and spaces without a prescribed sequence.

It is a bold decision for a spa hotel, and one that makes sense once you are there. The freedom to explore becomes an experience in its own right. There is enough variety to occupy several days, and enough comfortable places to spend an entire afternoon doing remarkably little.

An hour well spent

One of our favourite experiences was outdoors. Three heated pools overlook the back of the main building, and on a chilly autumn evening we found ourselves staying in one for almost an hour. Mist drifted across the water, the sky turned dark and the surrounding lights gradually came on.

The original indoor pool remains in operation while the next phase of redevelopment continues. A new ground-floor bathing area is planned for summer 2027.

Even without it, the spa offers a remarkable amount to explore. We could easily have spent another day moving between the different environments, returning to favourites and finding places we had missed.

Severins, seriously

We expected a great spa, but we had no idea what to expect from the restaurant.

Severins, named after sanatorium founder Johan Severin Almer, reopened in June 2026 with a focus on fish, seafood, seasonal produce and cooking over fire. The new dining rooms and bar have the considered feel of a restaurant with ambitions of its own.

We began at the bar with Kustens Dimma (Coastal Mist), a cocktail combining reposado tequila, basil, lime and sea salt, and a glass of Riesling. Both arrived with attentive service and conversation that made us feel immediately at ease.

Then came the bread and butter.

We were told that the hotel employs someone dedicated to developing its butter, with previous experience at Copenhagen’s Noma. A butter specialist. At a spa hotel in Varberg. We were already intrigued.

Our starters included slices of tuna with grilled acidic tomatoes and butter-fried mushrooms with crispy Jerusalem artichoke, Comté and hazelnuts.

From the grill came turbot quenelles threaded onto a skewer, accompanied by chips, grilled vegetables and hand-whisked béarnaise. The presentation had an appealing sense of humour, backed by very accomplished cooking.

The evening’s standout was saithe with steamed rice, Swedish saffron, seasonal mushrooms and aged cheese sauce. The richness suggested a risotto, but the combination had its own character, with savoury depth and acidity that kept the flavours lively.

The wine list leans towards France, particularly Burgundy and the Loire, with further selections from Germany, Austria and Italy.

Dessert brought a miniature baked Alaska of hazelnut ice cream, Italian meringue, rosemary and caramel, alongside a chocolate fondant with vanilla gelato.

There is a confidence to the kitchen that we found infectious. The dishes were thoughtful, occasionally surprising and genuinely pleasurable to eat. We hadn’t expected Severins to be one of the highlights of our trip. It definitely was.

Breakfast without the buffet

The following morning, we discovered that the restaurant had another trick up its sleeve.

Guests booking selected packages can choose an à la carte breakfast in a smaller dining room instead of the buffet. We took that option, and it became one of the most enjoyable parts of our stay.

The format is simple. Fresh bread from Dan Bakstudio in central Varberg arrives at the table, accompanied by three butters: salted, dill and mushroom. Then you order from a menu of small, carefully composed dishes, as many as you fancy.

There is long-cooked porridge with apple compote, almond butter and toasted buckwheat, whipped yoghurt with Swedish blueberries and flower honey, and mustard herring with chopped egg and crispbread. Warm dishes include creamy eggs with braised pork and tomato marmalade, cold-smoked salmon with poached egg and browned-butter hollandaise, and potato rösti with sour cream and onions.

Each plate is almost a miniature artwork, small enough to encourage another order. And another.

Juices, apple must, coffee and tea came to the table, while a handsome wooden trolley made its rounds with cheeses, buns, croissants, chocolates and pastries.

A dessert trolley loaded with goodies at nine in the morning? We weren’t going to argue.

People make the difference

For all the impressive design and culinary ambition, the staff were crucial to the experience.

We encountered a team representing numerous nationalities, combining an international outlook with an evident connection to the area. The service was knowledgeable and well trained, delivered with a welcome absence of ceremony.

The transformation is still visible elsewhere. The reception has yet to find the same character as the newly designed spaces, and parts of the property still belong to the previous hotel. Yet the hospitality already feels remarkably coherent. The people seem to understand exactly what kind of place Varbergs Kusthotell wants to become.