WE DO NOT DO ORDINARY​
We, Maria and Johan Eklund, run Hufvudsta Gård Boutique House, Görvälns Slott Boutique Hotel, and Ocho Suites & Kitchen in Palma de Mallorca.
Three destinations, each bearing our signature: a passion for great food and drink, an eye for detail and beautiful interiors, and a desire to create truly unique experiences.
​WE TURN WILD DREAMS INTO REALITY
Our entrepreneurial journey in the world of restaurants, hotels, conferences, food, and interior design began back in 1999 when Maria founded Hufvudsta Gård Boutique House in Solna – a meeting place where great food, wine, and design were at the core, just as they are today.
Hufvudsta Gård quickly became a beloved destination for many companies. A few years later, when Johan joined the business, our shared drive to develop places people genuinely want to return to began to grow.
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We call it with love and wild dreams.
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In 2008, we opened the boutique hotel Görvälns Slott together. The castle underwent a complete transformation and continues to be a work in progress.
There is always a room to renovate or a new idea to explore, and that creative process is one of the things we love most.
We see it as a living hotel that is never truly finished – a place where we’re constantly inspired and eager to evolve.
We gather inspiration from all corners of the world – from exciting culinary combinations and interior design to exceptional wines from family-owned vineyards – and bring it all into our destinations, where we aim to create places people long to return to.​
IT’S A FAMILY BUSINESS
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In addition to the two of us, our family includes our children Adam, Elina, and Wilmer, and our cat Dino.
We are incredibly proud of our children – now grown – who are all involved in our different destinations.
In 2017, we decided to take a break and moved the whole family to Palma de Mallorca.
The plan was to slow things down for a year and give the children a chance to attend the Swedish School on the island and experience something new.
But, as is often the case in the world of entrepreneurship, curiosity got the better of us.
An opportunity arose to take on a new hotel project in central Palma, and in 2019 we opened Ocho Suites & Kitchen – a boutique hotel with seven exclusive suites and a restaurant that quickly became a beloved part of Palma’s hotel and dining scene.
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Everything we’ve built is now part of our parent company, Workation Group – a name that reflects our belief that work should be fun, meaningful, and fully integrated into life.
For us, entrepreneurship is more of a lifestyle and a passion than an obligation.
We wanted to create that same sense of joy and community for our team, where feeling good at work is just as important as the results we achieve.
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As a natural extension of our work and our passion for hotels, we also run the blog Hotelhunter.se, where we share reviews and impressions from hotels around the world.
When we travel, it’s not unusual for us to change hotels three times in one week.
We are endlessly curious, passionate about hotels, food, and design – and always eager to stay inspired and in tune with what’s happening out there.
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Warmly,
Maria & Johan Eklund
Founders, Workation Group