Luxury in a potholed wasteland

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During summer Gotland is normally filled to the brim with tourists, but in these corona times (and out of season) we almost feel we have the island to ourselves.

The roads are  empty, and when we drive around, we let os lead by serendipity.

Yesterday, chance took us to the small island of Furillen, which turned out to be an abandoned limestone quarry.


 


The surreal potholed wasteland and the brutal, almost postapocalyptic beauty of the run-down industrial buildings looked like a set taken out of a Mad Max movie, but when we peeked through the windows, we could see some minimalistic, beautifully renovated rooms and restaurants using limestone, concrete, and hardwood.

This was actually a hotel!

 




We looked in on www.furillen.com and found out the quarry had been closed for many years, when it was discovered by the Swedish fashion photographer Johan Hellström. He immediately fell in love with the harsh landscapes and sold everything he owned to buy the island and the old industrial buildings.

Now, he has turned the buildings into Fabriken Furillen, a hotel, movie studio, and venue for events and although we walked the area, when everything was boarded-up and completely Corona closed, we found this to be one of the most amazing designer hotels we have ever experienced.

 


Our only regret: Helström has been developing and serving what is supposed to be an amazing florid gin. These days the bar, like the rest of the hotel, was closed and we could only smell some of the raw gin ingredients when we walked among the buildings - the thyme, the juniper, and the wild roses, which grow all over the area.


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