As summer slowly gives way to autumn, Scandinavia reveals a particularly atmospheric side of itself.
September brings milder temperatures, golden light and landscapes that gradually begin to change colour.
The bustle of summer fades, while nature gently signals the arrival of a new season.
It is an invitation to slow down, step outside and savour the flavours and landscapes of the far north.
From Denmark and Norway to Sweden, nine Relais & Châteaux properties invite travellers to experience this special transition between summer and autumn.
Along dramatic fjords and rugged coastlines, in historic cities and amid unspoilt nature, the same Scandinavian art of living takes centre stage: staying close to nature, enjoying each moment with intention and following the rhythm of the seasons.
Worldwide, Relais & Châteaux boasts 580 unique, independently operated hotels and restaurants, united by strong values and a devotion to excellence across every aspect of hospitality.
Originating in France in 1954, and now present in 65 countries, the Association works to celebrate the distinct art de vivre of every global destination.
Led by passionate hoteliers, chefs and restaurateurs, each of its properties cultivates a meaningful sense of place by nurturing its individual cultural, gastronomy.
The 9 new Scandinavian properties include:
STOCKHOLM STADSHOTELL, Stockholm, Sweden
At the heart of Södermalm, Stockholm Stadshotell reinvents the stadshotell: a kind of central hotel where residents and travelers alike have gathered socially since the 19th century.
Housed in a landmark building constructed between 1873 and 1875 in honor of King Oscar I, the intimate retreat of 32 rooms and suites has been meticulously restored with the ambition of carrying forward this distinctly Swedish tradition.
A bustling restaurant and bar, inviting lounges, a sauna and cold plunge, and a secluded courtyard create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels worlds away from the conventions of ostentatious luxury.
Food and drink sit at the center of it all, and the region’s finest ingredients are showcased through menus inspired by the passing seasons and herbs grown in the kitchen garden.
Upstairs, the hotel’s second restaurant, Matsalen, is housed in the beautifully restored former chapel and beneath its soaring historic vaults, hosts rotating guest residencies and special events.
As daylight lingers well into the evening, the courtyard becomes a lively gathering place where locals and visitors come together to savor the gentle pleasures of Scandinavia’s long summer nights.
DYVIG BADEHOTEL, Nordborg, Denmark
In the Dyvig Bay on the Danish island of Als, the sun seems reluctant to turn in. Set right on the water’s edge, Dyvig Badehotel carries forward the tradition of badehotels: coastal hotels that have been an integral part of Denmark’s summer way of life for more than a century.
Guests come here to breathe in the sea air, watch sailboats drift through the channel, linger through long, luminous evenings, and settle into a gentler rhythm of life.
Its seventeen rooms and six suites embody a warm, understated elegance, where antiques and contemporary design coexist in effortless harmony.
At the table, Chefs John Bech Amstrup and Christian Lebech celebrate the bounty of the Baltic, while the brasserie offers a refined interpretation of stjerneskud, one of Denmark’s most iconic dishes. This special spot quietly reminds us that summer freshness is not just a climate. It is a culture, a landscape, and a way of being.
HOTEL UNION ØYE, Norangsfjorden, Norway
On the shores of Norangsfjorden, deep within the fjords and Sunnmøre Alps of Norway, Hotel Union Øye belongs to that rare category of places that seem to hold the very memory of travel within their walls. For generations, the hotel has drawn writers in search of inspiration, as well as adventurers in pursuit of extraordinary landscapes and distant narratives.
Its 38 individually designed rooms are named after notable guests who have passed through its doors, including Karen Blixen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edvard Grieg, and Roald Amundsen.
The summer season is the ideal moment to explore this fjord country: narrow waterways, towering mountains, and tailored trails through some of Scandinavia’s most untamed terrain.
At the height of summer, daylight lingers for nearly twenty hours, extending each day into a long, luminous continuum.
Union Øye is not an easy destination; it must be earned. Yet within this setting, at once mineral and lush, gentle and profoundly powerful, travel takes on an unmistakably literary dimension.
