I loved this. I stayed at Casa Maria Luigia last March and it was magical. You captured it perfectly. I haven’t stayed at Ett Hem, but I’ve been fascinated by it ever since watching Ilse Crawford’s documentary. I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f7fHHEr_NA
I can’t believe I haven’t seen the doc!! This goes on my saturday night watchlist. And Ett Hem is absolutely worth the trip to Stockholm <3 Thanks so much for reading Molly
Ok so Heidegger as a hotel reviewer is not something I expected to work this well. But the Casa Maria Luigia description sold it the vinyl collection, the stocked fridge, the feeling that Bottura just stepped out and might walk back in any second. That's not a hotel, that's a very generous haunting. And your sister crying into her food when he actually appeared is the best review any chef could hope for. The full-size skincare point is quietly brilliant too nothing says "you're passing through" louder than a tiny shampoo bottle.
Another great example of this is in the Hudson Valley - called Kingston Carriage House. The experience is residential and you shape shift into the owners of said residence for the night or two…
There’s the strong branding concept of co-creation in which participation or customization creates a greater sense of emotional connection and brand loyalty.
For small properties it’s so tough to offer these types of amenities BUT I think your article hits the nail on the head in reference to the residential, dwelling experience. It feels like yours. Like you belong.
Lastly, hotels should be aspirational — a hotel room should always feel nicer than your own home, but comfortable and anticipatory of needs with everything you might need (like your own home).
Ab👏so👏lute👏ly!!! The aspirational element is a big one and without it we miss out on a big chunk of what we pay for, and I also think travelers are increasingly seeing co-creation and customization as a baseline expectation! But I love it when properties hit the nail on the head with this. In a way, smaller properties could be at an advantage as they have fewer guests to attend to (but often less resources). Such an interesting conversation
I really appreciate the emphasis you place on the human factor, it's something that’s often overlooked in conversations around hospitality. At its core, hospitality isn’t defined by the product itself, but by how people, both staff and guest, animate it. A hotel room is just a physical space until it’s experienced, felt, and given meaning through human interaction. That’s where the idea of dwelling comes in: transforming a stay into something that feels lived-in, personal, and almost like home. True hospitality lives in that space between design and human presence, where intention, emotion, and experience come together.
I loved this. I stayed at Casa Maria Luigia last March and it was magical. You captured it perfectly. I haven’t stayed at Ett Hem, but I’ve been fascinated by it ever since watching Ilse Crawford’s documentary. I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f7fHHEr_NA
I can’t believe I haven’t seen the doc!! This goes on my saturday night watchlist. And Ett Hem is absolutely worth the trip to Stockholm <3 Thanks so much for reading Molly
Ok so Heidegger as a hotel reviewer is not something I expected to work this well. But the Casa Maria Luigia description sold it the vinyl collection, the stocked fridge, the feeling that Bottura just stepped out and might walk back in any second. That's not a hotel, that's a very generous haunting. And your sister crying into her food when he actually appeared is the best review any chef could hope for. The full-size skincare point is quietly brilliant too nothing says "you're passing through" louder than a tiny shampoo bottle.
I swear!!! It doesn’t get realer than meeting the chef himself
:)
Your sister had the honest reaction, the rest of us just pretend to be cool about it.
Another great example of this is in the Hudson Valley - called Kingston Carriage House. The experience is residential and you shape shift into the owners of said residence for the night or two…
This place looks so dreamy!! Maybe a sense of ownership in hospitality experience is a topic worth exploring?
There’s the strong branding concept of co-creation in which participation or customization creates a greater sense of emotional connection and brand loyalty.
For small properties it’s so tough to offer these types of amenities BUT I think your article hits the nail on the head in reference to the residential, dwelling experience. It feels like yours. Like you belong.
Lastly, hotels should be aspirational — a hotel room should always feel nicer than your own home, but comfortable and anticipatory of needs with everything you might need (like your own home).
Ab👏so👏lute👏ly!!! The aspirational element is a big one and without it we miss out on a big chunk of what we pay for, and I also think travelers are increasingly seeing co-creation and customization as a baseline expectation! But I love it when properties hit the nail on the head with this. In a way, smaller properties could be at an advantage as they have fewer guests to attend to (but often less resources). Such an interesting conversation
I loved the etymology you outlined for “hotel” and how the origins ARE, in fact, residential 👏 🏠 love this!
I am OBSESSED with Ett Hem. One of the best.
It’s just too good!!!! It melts my brain
I really appreciate the emphasis you place on the human factor, it's something that’s often overlooked in conversations around hospitality. At its core, hospitality isn’t defined by the product itself, but by how people, both staff and guest, animate it. A hotel room is just a physical space until it’s experienced, felt, and given meaning through human interaction. That’s where the idea of dwelling comes in: transforming a stay into something that feels lived-in, personal, and almost like home. True hospitality lives in that space between design and human presence, where intention, emotion, and experience come together.
Absolutely right 🧘🏼♀️