Lydmar Hotel - Stockholm

It’s like the Swedes invented cool. That achingly-yet-effortless blend of it. If this wasn’t already clear as we cruised round Stockholm’s glistening waterfront then it certainly became so as we walked through the Lydmar’s grand white-stone façade and into this Scandi see-and-be-seen sanctuary.

A handsome crowd filled the bustling lobby, schmoozing, lunching and lounging on the plush inviting sofas. Bold photographs of beautiful men adorned the walls and the affable receptionist explained the hotel’s revolving exhibition series: for our visit it was an homage to men’s fashion. Without wishing to pay the posterboys too much notice and upset Mr Smith before we got as far as our room, I refocussed my attention on the bookshelves and hand-picked artwork. There are books everywhere you look; among the hefty design and travel tomes there was a kitsch vintage Butlins holiday annual as well as an exhaustive guide to sausage-making – the Lydmar caters for all.

Up the grand sweeping staircase and up to our spacious room and all well-intentioned thoughts of exploring Stockholm’s every corner disappeared as we feasted our eyes on the white-linen-covered bed. Through the expansive windows there was an unparalleled view of the city, from the cobbled streets below us to the stucco walls of the terracotta houses across the water.

Steeling ourselves to resist the siren call  of the bed and the bathtub, we wrapped up warm and bravely booked onto a winter ferry ride leaving from Strömkajen port – right on our doorstep. Embracing the –5 degrees temperatures, we headed straight for the top deck and cosied up together on a reindeer skin; thanks to blankets adding to our initial five layers, we were soon snug.

Sweden’s snow-covered landscape is even more striking from the water, and our trusty tour guide Ulrika was brimming with impressive facts about submarines, Vikings and – of course – Abba. The Stockholm archipelago is made up of some 30,000 islands; Ulrika waxed lyrical about how spectacular they are to sail around in summer. In fact, it seemed as though Ulrika’s number-one Stockholm tip was to visit in summer. We held our blankets a little closer and our hot chocolates a little tighter, and our minds drifted to that most popular of Swedish pastimes… no, not that one.

The Lydmar Hotel doesn’t have a spa of its own but it does have the next best thing; access to the Nordic Spa in the neighbouring Grand Hotel. And what could be more Swedish than an afternoon in a sauna in Stockholm? The spa is a dramatic labyrinth of pools and relaxation rooms lit by a dim firelight. I finally managed to find Mr Smith among the bubbles; a Jacuzzi, steam and green tea or two later and we were wholly defrosted.

Aiming to match the natives in the style stakes, I slipped on a black number I’d found earlier in Cos (one slice of Sweden I can afford to take home with me) and joined Mr Smith at the bar. There was no Scandi minimalism in the restaurant-bar area at the Lydmar – it felt more like a friend’s welcoming living room than anything else. The Swedes have a specific word – mysig (pronounced me-sig) – to describe this cosiness. So appealing was this atmosphere, and so numbing was the temperature outside, that we opted to keep our cockles warm and not stray for dinner.

Having feasted on traditional Swedish fare while out exploring this city, a menu that didn’t threaten to wheel out any pickled herrings or meatballs was welcome. Our first-rate steak tartare and grilled tuna devoured, and as tables were cleared, the lights went down, the volume cranked up and a crowd of chic locals descended for the night as though it was their own. Our marshmallow-soft bed beckoned.

Come daybreak and the view from our room came into its own as the sun rose over the Baltic Sea showcasing the Old Town and Royal Palace in a new and romantic glow. Tough decisions settled (stone bath versus rain shower), and one L’Occitane soak later we were set for another day’s exploring. Downstairs the Lydmar’s brunch crew were already up and at it; Cara Delevingne’s doppelgänger was spinning Sunday tunes as her dog doze quietly under the decks. We took advantage of the breakfast spread and tucked into pancakes, poached eggs, fresh fruit and pastries, all washed down with a top-notch Bloody Mary.

To banish Saturday night’s cobwebs for good, we took a stroll around snow-covered Djurgården island, a city park also home to countless monuments and museums. An amble down a winding path brought us out unexpectedly at the rather wonderful Rosendals Trägård. This charming hidden garden sits beside old greenhouses selling locally made homewares, fresh organic produce and insanely good cakes. This might be the most populous city  in the Nordic region, but we got a true taste of rural Swedish life without stepping out of it.

Stockholm, with its elegant buildings, open spaces and expanses of water, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and the Lydmar sits in its heart. This may be a dream base for urban adventures – Bibliotekstan’s designer shops, the National Museum and the Old Town are just a skip away – but Lydmar Hotel also has a scene of its own: in warm weather, when Stockholm gleefully makes the most of those blissfully long summer days,  its pretty second-floor terrace and live music make it a lively evening hang-out. We better follow Ulrika’s advice… and head back in the summer.