Bornholm “badehotel” all dressed in white evoking a dream of eternal Summer

Melsted Badehotel / Gudhjem / Bornholm / Denmark

I have been coming to Bornholm, this sunny Danish island, every Summer since my twenties. I love to be here and I am certain this is a love that will last forever (I know, famous last words..) with the endless beaches, the cute little villages, the ice cream, the dramatic cliffs and the relaxed vibe. And there is a hotel, one of those classic ”badehotel” that I have wanted to stay at for the longest time. And now I finally got around to doing it. I am referring to the cozy Melsted Badehotel.

The hotel is located right on the Melsted Beach, just outside one of the most popular destinations on the island, the village of Gudhjem. It is sitting on a meadow that is gently leaning towards the Baltic Sea with views of Christian’s Island in the distance.

Melsted Hotel was founded back in 1932 by local pioneer Klara Christensen, under the name Pension Ellebæk. Over the years ownership has changed into it finally landed with current owners, the Halborg-Bendtsen family. They enlisted designer Josephine Malling who has created this bright, airy hotel where classic seaside looks are mixed with Scandi minimalism, housed in white buildings and the iconic blue windows. I know, it almost makes it sound Greek, but the blue is a lighter, classic Scandinavian version of blue.

Today there are 21 rooms spread over 6 buildings. We stayed in the Pile Anneks building and our room had the classic striped wallpaper and white painted wall panelling which is Danish Badehotel 101. But instead of the classic light blue, our walls were a soft pink. We had a large terrace opening up to the sea. It was such a treat to relax in the day bed in our room with the doors wide open and the curtains flowing in the winds that came flying in. The smell of sea, the distant sound of seagulls. It doesn’t get more Summery than this.

One of the best features (next to the service, the food, the beach and the sea) is the massive garden. There are a lot of different areas where you can find some solitude, to sit down with a book and something to drink. At the end of the garden there is a sauna with views of the sea which is a great place to start the morning before you go for a dip in the Baltic. Once you have experienced Summer on Bornholm you will need a yearly fix. Trust me on this one!

Welcome to the iconic Melsted Badehotel! A white Summer dream with massive hydrangeas framing the entrance.

The color scheme at Melsted is all about pastels, blues, greens and pinks.

The corridor in the main building with that classic badehotel look, white panelling and striped wallpaper.

The favorite part of our room, the daybed. I love daybeds! Such a clever (and comfy) piece of furniture.

My friend Fanny heading out to explore the hotel

Right next to the reception there is a lounge where you can hang out if the weather would be less than agreeable. Luckily, we never needed to use it.

Behind the hotel there is a garden where they grow their own vegetables and fruits.

Was brave (or stupid) enough to bring my camera into the water to be able to snap a photo of the hotel from sea level. I am glad I did.

I am an early bird by nature and love to use the morning hours to snap photos. This is taken just before 06:00 in the morning as the sun was slowly rising over the island.

Heading down to the quay to for the first dip of the day

The sauna, hidden under a tree at the end of the garden

Breakfast time! The Danes know how to do breakfasts.

There are so many great places to visit on the island. This is Kalas in Sandvig where M is ready to order.

The ice cream at Kalas is hand made on site and is so delicious

Another place to recommend is Galleri Sonja in the centre of Allinge. A combo of store and cafe.

The coffee at Galleri Sonja is great so perfect place for a stop if you need a caffein fix.

RG inside info

Year of RG stay:

2025

This place is perfect if you…

…want to experience something typically Danish, a classic badehotell. If you are a fan of staying right on the beach, bright Summery design and warm hygge, you will want to book a stay here asap.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is how relaxed this hotel is. Not only the design, but also the service. For example, we went to the common room right next to the reception before breakfast had started and they immediately asked if we wanted some coffee. This is the kind of service I appreciate and that I hope more hotels would be inspired by..

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to wake up early and go down to the sea for a morning dip. We had magical mornings where the sea was completely calm and we had the beach all to ourselves as the sun was slowly rising. Bornholm has so much to offer and there is so much to do and see on the island. Two of my favorites are mentioned above, Kalas in Sandvig and Galleri Sonja in Allinge.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Svinkløv Badehotel / Fjerritslev, Denmark

Aggershøj / Ærø, Denmark

Villa Berg Badhotell / Marholmen, Sweden