WHAT’S IT LIKE? Open since 1974, this eight-floor, 465-room property’s location offers the best of both worlds – it’s in the midst of the financial district, but also just across the water from the beautiful Gamla Stan (old town), a UNESCO Heritage site.
Its terracotta-hued chamotte façade is blue listed, which means that extensive structural renovations are not possible. Inside, though, it has recently retouched its public areas and conference facilities.
The lobby lounge by the black and white bar has silver corner sofas layered with with indigo and turquoise cushions, and a contemporary fireplace with white pebbles instead of coal. There is a Link@Sheraton hub at the far end with six PCs, a printer and a TV showing the news. An Expresso House coffee shop is just beside the entrance.
Service was flexible and obliging– staff gave me advice about how best to travel to certain points around the city, answered any questions thoroughly, gave me some toothpaste when I ran out and let me continue to use the umbrella from my guestroom after I’d checked out (I returned it when I collected my luggage at the end of the day).
WHERE IS IT? A three-minute walk straight downhill from Stockholm Central station, facing Gamla Stan across the bridge. Don’t make the mistake of jumping in a taxi if you’re arriving from the train station – you’ll regret the SEK 99 (£10) charge for a journey that’s over in a minute or so.
ROOM FACILITIES I stayed in a Superior room on the sixth floor with a view of the Old Town. The décor was warm and relaxing – cream wallpaper with a silver dotted striped pattern, a light wooden floor, cornflower blue armchairs and a large Sweet Sleeper bed at the centre of the 20-22 sqm space.
Light switches and plug sockets were conveniently placed (the bedside sockets were EU only, but on the long wooden desk’s surface were UK, US and EU sockets).
The Phillips TV had over 30 channels (CNN, Sky News, BBC Prime, NBC) and there was an area next to where the TV stood with grips on, designed for placing a suitcase on. The soundproof windows could be opened, and offered a good view across the water.
The pleasant bathroom with sliding doors (no lock) had Shine Sheraton products, a full-length mirror just outside it, and a shower over the bath – the hotel has a mixture of walk-in showers and baths in its rooms, depending on guests’ preferences.
Other amenities included a laptop safe, tea-and coffee-making facilities (including take away cups), two free bottles of water – the hotel’s bottled water and the water served in its restaurants is produced on site, do it has no carbon footprint – and a minibar. The latter was locked on my visit, but it was stocked with soft drinks, (Coca Cola was SEK40/£3.95), wine (25cl red wine was SEK115/£11) and Pringles were SEK 40/£3.95). Wifi was free for 30 minutes, after which it was 210SEK (£20 for 24 hours.
I made use of the 24-hour room service and ordered the 360° burger (SEK 215/£21) served with fries, which was good but overpriced – more so after the service charge and optional tip were added. Other options included Swedish meatballs (SEK 195/£19) and chicken curry (SEK 195/£19).
If a view is important to you, request an outward room that faces Gamla Stan – the hotel is courtyard shaped, and due to the restrictions on the building, the hotel is not allowed to convert the banal, gravelly courtyard into something more attractive.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Breakfast is served in Three Sixty restaurant on the ground floor from 6.30am-10.am Mon-Fri (7am-11am on weekends), it comprises an extensive buffet. Lunch and dinner are also served here – international à la carte options. An outdoor terrace runs alongside it – it’s open from April to September for al fresco dining.
The dynamic 360° bar was usually busy during my stay – during the day, people were working quietly on laptops, and at night, groups would congregate here for a cosmopolitan setting for cocktails.
The hotel’s seventh-floor club lounge is well-appointed – cocktails are served here from 5.30-7.30pm.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES There are 15 meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 600 guests in total. The largest is divisible by three and can hold 300 delegates.
The majority of the spaces are located on the mezzanine floor of the hotel, which was recently refurbished (it was formerly a casino area). The foyer area here now sports an expensive yellow and grey carpet, and has a sleek, open feel. There is free wifi throughout the conference facilities.
LEISURE FACILITIES The 24-hour, first-floor Sheraton fitness centre has Life Fitness equipment, free weights, and workout diagrams on one wall suggesting various exercises such as the “jet lag buster”. There is no pool or spa, but in-room spa treatments are available from 8am-9pm.
VERDICT A practical hotel with great public areas and homely guestrooms – and a convenient location for travelling to and from the airport by train.
FACTFILE
HOW MANY ROOMS? 465 rooms divided into six categories: Classic rooms, Superior rooms, Club rooms, Junior Suites, Superior suites and one Presidential suite.
HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS Its location, excellent service and inviting guestrooms.
PRICE Internet rates for a midweek stay in a Classic room start from £183 for a Classic room.
CONTACT Tegelbacken 6; tel +46(0)8 412 3400; sheratonstockholm.com
Rose Dykins
