Sorry for the hiatus, but it’s finally time to continue my November Belgium trip report series. I flew home from Stockholm, and so I needed one hotel night there. My choice was the Hilton Stockholm Slussen, just across the river from the city center in the Slussenområdet area. I enjoyed my stay here, with the location near the historic Gamla Stan and friendly service the highlights. I paid cash for this stay, with my room coming in at $138 for the night.
Note: this post is part of a longer series about my trip to Europe last November. Click here for the introductory post and trip report index.
Hilton Stockholm Slussen
- Guldgränd 8, Box 15270, Stockholm, 10465, Sweden
- Website: https://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/sweden/hilton-stockholm-slussen-STOSLHI/index.html
- Features: 2 restaurants and bar, fitness center, business center, parking (valet only), free WiFi, executive lounge
Location: across the river from the Stockholm city center, and just across the bridge from the Gamla Stan. The hotel is a roughly 5 minute walk from the Slussen Metro station; Slussen in turn sits two stops from the main Centrallen station, with frequent service on the Red and Green lines. The Stockholm Metro is kind of pricey, though. One way cash fare from Centrallen runs SEK 44 (~$4.85).
If coming from Arlanda airport, you can take the Arlanda Express to Centrallen for SEK 295 (~$32). That ride takes about 20 minutes; the full trip maybe 40. A taxi from the airport costs about SEK 525 (~$57) and takes 45-65 minutes.
Here’s a (hopefully helpful) guide to reach the hotel from the Slussen Metro station. First, head out the first exit to an outdoor courtyard-type area.
Then, turn left and go up the cobblestone street that heads uphill.
Next, turn right at the first street you see. You’ll then reach a major street, which you’ll need to cross.
Finally, just before reaching the waterfront, turn left, and you’ll see the Hilton in front of you to the right. (Incidentally, turn right at the river to reach the Gamla Stan. It’s a less than 5 minute walk.)
Date of visit: Sunday, November 11, 2018
Check-In and Common Areas
After a really long day, I finally arrived at the hotel a little after 10 pm. The hotel features a really nice circular front desk, I thought.
A friendly agent thanked me for my Honors Gold status, and had me on my way in a few minutes.
The rest of the lobby area feels typically “Hilton Corporate”, but features a ton of seating. The large seating area extends quite a ways to the left of the front desk.
Downstairs next to the restaurant is yet another seating area, along with some artwork.
Meanwhile, a grand staircase leads from the downstairs area back to the lobby.
One particularly interesting feature – a theater-like meeting room.
I didn’t visit it, but the Hilton Stockholm Slussen also features a decent sized (and decently equipped) fitness center.
Hilton Stockholm Slussen – Guest Rooms
The desk agent informed me that she upgraded me to a “king deluxe with view” room up on the 4th floor. This hotel includes two separate wings, and my room was in the second wing across the highway. (You’ll see what I mean in a minute.) The guest floors themselves have your rather generic city hotel look.
Rooms in the hotel are rather small, though reasonably well equipped. My room included a king size bed, a desk in one corner, and a lounging chair in the other. The desk is pretty small, though, and the circular shape limits its utility somewhat. The hotel provides one bottle of still and one bottle of sparkling water for Honors elite members, placed on the desk. A common problem I find in European Hiltons are hard beds, but this one wasn’t too bad.
A 42-inch TV sits in the center of the room.
Between the bed and the door is a tea and coffee maker and a safe.
The bathroom is also compact, but I liked the marble tile (though it does make the floors slick when wet). It features a soaking tub plus a handheld showerhead.
This Hilton provides good quality Crabtree & Evelyn toiletry products.
One thing I appreciated were the plentiful electrical outlets and USB ports. First, the desk contains one outlet.
Then, next to the coffeemaker are two more. Helpfully, one of these even includes an adapter if you forget yours at home.
Finally, the clock helpfully includes two USB ports at the bottom. Very helpful if you need to use your phone or tablet on the bed.
Oh, and I almost forgot about the view. As mentioned earlier, these rooms are on the other side of the highway leading to the Stockholm city center. This provides quite a nice view of the river, the bridge, and the city center just beyond. You also enjoy a nice view of the east side of the Gamla Stan.
Hilton Stockholm Slussen Breakfast
As with most Hilton properties, the Hilton Stockholm Slussen provides complimentary breakfast to Honors Gold and Diamond members. Although Gold members are technically only entitled to “continental” breakfast, I find most Hiltons are pretty generous with this benefit. Indeed, this hotel offers Gold members access to the full buffet. The buffet includes a wide assortment of breads, cheeses, cold cuts, fruit, salad, and cereals. There are even a few traditional Scandinavian items like smoked fish roe.
Additionally, the buffet offers a few hot items. Naturally, the selection includes meatballs.
Yes, I previously decried breakfast as the most overrated hotel loyalty benefit. Despite my opinion, I give Hilton credit for doing breakfast for elites better than the competition. This is a pretty solid offering for a mid-tier elite. Certainly WAY better than the pathetic offering Kevin found at the Westin Los Cabos.
As far as the restaurant itself goes, it is a large venue with plenty of space for guests. The hotel seemed pretty lightly filled during my stay, but I’d say the restaurant is large enough to avoid overcrowding, even during busier periods.
Great Service
I did want to take a moment to point out the great service I received at this hotel. I decided to check out around 10 am, then store my bags and sightsee in the Gamla Stan for a bit. Upon returning, I realized I left my toiletry bag in the room. No big deal, but I mentioned it to the desk clerk as she retrieved my luggage. After confirming my room had not been cleaned yet, she offered to head upstairs and retrieve it for me. It was only a few bucks worth of stuff, but I appreciated the extra effort.
Overall Thoughts
I only stayed here one night, but I found the Hilton Stockholm Slussen a solid hotel for a short stay. Though rooms are small, it features a good location, friendly service, and a solid breakfast offering for even mid-tier elites. You are a little away from the city center if you’re in Stockholm on business. But the lower price for a reasonable walk or short Metro ride seems like a good trade-off here.
