De Gamlas Hem Hotel & Restaurant

The room was small, with the bathroom taking up about a quarter of it, which was an interesting setup. The service was perfect and the staff were kind. It's an easy walk into the city center.

The building's character and history made the place feel welcoming, and the service was absolutely excellent. The food was superb too: petite tender the first night, served just right, then salmon with carrots the next evening. I'm a Negroni fan, and the cocktail knowledge here was astonishing. Two different servers gave me a fascinating rundown of its history and the Bourdain story before making a perfect drink. They said they could switch up the gin, though they were firm on using Antica Formula vermouth. They had strong views about the right gin too, and I had Bombay. When I asked for a few drops of fresh orange juice, they said they could add it if I preferred, but it would throw off the drink's sugar balance. I loved hearing how much they knew about it. Finding my favorite drink served with that kind of care and passion made me feel good. If Radisson or Scandic is where you want to stay, go ahead, but this place is even better than the “fancy” ones.

The station seemed farther away than it turned out to be, though there are handy bus connections if you need them. I enjoyed my stay, and the staff were super friendly.

The breakfast room had a pleasant atmosphere, and it was easy to find the allergen information. Still, I thought the meal was quite expensive for what was offered. When they ran out of waffle batter for the make-your-own waffles, the response was basically that we had to deal with it. That was the biggest letdown.