Stockholm Hostel

Situated in a low-rise building on a quiet city street in the mostly residential Kungsholmen District, the Stockholm Hostel declares itself “a better hostel” in a cherry-red sign just above its glass doors. Inside, the lobby is doused in cheery colors, including bright-red and pink candy-striped walls. The sweet stripes comprise most of the decor, as the lobby is not much more than a long white reception desk and two black armchairs flanking a tiny table. Simplicity prevails, with black-tile flooring and plenty of natural light from the glass-paneled entrance. Fliers, brochures, maps, and a handwritten black board of staff recommendations and announcements adorn the walls. The lobby stretches on into a red-carpeted hallway where the rooms begin, and a curvy staircase bearing those requisite candy stripes leads down to more rooms and the lounge and kitchen. Heating pipes and vents run along the ceiling, giving interiors a bit of an industrial look.

The hostel doesn’t wow with its decor -- common spaces are simple and minimalistic, but modern and clean. The lounge/kitchen area is a spacious and inviting space, ideal for relaxing, cooking, and mixing and mingling with fellow travelers. The hostel attracts many backpackers and budget travelers as well as groups enticed by the low rates and dorm rooms. This is not a party hostel, and the atmosphere is calm and peaceful, with a strict no alcohol policy and quiet hours after 10 p.m., making it suitable for all ages.

The Stockholm Hostel is located on a quiet city street in the Kungsholmen District in central Stockholm. The area is mostly residential, with lots of restaurants, shops, and parks nearby. There is a bus stop serving several lines around the corner, and the nearest subway station at Fridhemsplan is a five-minute walk from the hostel. The historic Old Town, Gamla Stan, is about a 20-minute bus ride away. The Central Train Station is less than a 10-minute subway ride from the hostel.

Rooms at the Stockholm Hostel are basic but modern, functional, and clean. They offer not much more than a bed to sleep in, and storage space is minimal. Dorm rooms are equipped with Ikea-style bunk beds and accommodate two to six people. Each bed has its own reading lamp, a small but appreciated touch. There are flat-screen TVs in every room, atypical of most hostels, and a small amount of shelf space and clothes hangers, but there are no lockers available. While rooms are small and plain, some have walls painted a colorful hue. As the hostel is located in a basement, not all rooms have windows. Private twin rooms are also available. Sheets and towels, which other area hostels usually provide for free, come with an additional fee here. 

En-suite bathrooms are tiny, covered in colorful mosaic tiles. Showers lack curtains or cabins encasing the shower area -- a squeegee is provided to mop up the water from the floor.

The Stockholm Hostel has a large, modern, well-equipped kitchen -- it contains two big fridges and a freezer, microwave, dishwasher, two stove tops, a coffee machine, lots of counter and storage space, and a vending machine stocked with snacks. There’s plenty of room for several people to cook simultaneously, which is great, as this hostel attracts groups. The kitchen takes up a portion of the large lounge area, a bright and cheery space full of white tables and chairs, and a cozy corner with couches and a flat screen TV.  Wi-Fi is free throughout the hostel, and guests can rent bikes at reception.