Freys Hotel Lilla Radmannen

As well as occupying a rather drab-looking modern building, the Freys Hotel Lilla Radmannen also seems to lack much of an entrance beyond a red awning and small sign. Stepping inside, however, the scene is more attractive with a small, low-ceilinged reception area made cozy with wooden floors, velvet-upholstered armchairs,  and homey rugs -- one traditional patterned and the other animal-skin. A collection of old books and small, softly glowing chandeliers add to the effect, while a single elevator ferries guests to one of five floors, or to the rooftop terrace with views over the locale. The hotel also prides itself on its environmentally sound policies and practices, as well as its donations to local charities from the sale of the teddy bears in the rooms. The hotel is mostly popular with budgeting tourists, including a fair share of solo travelers.  

The hotel is located on a fairly non-descript and relatively quiet street just around the corner from the lively and pedestrianized shopping area of Drottninggatan in central Stockholm. Situated on the southern edge of the city's densely populated Vasastaden, the hotel is within walking distance of most of the city center attractions, while the charming old town -- on the island of Stadsholmen -- is a 10-minute cab journey from Freys. The closest metro (tunnelbana) station, Radmansgatan, is five minutes away on foot while the main central station a brisk 15 minutes' stroll away. From here the Arlanda express train connects to Arlanda International Airport in about 20 minutes; otherwise it's about 35 minutes by cab. 

The hotel has 62 individually-decorated rooms, with styling tending towards bright and cozy with splashes of color and quirky personalized touches. All rooms, apart from the Superior and Family rooms, are on the small side, though they're clean and mostly well-maintained. Standard amenities include free Wi-Fi, minibars, tea/coffee facilities, and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs -- all rooms also come with teddy bears available for purchase. While most bathrooms are clean and modern with heated towel rails, some are in need of renovations. Some rooms are also spread over two floors in a neighboring building, and a few are prone to internal noise. 

A buffet breakfast is served on the ground floor in a windowless dining room; it offers a decent selection of breads, cheeses, meats, salad, fruits, yogurts, and juices, as well as some hot items -- all included in the room rates. There is a roof terrace (that is sometimes closed), and there are therapy rooms in the hotel's "Health Academy," though these are rented out to therapists who use it as their office space. A fairly spacious gym can be found on-site, though it is not free to use even for guests.