Best Value Hotels in Stockholm

The mid-range Motel L is not a motel at all, but a large hotel occupying a five-story glass-fronted corner building just outside of Stockholm's city center -- with competitive rates. The 226 guest rooms are decorated in a modern, vibrant style, and equipped with flat-screen TVs and rainfall showerheads in the bathrooms. Features include a spacious restaurant and bar area, and there's also an on-site gym. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but breakfast is charged extra. 

Malardrottningen Hotel and Restaurant is located on an old yacht that used to belong to the Woolworth's heiress, Barbara Hutton. The boat is now a mid-range hotel anchored next to Stockholm's old city, and its cabins have been converted into 61 compact guest rooms with bunk beds. There's a restaurant on-board with an outdoor terrace offering scenic views of the cityscape, and the boat's navigation room has been transformed into a bar. The buffet breakfast is free, and so is use of the on-board sauna and boat-wide Wi-Fi.

Freys Hotel Lilla Radmannen is a mid-range, boutique-style hotel in central Stockholm -- it's far from perfect, but it's a cheaper-than-most option in a decent location. While the setting is relatively quiet, it's just round the corner from the busy Drottninggatan shopping area, and within walking distance of the main central station. Most of the rooms are small, but the decor has a personal touch and standard amenities include free Wi-Fi, minibars, tea/coffee facilities, and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. A quality buffet breakfast is included in rates, but there's a fee to access the on-site gym.

The Scandic Sergel Plaza is a 403-room, mid-range chain hotel, centrally located just off Sergels Torg, the most central public square in downtown Stockholm. Its location is one of the hotel's major advantages: it's a leisurely 10-minute walk from Gamla Stan, the old town, and a five-minute walk from T-Centralen, the main metro station that connects to all parts of Stockholm. The Scandic is rather dated in its design, and could benefit from a refresh; the furnishings in the rooms look especially tired. There's a popular restaurant and bar, and the free daily breakfast is an organic-certified buffet with gluten- and lactose-free menu options. Wi-Fi is free throughout.

The unconventional Rygerfjord Hotel and Hostel is a budget property made up of three boats anchored on the shore of a Stockholm lake. The 75 cabin-style rooms tend to be small, with low ceilings. Some have scenic city and lake views, but not all have attached bathrooms. There's an on-board bar and restaurant where breakfast is served (for an extra fee), and a guest lounge with a large flat-screen TV. The Wi-Fi connection is free and available throughout the hotel. 

The 29-room Stockholm Hostel, located in a residential area of central Stockholm, is a budget choice popular with backpackers and groups. Private rooms and dorms are small and basic but clean and functional, with modern Ikea-style furniture, flat screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and private bathrooms. Some, but not all the rooms, have windows, as the hostel is located in a basement (industrial-style piping blends with the decor). A large and well-equipped kitchen and lounge area are nice extras here. The clean and quiet atmosphere, and a strict no-alcohol policy, make Stockholm Hostel suitable for all ages, including families traveling on a budget.