Classic, cozy Danish “badehotel” in north Jylland with high gastro ambitions

Svinkløv Badehotel / Fjerritslev / Jylland / Denmark

Us Swedes always look across the pond with envy at our neighbors the Danes. There are so many things connected to how they live their lives, their culture, the magical north Danish light, the ”hygge” and how they just seem to be able to enjoy life to the max compared to us square Swedes. And then there is another thing they have that we don’t; Badehotels. A badehotel is a place located right by the sea. They are hotels deeply rooted in traditions and yet they feel utterly modern with a very welcoming, relaxed vibe and a simplistic but still attractive design aesthetic. And this one, Svinkløv Badehotel has all of the above - in spades.

This 36-key hotel is located by the Jammer Bay in the Svinkløv dune area, with the wild Vester Sea right in front of the building and a forest as a back drop. The hotel was first created back in 1925 and has been passed on between 5 different owners until the current ones, Louise and Kenneth Toft-Hansen took over in 2015. They faced a really rough patch when the entire hotel burnt to the ground in 2016. Lucky for us, the hotel was rebuilt in a more or less exact replica of the previous building (with some improvements, of course) with the help of Praksis Arkitekter.

Our room had a very straight-forward design with wood panelling on the walls and where only two colors were used, a creamy white and a subtle duck egg blue, combined with cute floral curtains. The best way to describe the design is that it is a classic Scandi Summer house-look, which made it feel like we were staying in the guest room of some friend’s seaside cabin rather than a hotel. A great feat to be able to create this kind of homely vibe.

One of the most clever features in the room were a long line of hooks mounted on three (or two?) walls of the room. This made my husband especially happy since he is always saying that there are never enough hooks in the hotels we stay at. And another thing worth mentioning is that there is no wi-fi in the hotel and no TV:s in any of the rooms. So there is nothing to challenge your disconnection from the outside world.

And last but not least, I have to say something about the food. The kitchen is run by chef Henrik Aggerholm Olsen and he really cooks up a storm together with his team. And the same goes for the breakfast. The breakfast buns alone deserve songs to be written about them. But I guess they have to settle for a blog post for now.

Welcome to Svinkløv Badehotel! Embedded in the rolling dunes of Jylland’s northwestern coast,, facing Vesterhavet.

The reception area in the soft morning glow. This photo was snapped early in the morning when heading down to the sea for a morning dip.

I love hotels with real, old fashioned keys. I am a purist that way.

The color scheme of the hotel is basically these two colors, a creamy vanilla white and a soft duck egg blue.

The look is classic Scandi Summer house.

One of M’s favorite features in the room was the long line of hooks. He never thinks there are enough hooks in any hotel room. Until now.

There are some great things to buy in the small hotel shop. I fell for these robes and one ended up moving back to Sweden with us.

One of the common lounges in the hotel, bathing in the afternoon sun.

Ok, how could a perfect Summer day look at Svinkløv? Wake up early and head down to the beach for a dip.

Heading back to the hotel, just stopping for a moment to take it all in.

M enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning sun.

These buns had a very short life expectancy.

Ok, maybe I overdid it but I couldn’t help myself.

After breakfast, a run or walk in the forrest behind the hotel. There are some great paths for hiking and/or biking.

Back to the hotel for som R&R in the lounge….

…and some more baked goods. Buns can be lunch.

Followed by a pre-dinner drink in the lounge.

The restaurant is this amazing space. It is facing the sea and there are windows in three directions so the room is literally bathing in light.

This bread… I think we managed to finish two bowls of it.

The food at Svinkløv is simply amazing. Henrik Aggerholm Olsen is the master chef and he knows what he is doing.

After dinner, a leisurely stroll in the dunes.

Enjoying the sunset from the tallest dune behind the hotel. A great way to say good night to Svinkløv.

RG inside info

Date of RG stay:

June 2025

This place is perfect if you…

…are looking for one of those traditional Danish ”badehotel” right by the sea, full of ”hygge” and where the service is incredibly friendly and the food is beyond words. If this is what you are looking for (and why wouldn’t you?) you are going to love Svinkløv.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the simplicity of the place. The design is straight forward and simple. And I mean this as a real compliment. No frills are needed since the product is so great. If you know that what you bring to the table is of high quality you don’t have to dress it up or blow smoke in people’s eyes.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to go for a morning dip in the chilly Vesterhavet. We loved the rude awakening followed by a coffee in the sun, leaning against the wall, basking in the subtle warmth of the pale morning sun. And try all the baked goods. You will regret it if you don’t.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Hornbækhus / Hornbæk, Sjælland, Denmark,

Falcon / Sandvig, Bornholm, Denmark

Aggershøj / Marstal, Ærø,, Denmark

Zoomers / Castricum aan Zee, Netherlands