A Brit and A Southerner

5 Reasons to Love Walking Downtown Little Rock

Arkansas

Jan 18, 2016

5 Reasons to Love Walking Downtown Little Rock

Little Rock, Arkansas may not be the first city on the tip of your tongue when thinking about cities to explore and with good reason, but perhaps it is worth nothing that this city has much more to offer than you may imagine. Walking around downtown Little Rock offers a variety of attractions, awesome cuisine options and of course a myriad of bars to sample a local brew and watch the Razorbacks in action.

Any city that is conducive to walking around and enjoying the surroundings immediately has our vote and this is certainly true in Arkansas’ capital city. We have visited Little Rock on several occasions including a visit to the Clinton Presidential Library which on its was a cool experience, but on our recent trip we decided to spend a little more time exploring the River Market and downtown district.

Thanks to the local CVB office who have recently started offering free walking tours of downtown Little Rock every Saturday, we were delighted to join them on one of their 90 minute excursions exploring ‘The Rock’ to see exactly what this city has to offer.

History of Little Rock

Our tour started at La Petite Roche Plaza, also known as “Little Rock Plaza” by the Arkansas River so it’s only fair that we start by sharing a little history on this city. Dating back to the early 18th century, the discovery of Little Rock is credited to the French explorer Bernard de la Harpe who was also renowned as being the first person to set foot in Oklahoma.

La Petite Roche Plaza has an iconic rock that is attributed to de la Harpe but history indicates that the Frenchman actually traveled 50 miles beyond Little Rock and North Little Rock before noting a landmark on the north bank of the Arkansas River. This landmark he dubbed as the ‘French Rock’, now referred to as Big Rock.

Although de la Harpe doesn’t specifically mention any other rocks, the likelihood is that he would have stumbled across this outcrop on the southern bank, hence how we now have today’s capital city – Little Rock.

1. Arkansas River Banks

As our tour guides started to share some of the aforementioned history of Little Rock, I couldn’t help but peer across the Arkansas River and marvel at the gorgeous architectural designs of the Junction Bridge and Clinton Presidential Park Bridge to the east.

Peering across the Arkansas River and beyond into North Little Rock, we noticed the USS Razorback submarine docked on the north bank and our tour guides recommended visiting this attraction as you can take a full tour in and around this World War II submarine.

Meanwhile on the south bank we started walking by the Sculpture at the River Market display which has a number of cool exhibits. The heart of the sculpture park is known as the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden and here you will find a collection of 70 different public art sculptures.

The majority of these exhibits are smaller but along the bank you will stumble across several larger designs that offer a trendy reflection on Little Rock’s culture.

2. Riverfront Park and Medical Mile

Along the banks of the Arkansas River is Little Rock’s answer to Central Park. Ok, so perhaps this is a little ambitious but Riverfront Park offers a myriad of outdoor activities, historical markers and cultural experiences that will entertain visitors.

The First Security Amphitheater is Little Rock’s primary outdoor concert venue and this plays host to a number of events every year including the annual Riverfest which takes place on Memorial Day weekend.

The Peabody Splash Park, named after the Peabody hotel group is a popular spot for children while the Civil War memorials provide a learning experience for everyone who takes a wander through the park.

Little Rock is proud to be home of several leading medical entities and this is typified by the city’s focus on promoting healthy living.

As we walked around Riverfront Park back toward the River Market, we strolled along a section of the ‘Medical Mile’ which was created in 2003 by two dozen local physicians who fundraised a combined $350,000 to help construct part of this trail in the heart of the city.

Whether you walk or bike along this section of the trail, you will be rewarded with a number of murals focused on promoting specific aspects of your health and what can be done to ensure you live a healthy lifestyle.

3. River Rail Street Cars

After leaving the River Market district and heading back to President Clinton Avenue, we walked past the Central Arkansas Library which is a popular spot for historians and Kilwins, which is a popular spot for ice cream and fudge aficionados.

Regardless of your interests, Clinton Avenue is a hub of variety with restaurants, bars, quaint souvenir shops among others all waiting to entice you through their doors.

river rail street car downtown little rock

One of the highlights of Clinton Avenue and nearby streets is the River Rail Street Car system that makes its way around downtown Little Rock and across the river to nearby North Little Rock.

Although we are focusing our attention on ‘walking’ around the downtown district, the streetcar trollies offer a quaint alternative. We were given a free day pass by taking the walking tour (another great advantage of this awesome tour!) and hopped on the trolley to take this all the way to Heifer International.

downtown little rock river rail streetcar

The scenic views from aboard the streetcars make this a memorable experience and just like similar trolley systems that we have encountered in Memphis, New Orleans and San Francisco, this is a great way to get around and see more of the city in a short time.

I am happy to include this in this post because I think the streetcar pass goes hand in hand with walking around downtown Little Rock. I strongly encourage you to use the ‘hop on, hop off’ approach with the streetcars because you will certainly see more doing this.

We made the full downtown loop on the green line and also as mentioned took the expanded line to the Clinton Presidential Center (this line only operates until 5:45PM).

4. Clinton Presidential Center

The state of Arkansas is unfortunately one of those states that is forgotten as it really doesn’t have the pizzazz of other states. When President Bill Clinton became the 42nd president of the United States, this at least put the state on many folks radar (maybe not always for the best of reasons).

Today, many of Clinton’s avid followers will find enjoyment in exploring the impressive Clinton Presidential Center that is located just a few blocks from the River Market district in downtown Little Rock.

The modernistic design of the center was strategically constructed at the request of Clinton to represent his policies and promise to “Build a bridge to the 21st century” (this is obviously noted as well by the nearby Clinton Presidential Park Bridge).

From artifacts of Clinton’s campaigns and time in the office to the only true full-size replica of the Oval Office, the Clinton Presidential Center is well worth experiencing. After leaving the River Rail Streetcar, we walked past the Presidential Center listening to stories from our tour guide of President Clinton frequently spending time in Little Rock.

clinton presidential center oval office replica

For only $7 per person, you can take a full self-guided tour of the Clinton Presidential Center and I would strongly consider taking this before walking back to the heart of downtown Little Rock.

Whether you agree with my rather negative sentiments on the overall experience is entirely personal preference, but before making a judgement I think it’s an attraction you have to visit.

5. The Old State House

After passing by the Arkansas History Museum, we board the streetcar again to complete our loop of downtown. As we passed by the Old State House, I told Heather that we needed to walk back here from the River Market to check it out.

It’s only a short walk past the Marriott (formerly the Peabody) and the impressive design of what was once the Arkansas State Capitol building is in front of you.

We visited after 5:00PM so were unable to get inside the gates of the Old State House grounds but daily tours are available between 9AM and 5PM (1-5PM on Sunday’s).

Construction of the ‘original’ capitol building started in 1833 but this venue’s most famous moments really didn’t take place until 1992 when it was the site of President Clinton’s election night celebration.

Summary

Taking a walking tour of downtown Little Rock courtesy of the CVB really gave us a great overview of what this city has to offer. Of course you will want to head out and explore for yourselves and sample some of the fine attractions and cuisine spots that are located all around the downtown district.

Regardless of your interests, Little Rock has a vibrant and entertaining nucleus surrounded by a myriad of other neighborhoods that offer landmarks and attractions for all the family. Historians will love the Clinton Presidential Center, while children will be entertained all day at the Peabody Splash Park. We both love cities that encourage you to walk around and this can certainly be said in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Have you visited Little Rock? What are your experiences in the state of Arkansas?

5 Historic Churches in Dublin That Are Unique and Iconic

Ireland

Chris Boothman

Jan 14, 2016

5 Historic Churches in Dublin That Are Unique and Iconic

There is something quite unique about European architecture that makes it such a popular attraction, and rightfully so. From the medieval age designs to Gothic Revival flair and finesse that we see throughout European nations, architectural brilliance is something that we probably all come to expect as we make our way around Europe’s finest cities. Dublin, Ireland is certainly no different. One aspect that stands out is the fine selection of historic churches in Dublin and their breathtaking and ingenious architectural design.

During our recent visit, we spent 48 hours in Dublin and had ample time to experience many of the cities ancient churches and cathedrals. Whether you have the opportunity to explore all of these both on the inside and outside, you will certainly gain a much deeper appreciation due to the inherent beauty that lies within these historic walls of all the places of worship throughout Dublin.

Dublin is a city that thrives on preserving a large number of churches, so it’s difficult to pick and choose which are worth visiting. Regardless of your religion and regardless of how much time you have spent in church throughout your life, appreciating the design and details of these breathtaking constructions is something that everyone can enjoy.

Our self-guided walking tour of Dublin saw us pass by several which are well worth exploring while others are simply too iconic to avoid. Let’s take a look at five different churches that you should consider visiting on your next trip to Ireland.

Christ Church Cathedral

Dublin’s most famous cathedral stands at the brow of a hill overlooking the rest of Dublin. Christ Church Cathedral’s history dates back to the early 11th century when the initial construction of this church took place.

Extensive renovations took place in the late 19th century and much of what stands today dates back to this particular era.

The interior of the church is equally as impressive as the outside. As we toured the inside of Christ Church Cathedral, we heard a story about the arched stone roof which visibly leans on the north side by about 18 inches. This wall still stands today while many others tumbled around it due to poor design and subsequent renovation in the 16th century.

The original church was staffed by secular clergy though when it was reformed in the 19th century it became a more Victorian style with restorations focused on this design period.

Standing inside the cathedral today, it is difficult to identify which parts maintain the medieval look versus the more modern Victorian age. However, remnants of the medieval design can still be found especially in the ‘crypt’ which contains some of Ireland’s oldest secular carvings.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

After visiting Christ Church Cathedral, you may be forgiven for thinking that it can’t get any better in terms of gorgeous churches in Dublin. A short walk from here will lead you to Dublin’s other ‘iconic’ church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Many would argue that St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the church to visit if you are considering what to do in Dublin in one day.

It may not have the same reputation or rich history as Christ Church, but it does have an equally impressive design and many would argue the interior is far superior, especially with the modern features that have been implemented.

Dating back to 1191, the Gothic architecture of St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest in Ireland and along with Christ Church is one of Dublin’s two Church of Ireland cathedrals. The cathedral is located on the grounds of St. Patrick’s Park which was once renowned as one of the worst slum areas in Dublin, but today is a pleasant area of green space where visitors and locals alike can relax.

The interior of the church is spectacular and part of the church is dedicated to commemorating Irish soldiers that died while fighting in the British Army.

Hanging above the arches of the North Transept are a number of flags reflecting the various regiments that fought in battle and this is a nice touch especially for family members who can visit this tranquil setting and reflect on their ancestors.

Jonathan Swift, author of the infamous novel Gulliver’s Travels, was the dean of this cathedral in the early 18th century, so it’s no surprise as you enter St. Patrick’s Cathedral today to see Swift’s grave.

Today, St. Patrick’s Cathedral has added a ‘modern’ twist with iPads portraying details of the rich history of this parish, and a couple of ‘hands-on’ areas for visitors to learn all about brass rubbing.

St. Audoen’s Church

Located south of the River Liffey in close proximity to Dublinia and Christ Church Cathedral, St. Audoen’s Church has the unique characteristic of being the only medieval parish church throughout Dublin that has maintained all of the original features.

Dating back to its original construction in 1190, this church is devoted to the parish of St. Audoen. As we peered up at the tower, it’s noticeable that this is one of the oldest churches in Dublin (actually it’s the oldest parish church that is still used) but it has been incredibly well preserved.

As with most churches over recent decades, there have been financial issues associated with St. Audoen’s Church that made it difficult to afford such renovations but the 1980s was a pivotal era for the restoration of the tower and bells.

I have to admit that the exterior of St. Audoen’s is one of my favorites of all the churches we experienced on our tour of Dublin. Whether it’s the ancient, medieval design that is still recognizable to this day, or perhaps the infamous stories of ghosts and lucky charms that are associated with this church.

The ‘Lucky Stone’, now located in the porch of St. Audoen’s Church, is a 9th-century grave slab confirming suspicions that this parish was built on top of a previous structure that once stood here. If you are an avid historian, there is plenty of history in this part of the city!

John’s Lane Church

A short walk from St. Audoen’s Church is a much more modern construction dating back to 1874. John’s Lane Church was constructed on the site of a former hospital and today is famous for the towering spire and steeple that rises over 200 feet above the city. The tallest spire in the city of Dublin, this was originally constructed solely as a unique aspect of the church and not to hold bells which were later added.

Located on Thomas Street, John’s Lane Church is served by the Augustinian parish. We stumbled across this church en route to the Guinness Storehouse and this is well worth exploring before sampling a pint of Ireland’s finest brew. The myriad of stained glass windows makes this church particularly spectacular during morning hours when the sunshine pours through these windows illuminating the interior of the church.

The full name of John’s Lane Church is the Church of St. John the Baptist and St. Augustine, but locals opted for the shortened version of ‘John’s Lane’ which is a steep side-street directly beside this church (perhaps the design of this church with the tall spire reflects the steepness of the street it is now commonly named after!)

Romanian Orthodox Church

One of the lesser known churches throughout Dublin is the neo-gothic design devoted to the Romanian community in the city. Located in Leeson Park on the south side of the city in the Ranelagh neighborhood, the Romanian Orthodox Church is a spectacular design and well worth visiting as you make your way around the city.

Even though we didn’t enter this building and honestly had no idea about the religious affiliation until we left Dublin, we are delighted to have stumbled across this church because it really offers something different to the traditional Irish churches that we explored on the rest of our trip.

The Orthodox movement has had a presence throughout Ireland for several decades and the Romanian Orthodox Churches can be found in both Dublin and Cork (if you have more time to spend in Ireland, I strongly encourage you to head over to Cork to explore this part of the country).

Summary

Even though churches are not the first landmark we generally visit while exploring a new city, the churches in Dublin are certainly breathtaking and historic enough to warrant spending some time exploring them.

Whether you want to visit the iconic Christ Church and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, or perhaps you want to explore a lesser known gem such as the Romanian Orthodox Church, Dublin is filled with so much history and culture that churches are a great way to start learning about this beautiful city.

Our 2015 Year End Review – Why Was It So Amazing?

Travel Tips

Chris Boothman

Jan 11, 2016

Our 2015 Year End Review – Why Was It So Amazing?

How do we keep churning out years of such amazing travel you may be wondering? Well, we are frequently asking ourselves the same question. As we start 2016 and look forward to yet another amazing year of potential travel opportunities, we want to take a few moments to reflect on the past twelve months in our 2015 year end review and find out just why this year was yet again another awesome time for A Brit & A Southerner. We thought that 2014 was pretty spectacular when we took 40 flights and visited 10 different countries. Could we beat that in 2015? Of course we could!

In 2015 we visited 18 different countries which is a pretty amazing feat given that we both work full-time. From Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks to the beautiful monastery in Montserrat, Spain, we certainly had a year to remember.

I am writing this review now at the end of our breathtaking European rail adventure which started just before Christmas. But more on that later in this post…however, when you think about all the travels that we have done in recent months, it really makes us appreciate just how fortunate we have been not only in a financial sense to be able to afford this, but also emotionally and physically for being healthy enough to endure the demand of traveling around the world.

Rather than looking at the last 12 months chronologically, I think it’s more appropriate to take a look at our top 10 experiences/trips.

10. New Orleans

We headed to New Orleans in mid-October excited about what we had planned for one of our stereotypical ‘long’ weekend getaways. This was my third time to ‘The Crescent City’ but Heather’s first, so we were both looking forward to exploring everything this French inspired city has to offer.

Tours of the Garden District and French Quarter along with a Natchez River Boat Cruise were definite highlights of our time in New Orleans. We sampled some amazing local cuisine at Mother’s (you have to sample the Po’boy there!) and had a delicious jazz brunch buffet at The Court of Two Sisters.

The disappointing aspect of our time in New Orleans was that we simply didn’t have enough time there to experience everything we wanted to. I love cajun/creole cuisine so this part of USA is definitely high on my list, but I don’t think Heather is quite as impressed.

Overall Rating

8/10 – Beautiful city with so much to experience and a plethora of fine cuisine options to sample.

9. Dallas

Texas in July? We must be crazy right, especially with the heat that is generally forecast at this time of the year. However, a July 4th weekend trip to Dallas was what we had planned and as always it was an action packed adventure. Thanks to the amazing folks at CityPASS, we were able to experience many of the city’s top attractions, in an ‘all-in-one’ package deal.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens were gorgeous and in full bloom in July, but of course the highlight was experiencing the JFK Museum at Dealey Plaza, especially for Heather who is a huge history buff and JFK fan!

Overall Rating

8/10 – Although we only experienced what we would consider as ‘tourist attractions’, it was nice to walk around downtown and explore more of the city than we were able to on our first visit to Dallas.

8. St. Louis

We have been to St. Louis on numerous occasions but this year we decided to visit on a couple of occasions to explore ‘off the beaten path‘. We all know the iconic reasons why people visit St. Louis, but what about those hidden gems such as Laumeier Sculpture Park and diverse neighborhoods such as The Hill and Delmar Loop where you will always stumble across something worth experiencing.

The Botanical Gardens in St. Louis offer a different experience away from the hustle and bustle and if you are really looking to get away, perhaps taking a hop across the river to the historic town of St. Charles will interest you. We did both and enjoyed every minute in both locations.

2015 was also the year that we ventured into videography. Our second video to go live featured the beautiful St. Louis Zoo which is undoubtedly one of the best zoos around, especially given that admission is free.

Overall Rating

8.5/10 – Conveniently location for us, but with so many free attractions St. Louis is an attractive destination for everyone.

7. Memphis

Travel begins at home…at least that is one philosophy we are trying to get across to our followers in an attempt to inspire everyone to at least look outside their front door and see just how much there is to do there! For us, Memphis, Tennessee is right on our doorstep as it is only a short 50 minute drive from Arkansas across the Mississippi River.

Weekly trips are common but in 2015 we decided to dig a little deeper. We wanted to find the ‘real Memphis’ and experience some of the hidden neighborhoods that many tourists likely never see. From the South Main Street arts district to the Cooper-Young district, we explored 5 areas that we believe everyone visiting Memphis should consider experiencing.

We are proud that the post we wrote on the ‘Top 5 Memphis Neighborhoods You Need to Know About‘ went viral and was by far our most popular post in 2015! This will certainly inspire us to keep exploring more cities beyond the tourist traps but if you plan to visit Memphis, be sure to check out these districts.

Overall Rating

9/10 – Our ‘second home’ or so it feels given the frequency we visit Memphis, but 2015 was different for us as we explored more hidden spots that really helped show us the real Memphis experience.

6. Utah’s National Parks

The Mighty 5 National Parks in Utah make this state one of my favorites, especially after our epic road trip over Memorial Day that saw us visit three of us. After exploring the stunning Grand Canyon (more on that later) in Arizona and heading into Utah, we visited Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and finally Arches National Park near Moab.

Each of these national parks has unique natural characteristics that makes them each stunningly beautiful. Words fail to express the beauty throughout Utah so hopefully our pictures will help do the landscapes justice. If not…well you will just have to take our word for it and head on over to Utah and appreciate this beauty for yourselves!

Overall Rating

9.5/10 – Utah is unlike any other state I have visited (and we have now experienced 46 of the 50 US states) and is definitely in my top 3 favorites! The geographical phenomena throughout each of the national parks is a true stunning sight to behold.

5. Dublin

A trip to the Emerald Isle over Thanksgiving gave us the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Ireland’s capital city, Dublin. Exploring the historic Book of Kells and Old Library inside Trinity College were memorable experiences but of course visiting Dublin wouldn’t quite be the same without sampling some of Ireland’s finest brew.

Experiencing the Guinness Storehouse tour in the heart of Dublin is definitely worthwhile but perhaps touring around the ancient churches and cathedrals inside the city would interest you more.

Overall Rating

9.5/10 – Dublin is a beautiful city and sampling some typical Irish stew combined with a pint of Guinness is a perfect way to end your day exploring Ireland’s capital.

4. Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is unsurprisingly one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. We visited this wonder for the first time over the Memorial Day weekend and we were not disappointed. The views across the South Rim are awe-inspiring and the number of trails are endless.

Heading out of the national park on the East Rim drive offers a myriad of Grand Canyon lookout points to continue the natural beauty. Let’s be the honest…it’s a never ending experience and certainly a part of the world that you won’t want to leave!

Overall Rating

9.5/10 – The Grand Canyon is one of those natural wonders that you just have to visit. After experiencing this for the first time, I can attest that this is not one of those overrated tourist traps. Instead, it is an attraction that we are already looking forward to a return trip!

3. Road Trip – Salt Lake City to Glacier (and back)

One of our most ambitious trips in 2015 was a road trip from Salt Lake City to Denali National Park over a long Labor Day weekend. After flying into Salt Lake City, we spent some time exploring Grand Teton National Park and the stunning Yellowstone National Park. Encounters with wildlife, watching geothermal activity and perusing over beautiful panoramic scenes are all available inside Yellowstone.

After passing through Wyoming and Idaho, we arrived in Montana, home of Glacier National Park. Our time in Glacier was limited, not only because of our time constraints but because the weather closed part of the Going to the Sun Road. Despite the adverse conditions, we enjoyed Glacier and hopefully a return trip can be arranged in the not too distant future.

The drive back to Salt Lake City saw us pass through Washington and Oregon so that we could experience part of the Oregon Trail and of course visit the remaining states in the Pacific Northwest.

Overall Rating

10/10 – We love road trips and this is certainly the most ambitious and exciting that we have encountered so far. Yellowstone is stunning but so are the other national parks in this part of the country.

2. Barcelona

TBEX Europe in Lloret de Mar, Spain gave us the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Barcelona prior to heading over to the Costa Brava for the conference. Exploring Gaudi’s finest examples of architectural brilliance and of course watching the mighty Barcelona at the Nou Camp were key highlights of our experience in Spain.

Our final day prior to heading over to TBEX saw us take a trip outside of Barcelona to Montserrat and visit the historic monastery there. The views are spectacular and hiking to the top overlooking the monastery is certainly worth the effort.

Overall Rating

10/10 – Barcelona is a beautiful city and we can highly recommend taking a food tour here with Devour Barcelona food tours. Sampling Catalan’s finest cuisine along with stumbling across some hidden gems make this tour well worth the time.

1. European Rail Adventure

We mentioned at the beginning of this post that we wanted to save the best until last and this is exactly what we did in 2015. Prior to Christmas we headed to Europe armed with our Eurail Global Passes giving us access to 28 different countries. Of course with limited time we had to establish a more realistic route to see as much as possible. Over the next few weeks we will be sharing many of our stories from our trip but this was definitely the perfect way to end an amazing year.

Here is a quick summary of where we went. We started in Stockholm, Sweden and spent 48 hours there. We took the train to Copenhagen, Denmark before flying to UK to spend Christmas with my parents on the Fylde Coast. December 27 saw us fly from Manchester to Hannover where our European adventure really started.

Hannover to Berlin to Dresden to Prague to Vienna to Bratislava to Budapest to Zurich to Strasbourg to Luxembourg to Brussels and our final stop in Amsterdam. Technically speaking our 2015 travels ended in Budapest where we enjoyed New Year’s Eve in the Executive Lounge of the Hilton Budapest City!

Overall Rating

10/10 – Traveling around Europe is definitely something that everyone should do. The BEST and ONLY way to achieve this is using the awesome train service that runs throughout Europe. Our Eurail passes made this experience seamless and painless. So many amazing cities and so many stories to share!

Summary

So there we have our 2015 year end review! It was another spectacular twelve months and we have experienced so many new and exciting places, many of which we can’t wait to return to. I can openly say that we visited so many destinations and very few of them were we disappointed with. Perhaps this is because we visit every new spot with an open mind and look for ways to enjoy the location.

What does 2016 have in store for us? Many more exciting travels! We already have a few trips booked including TBEX North America in Minneapolis over Memorial Day weekend, TBEX Europe in Stockholm in July and then the Ryder Cup in Minnesota in late September.

When you reflect on your 2015 travels, which destinations and trips stand out as your favorites? We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences so feel free to share them below!

A Review of the Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Stockholm

Sweden

Chris Boothman

Jan 7, 2016

A Review of the Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Stockholm

When you think about Sweden, what are the main things that the Swedes are famous for? ABBA, Absolut Vodka or perhaps the blonde stereotypes would be near the top of most peoples lists and of course with good reason. But what about the modern decor that we all love to associate with the Swedish lifestyle? Of course I am talking about the global conglomerate – IKEA! This modern decor is something that I want to focus on because during our recent ‘first’ visit to Stockholm, we were well and truly welcomed to the home of modern decor during our stay at the Scandic Grand Central Hotel in the heart of the Swedish capital.

What You Need to Know

Location of Scandic Grand Central Hotel

Any time you visit a new country for the first time, it’s imperative that you stay in a hotel that is in a great location providing easy access to the key landmarks and attractions within the region. The Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Stockholm is situated in possibly the best location throughout city, given that it is located directly next to Stockholm’s Central train station and within short walking distance to a myriad of attractions.

Stockholm has a great public transportation system that we experienced first hand, and by staying at the Scandic Grand Central Hotel, we were close to a variety of options that made accessing various attractions much easier. Whether it was taking the Djurgården line number 7 (tram) to the Vasa Museum or the underground subway to the SkyView, everything was just a short walk from our hotel.

By now you should be convinced that this hotel is the perfect choice, if location is your most important attribute when searching for hotels. But don’t worry, there is so much more and by the end of this review I am convinced that you will be sold on all aspects and will definitely consider making a reservation at the Scandic Grand Central Hotel, the next time you visit Stockholm.

Address

Kungsgatan 70,
111 20 Stockholm,
Sweden

Rates

Room rates fluctuate on a daily basis but for a standard room you can expect to pay anywhere from 75 to 100 Euros per night. Larger, superior rooms are available as are a variety of views across the city.

The Lobby and Breakfast Area

As we walked inside the Scandic Grand Central hotel for the first time, we were welcomed with a breathtaking sight of the ultra-modern lobby which is definitely a great spot to relax while staying at this hotel.

Of course much of your time in Stockholm will be spent exploring the beautiful city, but in the back of your mind you may be enticed to make an early return to the hotel to spend some time relaxing with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir and taking in the beautiful surroundings of the downstairs area.

Plenty of comfortable sofas and stylish chairs and tables are available to accommodate all guests of the hotel but it’s the restaurant area and breakfast experience that really helps sell this hotel above its competitors in the area. Sweden is famous for having awesome breakfasts so we were excited to hear that this was included in our room rate.

Delicious Swedish Breakfast Buffet

We rose early the first morning and headed downstairs in hopeful expectation of something spectacular. We were not disappointed! In fact, the wide array of options available on the breakfast buffet was such that the irresistible temptation of devouring everything on the menu was nearly impossible to resist.

But when you are on vacation, why resist the inevitable? Just sample a little bit of everything because you won’t be disappointed.

For locals, eating breakfast is usually a home-cooked meal before heading out to work. However, for visitors to the Swedish capital, the experience of sampling a myriad of delicious options is certainly an attractive reason to spend a night in a hotel like the Scandic Grand Central.

Why not start with a hot cooked meal including sausages, stereotypical Swedish meatballs, bacon, eggs, beans and a surprise inclusion of broccoli. There is nothing like adding a little greenery or perhaps ‘healthiness’ to what many may deem to be a typical English breakfast rather than something you would find in Stockholm.

Add a little ‘caviar spread’ and now you are really getting into the lifestyle of a Swedish person.

The real Swedish flavors can be found in the cold section of the buffet. We were literally spoiled for choice with various ham, turkey and cheese options, combined with a plethora of breads and knäckebröd (crisp bread).

Swedish dark rye bread with a hint of butter and blackberry jam was one of my favorite experiences…if you have the opportunity to sample this, it’s worth the effort of cutting the bread and making this perfect concoction.

Espressos, orange/apple juice, sparkling/still water and of course the highlight, a strawberry smoothie were all available at the Scandic Grand Central breakfast buffet.

After sampling this breakfast, you are definitely well set for the rest of the day to explore the city of Stockholm.

Our Room – Ultimate Comfort

When it’s time to head back to your room, you always hope for a comfortable bed and relaxing atmosphere. The Scandic Grand Central hotel offers both of these, along with plenty of space, modern decor throughout and a walk-in shower to help revitalize you either before a good night’s rest or before heading out for the day (after experiencing the shower for the first time, if you are like us you will want to sample this more than once daily!)

Our room had several pictures with iconic quotes taken directly from some of the world’s leading rock artists such as Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan.

A corner desk overlooking the nearby Casino Cosmopol provided plenty of workspace but the queen size bed with individual duvet covers was the most attractive feature inside this spacious room.

The worst part about having a bed like this is that you don’t want to get up in the morning, and with limited time to explore Stockholm we really wanted to rise and shine early.

A walk-in shower always gets thumbs up from both of us as we much prefer this experience than having to struggle with a shower inside a bathtub. The modern decor throughout the room continued in the bathroom and made getting ready that much more enjoyable.

Summary

The Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Stockholm is the perfect location to begin exploring the city. If you are visiting Stockholm for the first time, like we did, we strongly recommend considering this as a viable option for a 2 to 3 day stay in the city. We are heading back to Stockholm for TBEX Europe 2016 and will likely stay here as it is a short distance from the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre and City Hall.

For the ultimate comfort experience, luxury dining options and much more, the Scandic Grand Central Hotel is a really affordable option in the heart of the city. For a hotel with such great features, it is surprising to see how affordable this really is. It is a credit to the Scandic hotel group and of course the management on site for ensuring this hotel remains such high quality.

Disclaimer – We were guests of Scandic Grand Central Hotel and received a complimentary one night stay in return for consideration of a blog post. The views contained within this post are entirely our personal opinion/experience and we were not financially compensated for this review.

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