After a six-month reset, Hotell Borgholm is entering its 54th season with a broader gastronomic model. For Christofer Johansson, the goal is not to reinvent the island hotel, but to make its Öland-driven cooking more accessible.
Set on Sweden’s long, windswept Baltic island of Öland, Hotell Borgholm has spent decades shaping the gastronomic identity of the region. Under Karin and Owe Fransson, Matsalen became one of Sweden’s most influential countryside dining rooms, known for its herb-driven cooking and strong connection to the island’s landscape and produce. But when the hotel closed after the 2025 harvest season, it was not for a cosmetic refresh. The six-month pause became a reset before its 54th season, with a more focused and layered gastronomic model for summer 2026.
For CEO and Creative Leader Christofer Johansson, who co-owns the property with Daniel Olsson, the challenge has been how to preserve Hotell Borgholm’s ambitions while making them work on an island shaped by extreme seasonality. “Twenty-five per cent of our yearly revenue comes in July alone, and roughly 80 per cent between May and September,” Johansson says. “So instead of trying to maximise the number of guests in Matsalen during those months, we started looking at how we could complement the experience with other concepts that allowed more people to engage with what we do, without compromising the quality of the dining room itself.”
After reopening on April 1st, that thinking is shaping how the different parts of Hotell Borgholm work together. Matsalen remains at the centre, while the major addition for summer 2026 is Framfickan Kökscafé & Deli. Located directly on Borgholm’s pedestrian street, it gives the hotel a daytime presence in town and a more immediate connection to visitors who may not be staying for a full Matsalen experience. The format is lighter, but still rooted in local produce, lunch service, delicacies and Öland food culture. Case in point: Framfickan will serve Öland kroppkakor, the island’s own version of Sweden’s traditional potato dumplings, which most visitors are curious to try. “Not many places serve them, because the craft requires knowledge and experience,” Johansson says. “During the day, many restaurants still lean towards the kind of prefabricated summer food you find in most tourist destinations. So, there is room for Borgholm to develop here, and we hope to contribute to that.”
Matsalen’s role has also been sharpened. The restaurant still carries the hotel’s gastronomic legacy, but Johansson is clear that its future is no longer organised around the pursuit of accolades. After regaining a Michelin star in 2021, during the pandemic, and later losing it, Johansson speaks openly about the mismatch between external recognition and internal focus. “We never really felt ready for the star,” he admits. “And I think that was probably why we couldn’t keep it. Today, we are less focused on reclaiming it and more interested in making the experience more pared-back, becoming a place where guests can escape everyday life in a relaxed way, eat and drink well, with fine ingredients in a beautiful and unique setting.”
That shift has led to shorter menus, a more flexible structure and, during parts of the low season, à la carte alongside the tasting-menu format. “The important thing for us to preserve is the level of quality in what we choose to work with,” Johansson says. “What’s on the plate, what’s in the glass, together with the herb garden – and Öland is our DNA.”
Johansson hopes the changes at Hotell Borgholm will coincide with a broader shift in how Öland develops as a food destination. “In a few years, I hope we’re several businesses working together to raise the quality level and attract new types of visitors to Öland beyond the summer months,” he says. “And I hope Hotell Borgholm will still be the best starting point for experiencing the island through gastronomy, culture, nature and craftsmanship.”
