Jacy’z, a recently opened hotel in Gothenburg, offers top-quality service and first-rate facilities, in stark contrast to the usual frugality of even premium Scandinavian hotels. If the conditions of this trip didn’t allow me to take full advantage of it, it’s an experience that really makes you want to return.
Whether we’re talking about Gothenburg hotels or Scandinavia in general, I’ve always been a little disappointed. However premium they may be, they never go all the way, and in the end there are always a few culturally assumed irritants that tarnish the experience of a non-Scandinavian or, worse, someone used to hotels in Asia and the Middle East.
For this trip, I had identified two newly-opened hotels whose promise seemed to me to go a little beyond the usual standards: Draken and Jacy’z. While I liked the first, even though I was disappointed by the fact that its spa was not yet operational, I had high expectations of the second, which was also the last of a long stay that took me to the ends of the earth.
Circumstances meant that the length of my stay was cut to the bone, but I was still able to get a significant taste of the experience it has to offer.
You’ll find a summary of the articles about this trip to Australia at the bottom of the page.
Hotel concept
Before going any further, let’s introduce the property.
Jacy’z defines itself as a city-center resort in that it promises an all-encompassing, exceptional, premium and slightly festive experience. Proof of this is its pool club, which we’ll talk about later.
The hotel consists of a 100m tower, and inside is a rather original style that the hotel claims is inspired by the Las Vegas of the 60s. Duly noted.
Inside the hotel itself, there’s almost a second one, called JQ. Occupying the top two floors of the hotel, it offers an even more premium and exclusive experience.
Booking
I booked 3 months before his stay. While I was at it, I booked a medium@JQ room, i.e. in the premium section of the hotel.
I first went through the property’s website…to no avail. They say they accept Amex but only take Visa when paying. So I reluctantly try with my Visa…but then I get an error saying that the number is invalid. Is it a teething problem or a poorly tested online journey?
Unfortunately, I’ll do something I never do: go through an OTA, Booking in this case. I managed to get away with 374 euros for two nights, which I found acceptable by local standards, especially given the category of the hotel.
Some time later, I receive an SMS offering to book a session at the pool club and a late check-out. Interaction with the staff was very cordial, friendly even, but that’s the general tone of the hotel’s communication.
Location of the hotel
For my knowledge of the city, I find it rather off-center, its only advantage being its proximity to the highway when arriving from the airport.
All the hotels I’ve stayed at in Gothenburg in the past have allowed me to do just about anything I wanted on foot in pleasant surroundings, but I’m not sure that’s the case here. But given the context and the brevity of my stay, I won’t have time to check.
Arrival at the hotel
I was due to arrive at the hotel in the early afternoon for a two-night stay in order to make the most of it. Unfortunately, my flight from Sydney to Tokyo was cancelled and rescheduled for the following day, which meant that my arrival in Gothenburg was delayed.
Given the cancellation deadlines, I expected the worst and contacted the hotel by SMS to cancel my first night and postpone my reservation at the 24-hour pool club, explaining the situation to them and it was done without a hitch. I even sensed in their tone a little concern on their part.
But as the saying goes, anything that can go wrong will, so my new flight was no longer scheduled to arrive mid-afternoon but mid-evening, and in the end, weather conditions meant that we arrived more than an hour late at 1:00am. Add baggage delivery, ordering an Uber and the journey on the freeway in driving snow, and here I am at the reception desk at 2:00 am, a little tired after more than 24 hours of flying.
Logically, it’s deserted but warm and rather pretty, provided you like the style.
As a JQ customer, I can check in at a dedicated lounge on the 17th floor, which is logically closed at this time, so it will be the normal check-in.
Payment for the stay is made at check-in, following this detestable local habit, but at this point I just want to get into bed. The welcome is very courteous.
I head for my room, check-out is in 11am (I had requested a late check-out which was granted for… 1pm….)
The Medium@JQ room
We’re in Scandinavia and here they don’t hesitate to sell 9m2 rooms with no windows (verified in many hotels and at Jacy’z it’s called Dark, the category before Small…) so I don’t expect anything exceptional from a Medium room.
Not gigantic, but fair by local standards.
There’s a large bed that looks very inviting and will prove very comfortable.
A little lounge area I won’t have time to enjoy.
The bathroom is small but for once doesn’t have the coldness of a hospital room.
It has a shower.
Not large, but warm and that’s a change.
Another rarity: the minibar is not just decorative, it’s fully stocked.
As for the view, even at night, it confirms to me that the location may not be ideal.
Not much better by day.
Finally, a lovely, warm room with a pleasant bathroom (rare around here). I won’t have time to enjoy it much, but I’ll feel at home here and sleep very well.
The style is debatable, but I liked it.
Finally, a video tour.
Bars and restaurants
The property offers several bars and restaurants, and I won’t be trying any of them given the brevity of my stay…) with two exceptions.
JQ Lounge
So this is a place reserved for JQ customers, where they can check-in/check-out.
Really nice and warm.
On the other hand, don’t expect to find what is traditionally known as a lounge in the hotels we frequent: here, you’ll have to pay for your drinks.
Pachanga Pool Club
This is the Pool Club’s bar, and I’ll talk about it in more detail when I cover this place, as it’s not freely accessible and is linked to a club session.
The hotel facilities
Outdoor swimming pool
Not only unusable, but inaccessible and invisible in December.
The sports club
This is not only the hotel’s gym, but also a club that anyone can join for a fee.
It’s well-equipped, spacious, offers a view of the outside and is really very pleasant.
Golf
While exploring the hotel, I came across these virtual golf courses.
Pachanga pool club
In a way, it’s the highlight of the hotel, literally and figuratively. This isn’t Las Vegas, it’s Miami...or so the hotel claims.
But be warned: it’s not accessible to anyone free of charge, even if you have the most expensive room in the hotel.
Whether you’re a guest or an external customer, you’ll need to book one of the four 2.5-hour themed sessions (for a fee): morning, lunch, afternoon and evening sessions.
Each with a different concept and entertainment, more festive with a DJ in the afternoon or evening.
For the price you not only get access, but also a dish and a drink. Then you eat what you want for a fee.
The menu is very nice for the context.
So off to the changing room, where I pick up a very comfortable bathrobe and set off to discover the place.
Very comfortable, cosy and warm spaces to settle in, chat, drink…
Near the bar, a large bench and a fireplace.
Comfortable deckchairs that are more like sofas.
The bar I’ve already shown you.
And in the middle of it all, the star of the show, the swimming pool.
Superb, under a glass roof, overlooking the city.
The water temperature is just right (and I’m very picky about that). You can bring your glasses….
The number of people allowed in the pool club at any one time is limited, and the number of places where you can sit alone or in a group is so large that it will never be too crowded.
A pleasant, friendly atmosphere under a clear blue sky.
I’d booked a lunch session, and I suppose it must get more festive as the day goes on, but it was very pleasant, with a background of electro music that was discreet enough not to get in the way, but loud enough to mask the conversations.
By the time I arrived at noon, the sun was at its peak, and by 2.30pm it was setting, offering a superb view of the city.
I regretfully left with the certainty in my mind that I’ll be back one day, ideally in summer, even if the concept is ideally suited to Scandinavian winters.
Note that the pool club is supposed to offer treatments (for a fee) as part of the sessions from October 2025, but no real spa.
Check-out
The hotel doesn’t offer mobile check-out, so I’ll do it at the JQ lounge.
I had requested and obtained a late check-out at 1pm. But my session at the pool club stretched from 12pm to 2.30pm, so I went to the lounge in the morning to find out what to expect.
I found a very nice person to whom I explained the situation and who, before answering, asked me: “Are you the one who was stuck in Australia?” She told me that I’d been corresponding with her by SMS, and that she’d been worried about not seeing me before closing the lounge, and that she’d been afraid I’d had another setback.
I reassure her that everything went well…apart from a very late flight.
Anyway, it’s good to see that it worried her and that she showed real concern.
However, the only solution she offers is to check out at midday, leave my suitcase in the lounge and then collect it.
In a hotel that’s far from full, and given the context, I think that other properties would have let me stay in my room until 2:30 pm, but… we’re in Scandinavia after all, and despite all its efforts, Jacy’z just can’t get rid of all the irritants.
In short, I’ll check out at noon, come back to collect my suitcase a little before 3pm and everything will be fine.
I’ll remember a pleasant, concerned person, but some frustrating practices.
Service
I had very little interaction with the staff, but I would describe it as very good. After that, the staff are not responsible for the property’s shortcomings.
Bottom line
I tried to make the most of a stay of less than 12 hours, but I still have a lot to discover in this property.
A reason to return? Given my experience, it certainly makes me want to see and enjoy more.
The articles about this trip to Australia
Articles similaires
Radisson Blu Scandinavia Gothenburg, Junior Suite: great location and what a spa!
