Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [57]
Östermalm
Ostentatious Östermalm melds A-league boutiques, nosh spots and nightclubs with some outstanding museums. There’s a good range of accommodation options, too, from friendly hostels to top-of-the-line design hotels.
BUDGET
STF Vandrarhem Gärdet (Map; 463 22 99; gardet@stfturist.se; Sandhamnsgatan 59; s/d from Skr450/680, d/tr with kitchenette Skr760/970; ) Located in quiet Gärdet, a quick metro ride from Östermalm, Stockholm’s first ‘designer hostel’ ditches low-cost drab for smart, contemporary rooms featuring red pin chairs, fluffy sheepskins, textured rugs and designer flatscreen TVs. All have their own bathroom, some boast a small kitchenette, and towels and sheets are included in the price. Take bus 1 from Centralstationen to Östhammarsgatan bus stop.
MIDRANGE
A&Be Hotell (Map; 660 21 00; www.abehotel.com; Grev Turegatan 50; s Skr540-840, d Skr690-990) Staying in this intimate, pretty, old-fashioned hotel is like crashing with an elderly aunt – antique rugs and chandeliers, anonymous portraits of the aristocracy, potted plants and lampshades galore. Run by a warm Polish family, its quietest rooms are those facing the garden. Breakfast is an extra Skr50.
Crystal Plaza Hotel (Map; 406 88 00; www.crystalplazahotel.se; Birger Jarlsgatan 35; standard s Skr850-1600, d 1100-1800; ) Flaunting an eight-storey tower and neoclassical columns, this friendly hotel, housed in an 1895 building, offers wonderfully cosy (albeit smallish) rooms, many of which have been recently renovated. Rates are cheapest when booked early.
Birger Jarl Hotel (Map; 674 18 00; www.birgerjarl.se; Tulegatan 8; s Skr890-1950, d Skr1190-2350; ) With slick, black-clad staff looking straight out of a Filippa K fashion catalogue, this is another hit with Scandi design fans. Interiors mix understated chic with subtle nods to the original ’70s fit-out. Each room is designed by a different Swedish designer, and there’s a gym and sauna to boot.
TOP END
Hotel Stureplan (Map; 440 66 00; www.hotelstureplan.se; Birger Jarlsgatan 24; standard small r Skr1250-4350; ) A new boutique offering, stylish Stureplan offers individually designed rooms with pared-back Gustavian chic (think high ceilings, spangly chandeliers and antique tiled stoves) and high-tech touches like flatscreen TVs. The homely vibe continues with a gorgeous library-cum-lounge and a glam champagne bar that’s oh-so-Östermalm. Check the website for packages and early-booking discounts.
Långholmen
BUDGET
Långholmen Hotell & Vandrarhem (Map; 668 05 10; www.langholmen.com; adult/child 3-15yr dm Skr220/105, cell s Skr420, 2-bed cells Skr540, hotel s/d Skr1435/1740; ) Guests at this hotel-hostel, in a former prison on Långholmen island, sleep in bunks in a cell. The friendly, efficient staff members assure you they will not lock you in. The kitchen and laundry facilities are good, the restaurant serves meals all day and weekend and summer discounts are available. Långholmen’s popular summertime bathing spots are a towel flick away.
Södermalm
Södermalm, a 15-minute walk or quick subway ride from the Viking Line boats and Centralstationen, is your best bet for interesting budget or midrange accommodation. At the other end of the spectrum, it’s also home to the design-literate Clarion.
BUDGET
Zinkensdamm Hotell & Vandrarhem (Map; 616 81 00; www.zinkensdamm.com; Zinkens väg 20; dm Skr220, d with/without bathroom Skr730/530; ) With a foyer that looks like one of those old Main Street facade recreations you find in cheesy museums, the Zinkensdamm STF is unabashedly fun. It’s attractive and well equipped – complete with an ubersleek guest kitchen and personal lockers in each room – and caters for families with kids as well as pub-going backpackers. It can be crowded and noisy, but that’s the trade-off for an upbeat vibe. While the hostel breakfast buffet isn’t spectacular, hostellers can buy the better hotel breakfast.
Den Röda Båten – Mälaren/Ran