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The last few years have brought with them a welcome surge in new hotels, including the Scandic Grand Central Hotel (next to the train station) and Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel (near the waterfront congress center). Although the hotel choices here are often not as trendy as those found elsewhere, they are plentiful and full of variety, from hostels on up to five stars. Most hotels here have a distinctly Scandinavian design sensibility. Who needs the latest designer interior when there are plenty of fresh, nonfussy, reasonably elegant, and endlessly functional places to stay? Although Stockholm has a reputation for prohibitively expensive hotels, fairly good deals can be found in summer, when prices are substantially lower and numerous discounts are available. More than 50 hotels offer the "Stockholm Package," which includes accommodations for one night, breakfast, and Stockholmskortet, or the Stockholm Card, entitling the cardholder to free admission to museums and travel on public transport. Details are available from travel agents, tourist bureaus, and the Stockholm Visitor Center.
This stylish hotel welcomes guests to an airy lobby with a classic Scandinavian feel; rooms are contemporary and have been created by several of the country's top designers. Most rooms are not large, but all are well furnished and have nice touches, such as heated towel racks in the bathrooms. A gym on the top floor overlooks the surrounding rooftops.
Neither pure business behemoth nor dictionary-definition boutique, the big, brash hotel near Central Station is a well-balanced and very pleasant addition to Stockholm's hotel scene. A member of the Nordic Choice Hotels chain, it has two main selling points: a roof terrace with a year-round pool and the first home-turf restaurant helmed by the Swedish-born chef Marcus Samuelsson at street level. As for the rooms, they are big on Scandinavian design, generous in size, and somewhere near the middle on the luxury scale.
Right on the water and only a few buildings down from Stockholm's Royal Dramatic Theater, Hotel Esplanade is beautiful and offers a real touch of old Stockholm. Somewhere between a family home, a guesthouse, and a hotel, Esplanade is a resplendent work of art nouveau. From the confection of external architecture to the oiled-wood floors and classic period furnishings, it feels very museum-like. The rooms with a view of the water are worth the little extra money. Be sure to call well ahead to book a room, since many regulars return every year.
Just a few blocks from busy Götgatan, this hotel is an oasis of calm in the busy urban streets of Södermalm. Built in 1780, it was originally a brewery, then a jail, then a hospital, then a temporary housing area. The beautiful building has been a hotel since 1976. The newly renovated rooms have polished hardwood floors and are decorated according to different themes: Scandinavian Design, La Belle Epoque, Uptown Classics, and Industrial Vintage. Many look out over the large, tranquil inner courtyard, others on the nearby church. In summer, food and drinks from the on-site wine bar are served outside.
Next to Central Station, this modern center for the business traveler is the perfect choice for those seeking cool design. The hotel focuses on simplicity, with rooms designed in a mix of dark wood, gray flannel, and black-and-white tile, with adjustable spotlights in the ceiling. The lively lobby offers a creative gathering space with a modern bistro restaurant, Lykke.
The feel of historical Stockholm living is rarely stronger than in this quiet hotel tucked away on a narrow street in one of Gamla Stan's 17th-century houses that is near the subway. Rooms are decorated in the Gustavian style, with hardwood floors, Oriental rugs, and antique furniture. It's a perfect home base for exploring both the Old Town and the city.
