Islands #2: Gotland

The island: Gotland
Gotland is a beautiful island off the eastern coast of Sweden. A secret well kept by the Swedes, and it doesn't surprise me as this is the kind of place you don't want many people to know about.  To get to Gotland you need to take a ferry in Nynäshamn which will take you to Visby, the capital city. Check http://www.destinationgotland.se/

The bed: Fabriken Furillen

http://www.furillen.nu/
When you arrive to Visby, it will take you about 45 minutes by car to get to Lärbro, where Furillen is. Driving along the island and looking at the landscape it's hard to imagine the kind of hotel you will find, until you take a turn and far away you see the two big "mountains" of stone, that tell you: there it is. Will there be anyone there? Because it is quite a trip to reach this unique hotel. And yes, once you arrive you find there are other cars, indeed other people found it. And there you are, literally in the middle of nowhere in the most amazing location by the sea, an ultramodern hotel, full of scandinavian minimalism but warm and elegant. And they have an excellent restaurant for dinner, which is such a relief as there is not much around you can go to. But you really won't feel like it anyway. End of the evening you get into your Hästens bed, have a good night sleep and wake up to a great breakfast. Take one of the bikes they have at your disposal and just ride around the area or take a walk along the sea.

&Z: Make sure you buy a little wool carpet for under your bed. Visit the Bageri Cafe and take a short ferry to Färo, worth spending 1/2 day.