Pater Noster nominated for “Sustainability Step of the Year 2025”

Pater Noster – A Home on the Horizon, the award-winning lighthouse hotel on Sweden’s west coast, has been nominated for Sustainability Step of the Year 2025 (Årets Hållbarhetskliv). The nomination highlights Pater Noster’s pioneering work to protect fragile marine environments while delivering a world-class guest experience in the Bohuslän archipelago.

In 2025, Pater Noster was named the Gothenburg Region winner in the visitor-economy category, placing the hotel among the final candidates for the overall award.

“This nomination matters deeply to us. Sustainability is the foundation of our business and essential for us to exist here, and we’re proud to keep driving our long-term work forward”, says Mirja Lilja Hagsjö, CEO of Pater Noster.

A cultural heritage for future generations
Pater Noster is located on a remote lighthouse island within a protected marine nature reserve off the coast of West Sweden. The lighthouse site is carefully managed and developed with respect for its origins, materials, and craftsmanship, with a long-term focus on preserving its cultural heritage. In addition to the hotel and its culinary experiences, Pater Noster offers nature-based activities, sea bathing and sauna experiences, as well as guided tours sharing stories of life on the island and the people who lived and worked here, for both overnight guests and day visitors. Art is an integral part of the experience at Pater Noster, which is also part of Tjörn Island of Art, with a clear purpose of raising awareness and strengthening engagement in the preservation of our oceans.

“We manage a unique landmark and are committed to developing Pater Noster as a sustainable destination for today and the future,” says Mirja Lilja Hagsjö, CEO of Pater Noster.

Sustainability rooted in the island’s reality
Sustainability is embedded in every decision at Pater Noster — environmentally, socially, and economically — with the goal of being as self-sufficient and low-impact as possible.

Key pillars of Pater Noster’s sustainability work include:

• Local, low-impact gastronomy: The kitchen prioritizes local suppliers and sustainable seafood from the Kattegat and Skagerrak seas. Seaweed harvested around the island is used creatively, and the historic lighthouse gardens have been revived to grow produce for the restaurant.
• Circularity & waste reduction: Much of the hotel interior is sourced from carefully selected vintage and upcycled materials; waste is sorted on the island, glass and PET use is reduced, and food leftovers are composted or donated.
• Water, energy and smart logistics: The hotel runs its own desalination and purification system for drinking water, minimizes energy use in unoccupied spaces, and consolidates deliveries to reduce boat and vehicle traffic to and from the island.
• Social sustainability: Pater Noster recruits and trains young people from nearby coastal communities, creating local jobs and long-term skills within the tourism sector.

Part of West Sweden’s Sustainability Step
Pater Noster is part of Stepping Up Sustainability / “Hållbarhetsklivet”, led by the West Sweden Tourist Board. The initiative brings together tourism actors to accelerate the transition toward sustainable travel in the region and inspire industry-wide change.

“Our partnership with the West Sweden Tourist Board and the Stepping Up Sustainability initiative is highly valuable. For Pater Noster, working with local suppliers and community actors is essential — it supports the region, reduces our footprint, and makes the guest experience truly rooted in place. Sustainability happens through collaboration,” says Mirja Lilja Hagsjö.

For further information, interviews or press images, please contact:
Mirja Lilja Hagsjö, CEO of Pater Noster
Phone: +46 304 303 10
Email: mirja@paternoster.se

About Pater Noster – A Home on the Horizon
Pater Noster is a boutique hotel located on a small lighthouse island off the coast in West Sweden, with a strong commitment to preserving the oceans. The lighthouse has guided seafarers since 1868 and today offers a one-of-a-kind experience with nine uniquely designed rooms, carefully restored. With culinary experiences inspired by the sea, Pater Noster offers an extraordinary stay that has gained significant international recognition. Since opening in 2020, the hotel has received numerous awards, including the title of World’s Best Hotel Concept.