Thinking
of a romantic weekend destination before the holidays? Look up north to
Stockholm, the Swedish capital, and its most grandiose Grand Hôtel where kings
and queens have stayed before you. To put it simply, if it is good enough for
the blue blooded, it is definitely worth a try!
Being the
most prestigious and famous hotel in Sweden with a rich history means that the
pressure on the standard and quality of service is extremely high. Nonetheless,
the location could not get any better as Grand Hôtel is located on the city’s
waterfront, opposite the royal palace and the royal opera house. The rooms and
suits offer high ceilings graced with mouldings and perfectly maintained wooden
floors from the period of time when the hotel premises were an actual bank.
Also the bathrooms are impressive, with white and grey marble covering the
walls from the floors to the ceiling. A big plus also to the bathroom amenities
offered by Molton Brown!
(View on the waterfront with the royal palace opposite the room, on a grey November day)
Grand
Hôtel may not look like a former bank, but it becomes obvious when paying a
visit to the beautiful spa located in the basement. Here you can choose to swim
or relax in the steam room in the former bank valves. However, despite the
hotel’s long history it is far from ancient and obsolete. This is definitely
the place to be and be seen at. During the weekends many locals come for lunch
or a drink in the spacious Cadier Bar with its terrace overlooking the royal
palace. Therefore, make sure you decide in advance if you want to try the
comfort of the aubergine coloured chairs and sofas as tables must be booked in
advance, and not even hotel guests are guaranteed anything.
Another
bright setting not to miss is the Terrace, or Veranda as it is called in
Swedish, where guests can enjoy a versatile and delicious breakfast buffet in
the mornings or taste real Swedish delicacies while relishing the view of the
Old City. This Michelin starred restaurant gives you “the right deal” when it
comes to the Swedish cuisine! An advice, try the famous herring marinated in
creamy mustard, a true classic, as a starter and continue with veal meatballs
called “Wallenbergare” served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries.
(Photo from Leading Hotels of the World)
A stay at
Grand Hôtel is not complete without a visit to its beautifully decorated 1200
square metre spa. Disappointingly, the saunas are not mixed due to their
location in the locker rooms; therefore, you cannot enjoy the sauna with your
other half. Moreover, be careful when entering and exiting the steam room as
the steam feels uncomfortably hot when touching your face. Fortunately, this is
not the case when sitting down; thus, I suggest that you enter and exit the
room quickly. On the contrary, the very generous opening hours (from 6am until
10pm during weekdays, and 8am until 8pm during the weekends) are a big plus.
(Photo from Leading Hotels of the World)
To conclude,
Grand Hôtel is THE leading hotel in Sweden and in Scandinavia with only an
overbooked bar and a very hot steam room on the negative side. On the contrary, Stockholm is a city full of
pubs and bars where you can take your other half for a drink or two. Moreover,
the steam room being too hot means that you can spend more time in the pool or
jacuzzi, which personally I find more romantic than watching each other sweat! It is also a great city if you wish to propose to your girlfriend/boyfriend, which my husband did!
Find out
more here.
