About Utter Inn

Floating, underwater hotel, where you sleep in an underwater aquarium.

Underwater hotel in a Swedish lake near Stockholm. The Utter Inn is the brainchild of Mikael Genberg, a local artist and sculptor who has chosen to focus on "making art for the public". The single room of the hotel lies 3m below the surface of Lake Mälaren in Västerås, Sweden and contains only twin beds and a table.

It opened in June 2000 on the coldest, rainiest day in the whole summer. Despite that it was a great success. Not only did all the untested solutions work, it also attracted a lot of people.

The Utter Inn stimulates the most typical of Swedish dreams; to have a small Swedish red house with white garbles on your own island. On top of that you can spend your night three meters underwater with panoramic windows in all directions.

This alternative dwelling also includes a sense of risk taking and adventure that tends to expand the sensory input. One should not forget the psychological term "transfer of exaltation". Roughly explained it is about man's tendency to transform the experience of fear to an experience of love. You don't want to feel afraid so the brain changes the emotion to something far more pleasant. You feel more alive. In this sense arranged, controlled fear can be very important.

Guests of Utter Inn arrive at the port of Västerås and they are taken the 1 km out to the hotel on the lake Malaren and provided with an inflatable boat, instructions and are then left alone.
If they have selected the deluxe version they will get a visit later with their supper.
Guests have the opportunity to use an inflatable canoe to visit the closest uninhabited island. Some have enough courage to swim (the UHOTW team were too scared!), or to sunbathe upstairs, or watch the fish (both upstairs and downstairs).

There is a remarkable feeling to go to bed while the fish are surrounding and watching you carefully. You are in an aquarium - for fish to be beholders of man.

Often boats come quite close to get a glance of the daring inhabitants. Swedish boatpeople are however always very polite and never takes more than two trips around your room!!!

Facilities & Pricing

Rooms: 1

Open Period: Open from April/May to Early September

The Utter Inn is very popular during the summer months when it is open and we recommend you talk to the Vasteras tourism team of Pernilla, Sara, Jonna or Kristin to find out when there is availability. In winter the property is closed, as although an ice breaker keeps the waterways open and there is a heater in the room, it's not the best time to visit.

Nearby Info

Västerås has direct flights from Stansted in the UK and the hotel is a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport to the docks. The town itself is very pleasant and has plenty of shops and restaurants worthy of a weekend visit.

Västerås is under an hour from central Stockholm, where you can connect to the train from the main airport of Arlanda.
If you're visiting the area, there is a lot to do.
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