Welcome to ESS
Our story and what we can do together
Once upon a time, in 2007, a group of young guys had an ambitious dream to transform and refine a sleepy, run-down beach hotel with low occupancy — Ystad Saltsjöbad. They had borrowed money from aunts and uncles and mortgaged their houses. The positive buzz that comes with such a bold move, combined with broad experience from restaurants and nightclubs, quickly made them realize it's all about creating something that makes guests want to come back. The goal became to do everything they could to create regulars.
Hiring and working with characters and personalities who also had a passion for hospitality, hosting, food, drink, music, service, and activities. That was the most important thing for us then, and now even more so.
Today we are several unique destinations and never use the word hotel. We have promised ourselves to never build another hotel. Others can do that. The reason is simple, our places are filled with so much more than just rooms. Rooms are an effect of everything else you fill a destination with. We are convinced that guests want to be surprised and experience many different things. We are also sure that the geographical location where we build the destination is of lesser importance. You as a guest want to be seen, welcomed, served, surprised, and given the opportunity to experience exactly what you want.
We believe in creating personal destinations, we love details, decor, food, drink, pools, and the social atmosphere that comes with it. We also believe in fitness, sports, music, artists, art, photography, and events. We are driven by passion, playfulness, professionalism, and curiosity, and since the beginning have created profitability through the ambition of unforgettable guest experiences with a personal touch. To sum it up, on days when everything falls into place, we succeed in "Create Moments of Happiness".
In Gothenburg you will find Jacy'z Hotel & Resort, where we now also have our office. Not to mention the sensual Hotel Pigalle and our charming Italian gem Hotel & Ristorante Bellora. Looking south, you will come to the beach resort Falkenberg Strandbad and Ystad Saltsjöbad. 100 meters from Ystad Saltsjöbad, where it all started, you will find the charming Villa Strandvägen with a true "home away from home" feeling. Playful MJ'S you visit in Malmö, and in Denmark we are proud of the 321-room icon Marienlyst Strandhotel and the international resort Rox. We also have a yacht in Palma with four rooms that was given the fitting name ESSoESS. Skiing, trail, mountain biking, and big mountains resulted in the creation of Fýri Resort in Hemsedal, Norway's only mountain boutique destination. We started Steam Hotel in Västerås in 2017 and shortly afterward we opened Sweden's only beach house, Ellery Beach House, by the water on Lidingö. Hjortviken Country Club is nestled in the forests of Hindås and the magnificent Maryhill Estate in beautiful Glumslöv.
Apart from destinations, we are all foodies. So it came naturally to become partners in several restaurants and nightclubs. Cheri-Lee, Barabicu, Tranquilo, Villa Odinslund, Villa Johanneberg, Port du Soleil, Zamenhof, 8ight & EXCET. In addition, we are co-owners of a heavy metal band that has a dream and a drive that inspires us, NESTOR. We believe that music makes everything better.
Our portfolio extends further, as we are also co-owners of SPIK Studios, the visionary force behind our concepts and interiors. We have also started the companies Mandales and Home of ESS. Mandales offers an extensive range from beds to soap, slippers, and branded products for the hospitality industry. Home of ESS makes it possible to buy our exclusive interior details such as cushions, lighting, paintings, porcelain, and unique ornaments. Our inspiration and interests also come from co-ownership in the innovative marketing platform Market Hype.
The group of friends that once started it all on the beach in Ystad are not particularly young anymore, but they are still ESS Group's very dedicated owners and management. Today, however, they are far from alone. The whole ESS family now includes over 4,000 employees, and more are on the way. Different personalities but with the same traits — hardworking, passionate, and playful, who together want to create regulars and Moments of Happiness.
Our Culture
Kultur är allt för oss. Den formar hur vi tänker, hur vi agerar och hur vi skapar upplevelser som människor minns. Vi tror på att vara nyfikna, utmana oss själva och aldrig nöja oss med ”tillräckligt bra”. Vi strävar efter att skapa stamgäster, inte bara gäster, genom att göra varje möte personligt och meningsfullt.
Curiosity is our starting point and our constant companion. We believe there is always something new to discover, learn or refine. A detail to improve, a better way to welcome, a smarter solution to create comfort or joy. Staying curious keeps us sharp, humble and moving forward, every single day.
We are a valued-driven company, guided by four core principles: passion, professionalism, playfulness and personality. These values shape how we lead, how we work together and how we meet every guest. Our goal is always the same: to create real value, build trust and turn first-time visitors into regulars.
Creating regulars is our true north. Whether business or leisure, we go to work every day with one ambition, to build relationships that last. Returning guests are the ultimate proof that we’ve delivered something meaningful, personal and worth coming back to.
Even with 15 destinations and thousands of colleagues, we choose to act like a small company. We believe personality beats processes, closeness beats hierarchy and presence beats scale. We don’t always get it right but we always try. Working hard, staying close, do lots of stuff at the same time and never hiding behind size.
We believe hospitality should feel alive. Smiles matter. Laughter matters. Energy matters. We work hard, we care deeply and we love what we do so having fun along the way is not optional, it’s essential. Joy is contagious, and guests feel it immediately.
We want to leave things better than we found them. For our people, our guests and the communities we are part of. We work continuously to improve how we care for our teams, contribute locally and reduce our environmental footprint always with honesty, transparency and a long-term mindset.
The Little Red is our guide. It’s where our values live and where our ambition is clear: Create Returning Guests. Not by chance, but through how we show up every day. Professional in our craft. Playful in our spirit. Passionate about the details. Curious enough to improve. Personal in every encounter. The Little Red reminds us that hospitality isn’t a department, it’s a mindset. When we live by it, guests don’t just visit. They return.
Management
Yes, here’s what you can call the management. But seriously, the real heroes you’ll find at our destinations. So if you can’t find the one you’re looking for just shoot us an email to friends@essgroup.se and we’ll help you out straight away.
Experience Destinations
We turn walls into worlds, shaped by
people, design & culture
