Amals Stadshotell, BW Signature Collection

Amals Stadshotell, BW Signature Collection sits beside the Amalsan river where it opens into vast Lake Vanern, a charming century-old base for travelers exploring the lake-and-forest country of Dalsland. Its individually decorated rooms come with free Wi-Fi and a free breakfast buffet, and the Bakfickan restaurant serves Scandinavian cooking with a riverside terrace that comes into its own on a warm summer evening. The hotel stands on the border between Amal's preserved old wooden town, which escaped the great fire of 1901, and the modern center with its shops and cafes. The water is everywhere here. The beach is 200 meters away, a little marina just below the hotel sends boats out onto Lake Vanern, and the lakes and woods of Dalsland open up for excursions in every direction. The train station and marina are both about a ten-minute walk. Take a table on the terrace, watch the water slide past, and let Dalsland slow you down.