The Best Hotels in Stockholm

Stockholm is not cheap, but it has good properties in every category – many with water views, and some in buildings that are attractions in their own right. For a central base, stay in Norrmalm, in elegant Östermalm, or in the charming Gamla Stan old town; trendy Södermalm is often a little cheaper and more relaxed. Our guide Where to stay in Stockholm? explains which neighbourhood best suits your travel style.

The selection below covers a range of budgets, from the luxury icon to the hostel bunk. The prices quoted are rough guides per night and vary considerably with season and dates – book early for the bright Swedish summer and for the run-up to Christmas.

Grand Hôtel – the luxury icon on the waterfront

If any hotel in Stockholm takes the word "grand" literally, it is this one. The Grand Hôtel was built in 1874 by the Frenchman Régis Cadier on the Blasieholmen peninsula and opened on 14 June 1874. Major refurbishments followed in 1899, when the Spegelsalen (Hall of Mirrors) was created in the style of Versailles, and again in 1924; the hotel has been continuously renovated ever since.

The location is hard to beat – the Grand sits right next to the Nationalmuseum and looks out across the harbour towards the Royal Palace and Gamla Stan. The Royal Palace is only around half a kilometre away, roughly a five- to ten-minute walk.

A visit is worthwhile even without staying the night – for the Swedish buffet (smörgåsbord) in the hotel's own Veranda restaurant. It is considered one of the few restaurants in the city offering a genuine smörgåsbord year-round, and it costs 750 SEK per person, with children aged 4 to 11 paying 375 SEK. According to the hotel it is served on weekday lunchtimes and at weekends 12:30–16:00 and 18:00–22:00, with exceptions during themed weeks. For many visitors, this is the simplest way to experience the Grand without paying for a room.

Nobis Hotel – design behind neoclassical façades

The Nobis Hotel at Norrmalmstorg 2–4 shows how historic fabric can become a modern design hotel. It occupies two listed city palaces from the late 1880s and 1890s – the south building dates from 1884–86, the north building from 1890–93. The conversion into a hotel was carried out in 2010 by the renowned Swedish architecture firm Claesson Koivisto Rune. Parts of the historic interiors remain under the supervision of the Swedish National Heritage Board.

The attention to detail shows – Carrara marble in the bathrooms, the Gold Bar with gold-framed mirrors and a counter of imitation yellow onyx, plus a lounge beneath a 28-metre-high ceiling. Currently in operation are the restaurant NOI, the bistro Bino, and the Gold Bar. The hotel is a member of Design Hotels.

The location on Norrmalmstorg is central yet quieter than being right on the main shopping street – a good compromise for anyone who appreciates design but does not want to sleep amid the crowds.

Hotel Diplomat – Art Nouveau on Strandvägen

The Hotel Diplomat occupies an Art Nouveau building from 1911 on the grand Strandvägen boulevard (address Strandvägen 7C) in Östermalm. Originally built as an exclusive apartment building, it has operated as a hotel since the 1960s. The address is among the most elegant in the city – Strandvägen is the stately waterfront promenade lined with townhouses.

A house tradition is afternoon tea, served since the 1960s in the T/Bar overlooking Nybroviken bay. It can be booked online as a two-hour sitting – Fridays at 15:00, and Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00, 12:30, 14:30 and 15:00. This is also a charming way to experience the hotel without staying overnight.

Handy, too, is the proximity to the museums on Djurgården – the Djurgårdsbron bridge is around a four-minute walk from Strandvägen, and the Nordiska Museet on Djurgården is about twelve to fifteen minutes on foot.

Hotel Rival – ABBA's design hotel in Söder

The Hotel Rival on Mariatorget is the most laid-back address on this list, and also the one with the best backstory – it is owned by former ABBA member Benny Andersson. The hotel opened on 1 September 2003; the property and its operation run through two subsidiaries of Benny Andersson Produktion AB, with Jesper Henryson as managing director since 2017. Ownership has not changed as of 2026.

The building has history of its own – the Rival cinema opened here in 1937 with an original capacity of 1,218 seats. Today's theatre and cinema hall seats 735 and can be booked for public events. The Art Deco cocktail bar also dates back to 1937 and retains some of its original fittings. There is plenty of dining around the hotel – Rival's Bistro, Watson's Bar, The Tavern with outdoor seating on Mariatorget, and a café with its own bakery.

The location in Södermalm puts the neighbourhood's buzz right on the doorstep and sits a little away from the classic tourist routes through Norrmalm and Gamla Stan – anyone drawn to Söder will feel right at home here.

City Backpackers – the best budget address in the centre

Anyone wanting a cheap, central place to sleep is well looked after at the City Backpackers Hostel on Upplandsgatan 2/2a. The hostel is operated by City Backpackers AB and remains open in 2026. It offers mixed dormitories with 4 to 12 beds, women-only dormitories, en-suite twin and double rooms, and private apartments with a kitchen – a range that stretches from a backpacker bunk to a small self-catering flat. One rare extra is the free sauna in the evenings.

The location is ideal for a hostel – around 500 metres, or roughly a five- to ten-minute walk, from Stockholm Central Station and the bus terminal. You walk along Vasagatan to Norra Bantorget, where Vasagatan turns into Upplandsgatan. Anyone arriving by train or airport bus therefore only has to haul their luggage a short distance.

In between – solid hotels from 100 to 150 euros

Between the hostel bunk and the luxury suite there is a large price gap, and it is filled by the solid 3- to 4-star properties we have deliberately not listed individually above. In central locations, usually in the range of about 100 to 150 euros per night, options include:

• Scandic hotels – Scandic Continental is only about 150 metres from T-Centralen, while Scandic Go on Upplandsgatan is a cheaper option within the same chain.
• Comfort Hotel Xpress Stockholm Central – a functional, central mid-range hotel near the central station.
• Clarion Hotel Amaranten – a larger hotel in Kungsholmen, a little away from the bustle.
• Story Hotel and Hobo – design and boutique addresses for anyone who wants character without moving into the luxury bracket.

The cheapest 3-star double rooms have recently been around 90 to 100 euros – though these are daily rates that fluctuate strongly with season and dates. As a rule of thumb, booking early is the most reliable way to bring the price down, especially during the bright Swedish summer and the run-up to Christmas. The guide Where to stay in Stockholm? covers which neighbourhood best suits your plans.