Olarsgården Travel Guide

Olarsgården began as a small mountain homestead and has grown into a compact hotel that still wears its original timber bones with pride. The main entrance and lobby retain a mid‑century warmth: varnished wooden floors, a vintage front door and a lobby bar that functions like a shared living room where coats, mittens and the talk of the day gather. The building’s evolution over decades shows in an ensemble of rooms and annexes rather than in a single modern block.

There are 21 rooms, each modestly furnished so that the mountain theme feels authentic rather than staged. Room sizes range from compact twin cabins to family suites with mezzanine sleeping areas; bathrooms are private and the décor mixes rustic wood with contemporary linens. Practical touches for winter travellers — heated boot storage and radiators that dry gloves — are part of the offering alongside everyday modern conveniences such as Wi‑Fi and flat‑screen TVs.

The house restaurant, Elgen, translates the surrounding landscapes into a straightforward Scandinavian menu: locally sourced fish, game‑tinged mains and hearty buffets at seasonal moments. Breakfast service is substantial, aimed at early starts before lifts; the restaurant also stages larger buffets for festive seasons and offers straightforward, unfussy plates that suit the appetite of outdoor days and family dining.

The lobby bar functions as the social core: a low‑light, hospitable space where guests linger over spiced beer or coffee, boots drying by the radiator and maps spread on wooden tables. There’s a sauna for restorative heat after long runs, a small garden terrace that brightens summer stays, and a banquet room for group bookings — all the trimmings of a working mountain inn rather than an impersonal resort chain.

Set in Lindvallen, Olarsgården sits within walking distance of Sälfjällstorget and the Lindvallen ski area, making it convenient for ski and mountain biking seasons alike. The hotel’s compact footprint and immediate proximity to lifts and local shops mean it acts as a restful base: leave the gear in ski storage, return for sauna and food, then fall asleep to a quiet, timbered room.

Olarsgården’s temperament is seasonal — busy on winter mornings and calmer in the shoulder months — but its identity stays the same: a small, family‑run mountain hotel that emphasises hospitality, hearty food and a lived‑in timber aesthetic. The atmosphere suits couples and families who prefer an authentic lodge feel and straightforward service designed around outdoor activity rather than boutique frills.