The city of Vasteras is situated on the shores of Lake Malaren, roughly 60 miles to the west of Stockholm. Västerås is one of the oldest cities in Northern Europe and the region has been fairly densely populated since the Nordic Viking Age. A thousand years ago, Västerås – not Stockholm – was the largest city in Sweden.
Västerås is easily traversed on foot or by bike, and over 30% of the residents use bikes to commute to work. In addition to more conventional accommodations, tourists can stay at Hotell Hackspett (Hotel Woodpecker) or Utter Inn (Otter Inn). Hotell Hackspett is a tree house situated at an elevation of 42 feet in Vasaparken (Vasa Park) in central Västerås. It is secured by wires and not a single nail has been inserted into the tree. Utter Inn is a partly submerged mini-hotel located under the surface of Lake Mälaren, roughly half a mile from Västerås Harbour. The bedroom is situated at a depth of 10 feet and sports panoramic windows in all directions. You enter the hotel through a typical Swedish red cottage floating on the surface of the water.
