Where is it?
Clarion Hotel Wisby, also known as Visby Hotell, is located in the medieval city of Visby on the island of Gotland in Sweden. The hotel is probably the most famous hotel in the city and has been a popular meeting place for both locals and visitors for centuries.
The building dates back to the 13th century and originally consisted of four different buildings, which were merged into one building in 1345. There has been a hotel in the building since the mid-19th century, which means for well over 150 years. However there was a restaurant in the building already in the 17th century.
The current hotel, in its current shape, opened in 1991. A few years ago the hotel was acquired by the Nordic Choice Hotel Group and remade into a Clarion Hotel. At the same time the name was changed to Clarion Hotel Wisby.
The location of the hotel is excellent with many bars and restaurants literally around the corner. The waterfront, the Almedalen park and the port are just a short walk away. The hotel is located in the old medieval city centre of Visby, inside the ring wall, and most sites of interest are within walking distance with no need to use any public transportation.
The arrival experience
I arrived at the hotel quite early around 11 am. I was not sure if I would be able to check in already at that time since the official check-in time is at 3 pm, but it turned out not to be a problem.
The lobby area is really beautiful and they have made an excellent job preserving the old medieval charm of the building while still offering a modern lobby with comfortable seating and modern amenities.
The room
The hotel offers 212 hotel rooms divided into several different room categories ranging from Single rooms, to Double rooms, Deluxe rooms and Suites. I had booked a single room which was located on the second floor.
Given the very old building, which was constructed 500 years before it even became a hotel, the layout of the rooms can differ significantly. Especially the Deluxe rooms all look different. Some of the Deluxe rooms are divided into two different floors with the sitting area and the bathroom on the lower floor and the bed on the upper floor.
The single room, just like the lobby, had an old-style but fairly charming interior, which had been complemented with modern amenities. Again the hotel had managed to combined these two excellently.
The room was not very large but offered a single bed, an armchair, a small table, a work desk, two closets and a TV.
Most of the furniture were in dark wood but the room also had some more modern design details which are used in most, or at least many, Clarion Hotels, such as the grey and white wall paper and the rug next to the window.
The bathroom also had an old-fashioned design and offered toilet and shower.
Although this was the smallest room category in the hotel, and admittedly the room was by no means spacious, it did offer a nice atmosphere. It was surely something different from what is usually offered by a chain hotel.
Food and drinks
The hotel has two restaurants as well as a bar. The Kitchen & Table Restaurant is the standard restaurant concept available in most Clarion hotels, designed by Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson. The restaurant is located in the same part of the hotel as the restaurant in the 17th century and in the summer there is also an outdoor terrace.
The second restaurant is called Restaurang Kaptenshuset and this is also where the breakfast is served. As the name suggests (Kaptenshuset means the Captain’s house in Swedish) the inspiration of the interior comes from a traditional captain’s house on the island in the beginning of the 20th century. Parts of the restaurant and the bar outside can also be used for private events.
There is also a bar in the hotel, Vinterträdgården (the Winter garden) with a beautiful medieval interior and a very nice glass ceiling where guests can unwind in the evening with something to drink. The bar is designed much like a living room with comfortable sofas and armchairs.
Other facilities
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and there is a conference section with eight meeting rooms.
There is also a spa in the basement called Selma City Spa Wisby which offers a pool, a sauna and the option to book various body treatments.
Service
The service was friendly and efficient during the stay, nothing to complain about. Being able to check in already at 11 am upon arrival, well ahead of the official check-in time, was much appreciated.
Breakfast
The breakfast was served in the Kaptenshuset restaurant and offered hot and cold breakfast items from a buffet in a fairly nice and old-fashioned atmosphere.
Final impression
Overall this is a very pleasant hotel for anyone looking for something different. This is a hotel with plenty of charm, atmosphere and history and the hotel management has successfully managed combined the old medieval atmosphere of the building with modern facilities and amenities.
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