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Stockholm Hotel Reviews / Hotel Awards / → All Tags

Travel Agents Have Gone Gaga for the Grand Hotel Stockholm

Where: S Blasieholmshammen 8, Stockholm, Sweden, 103 27

The ambitiously named World Travel Awards are a set of gongs handed out by travel agents from across the globe who vote in numerous categories. And this year the fourteenth edition of these awards has given three different prizes to the Grand Hotel Stockholm: Best Swedish Hotel, Best Swedish Conference Hotel and Best Swedish Suite.

The hot suite at the Grand Hotel Stockholm is the Princess Lilian Suite (pictured), which is one of the largest suites in any European hotel. As far as suites go it's perhaps excessively well-equipped, with a 12-person cinema, a fully-equipped kitchen, office facilities, a living room with piano, two balconies overlooking the Royal Castle and finally a relaxation zone include a mosaic bath, more than one shower, and even your very own waterfall.

If you're after the Princess Lilian's 330-square meters of space, you'll need to be prepared to pay 55,000 Swedish crowns per night--at around US$8,700, that's not bad considering it includes breakfast as well. And don't forget, it's the best suite in Sweden.

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New Hotels in Europe / Stockholm Hotel Reviews / → All Tags

New Hotel in Europe: Stockholm's Langholmen Prison Hotel on the Island

Where: LANGHOLMSMUREN 20, Stockholm, Sweden, 102 72

In the July/August issue of the European Travel Commission's newsletter, they highlighted several new and upcoming hotels in Europe. We'll be taking a closer look at some of these hotels this week but we're always interested in hearing your recommendations for hotels in Europe. So send 'em our way.

This new hotel in Europe is really cool. In the middle of Stockholm, there's a leafy island that used to be home to Sweden's largest prison. But now it's Sweden's newest and funkiest hotel, the Langholmen.

The Langholmen has a bit of everything, including both hotel and hostel style rooms, a conference center, restaurant, and even a beach "just beyond the prison wall". There's also a prison museum that opens every afternoon, with guided tours available in summer. And like many modern-thinking Scandinavian establishments, free Wifi access is available throughout.

As for the hotel rooms, yes, until 1975 they were prison cells, but since then, plenty has changed. While the cell doors still look a touch threatening, inside each cell has been converted into a comfortable single or double room with bathroom. The prison entrance hall is now the reception, and includes a 24-hour cafeteria. And much better service than the prisoners used to experience.

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· New Hotels in Europe [HotelChatter]
· Ljubljana's Celica: A Prison, an Art Hotel or a Youth Hostel [HotelChatter]

Killer View / Stockholm Hotel Reviews / → All Tags

Room with a Killer View: Rica Hotel Stockholm

Where: Slojdgatan 7, Stockholm, Sweden, 11157

We are suckers for a room with a killer view.  We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.

This is the view from a room within the Rica Hotel Stockholm taken by Jtriefan just last week.

There are actually four Rica hotels in the Stockholm area but we're pretty sure this is the right hotel as it says on the web site:

Situated by Hötorget - the flower market, the location is unbeatable; it is close to public transportation, shopping, theatres and other cultural events.

Make sure you book this Rica hotel as one of the others--the Rica Kungsgatan--doesn't have windows in some of its rooms.

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· Jtriefen's photostream [Flickr]
· Rica City Hotel Stockholm [TripAdvisor]

Sweden Hotels / Design Hotels / Stockholm Hotel Reviews / → All Tags

Stockholm's Nordic Light Has Great Lighting

Where: Vasaplan 7, Stockholm , Sweden, 10137

When you're staying in a hotel with a name like the Nordic Light Hotel, you'd probably be disappointed if the lights didn't make a good impression. But according to a recent Guardian reader review, the Nordic Light gets a thumbs up, despite looking like an office block from the outside:

On entering the lobby, you'll immediately notice that there is a lot of white: white walls, white tiled floor and white reception desk. However, this is complimented by the hotel's chief selling point - its lighting. The lobby is bathed in a continually changing display of colour as spotlights rotate through the spectrum. And this extends to every room in the hotel, where the lighting effects can be individually programmed to create the ultimate setting for you and your loved one. Whether you want calm and relaxation or romance or whatever mood takes your fancy, at the twist of a dial by the bed, it's yours.  

Apart from super-fancy lighting, the beds are described as "absurdly comfortable", and if you hand your shoes in the night before, you'll wake up to a freshly polished pair for free. Get a preview of some of the funky lighting ideas at the top of the Nordic's website--don't make a reservation if it all seems too psychedelic to you.

[Photo: Metal Sky]

Related Stories:
· Nordic Light Hotel [TripAdvisor]
· Nordic Light Hotel [Guardian UK]