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.
