Nov 30, 2021 • 6 min read
Live like a lighthouse master in this new hotel on a remote Swedish island
Sep 29, 2020 • 2 min read
A new hotel has opened on a remote Swedish island © Erik Nissen Johansen
A new hotel has been created on Sweden’s remote Hamneskär island, which is home to the famous Pater Noster lighthouse. It is on the site of the former 19th-century lighthouse master’s home on the rocky isle, giving a perfect view of the wild surroundings.
The tiny island of Hamneskär is located off Marstrand on the Swedish west coast. It got its name because the extremely hazardous waters surrounding the island inspired seafarers to read the Lord’s Prayer - Pater Noster in Latin - when their ships approached the dangerous reefs. The lighthouse was constructed in 1868 and given the name Pater Noster as a tribute to the sailors’ prayers.
Although the island was considered uninhabitable, a house was built for the lighthouse master, his family and staff. For almost 110 years, generations of lighthouse keepers lived with their families in this extreme environment, caring for the lighthouse, rescuing shipwrecked sailors and creating a small and isolated society of its own. Swedish design agency Stylt has now transformed the lighthouse master’s old home, creating nine guest rooms accommodating up to 18 guests, a restaurant, bar and outdoor café.
Guests arrive by rib boat from Marstrand or Gothenburg, and are offered back-to-nature pursuits such as sailing, kayaking, scuba diving, cookery lessons and meditation in the lighthouse itself. Short story writing is encouraged, and the quiet ‘gunpowder cabin’ offers the ideal writing den. Guests can also try deep-sea fishing and cooking their catch.
“During my 30 years within the hospitality business, I have rarely come across such a unique destination,” says Stylt founder, Erik Nissen Johansen. “It’s all there - the remote location, the fantastic nature, the extreme weather conditions, the thrilling history - and great hospitality with a dash of roughness and low-key luxury."
For further information, please see Pater Noster's website here.
You might also like:
8 Irish islands for every kind of adventure
Rent a whole private island near Venice on Airbnb
Explore related stories
Architecture
This floating tree house in Sweden surrounded by bird boxes is not your average hotel roomMar 24, 2022 • 2 min read
- LuxuryWould you sleep in an igloo? These ice hotels are the epitome of coolHotelsEnjoy the night sky without the cold at these innovative Arctic cabins
Oct 22, 2020 • 2 min read
HotelsWatch wild animals through the glass floor of this metallic treehouse in SwedenSep 11, 2020 • 2 min read
- HotelsSweden’s incredible new floating hotel and spa Arctic Bath has finally opened
Jan 29, 2020 • 2 min read