Kronholmens Gård

This year we did something many advise against. We (a) went back to where we spent a week with glorious weather many, many years ago, (b) brought some friends from abroad who did not know anyone but us and (c) our kids (nine boys and girls altogether aged 7-15) had hardly met before. Recipe for disaster? No, unqualified success! Why? The layout is great for the socially active and kids are, well, in the main, social animals. Sleeping quarters (4 duplex rooms with 5 beds each) are compact, clean, but on the basic side (all guests share two loos and two showers) so you will spend a lot of time socializing in the kitchen/living room wing and outdoors. (The walls are thin, so some pursuits are best left to another time and place) Apart from the golf, which to be fair did not appeal to all kids in equal measure, there were games of football, rounders, frisbee ...you name it... as well as glorious swimming at the beach next door...the kids hardly used their mobiles, they were so busy! Practicalities: (1) Car: you will need one to go to/from the golf course (golfers hate walking if it is off course and it is at least a 15 min walk to the club-house) and to go shopping for food in Visby. The bike lanes into Visby are great, but it is quite a long way and if you go south you'll be on the busy road. (2) Kitchen: The house is very well stocked when it comes to cutlery, crockery and glasses, but check with the owners beforehand to avoid extra shopping and/or disappointment if you plan on cooking something extravagant or just the slightly out of the ordinary during your stay (example: we brought our own teapot, Sweden is a coffee-drinking country and unless you want tea smelling of coffee...) Golf: Visby Golf Club (also known as Kronholmen): the 18-hole course is fantastic (see my separate review) and therefore gets very busy all week in July, up to mid-August and on week-ends thereafter. We were there mid-August and therefore had booked our morning tee-off times way in advance to get the slots we wanted. However, our best golfing experience was on the adjacent nine-hole course (similar quality if not the top sea views) in the late afternoon/early evening, starting at tee no 5 and finishing in view of the friends on green nr 4. You can do so quite legally if it is not very busy and if you ask the friendly Magnus (the other one, at the golf club) nicely beforehand and agree payment etc. Sheer magic!