Dialog Hotel Ariston Lidingö

The mattresses were filthy and stained, and the shower was covered in thick mold. The mirrors were dirty, every piece of furniture was dusty, and touching anything made me feel contaminated. The toilet was revolting, with pubic hairs and dried urine inside, and there wasn't any toilet paper. The shower water barely worked, and the toilet panels were falling apart. Even the carpets had stains that looked like blood. This felt dangerous as well as neglected. I worry about the health of anyone staying here. Please don't book it. It isn't a hotel, it's a HAUNTED HEALTH HAZARD. Someone needs to report the place to health authorities immediately.

The room smelled unpleasant, needed vacuuming and didn't have enough lights. The woman in the dining room was sweet, but told me breakfast had been cancelled. Since breakfast was included with the hotel, I expected more than instant coffee without milk. She said the order had been cancelled.

**Edit, January 2025:** We came back for a second stay and were disappointed. There was no breakfast, which we had counted on, and since we hadn't brought food we had to leave hungry. We also expected towels because we'd had them on our previous visit, but none were provided. Staff said it was because the day before had been a red day. Nonononono, this is not how you treat guests. On our first stay, the friendly staff and the value for money made us happy to book again. Ariston is very cheap, and compared with the hostel we'd used before, it offered quite a lot. Parking at the hostel cost over 100 crowns overnight on the street, or much more in its garage, while parking at Ariston was free. The hostel charged extra for breakfast too. Its cheaper option, I think 130 crowns per person, was a little better than Ariston's, but for three people it added almost 400 crowns. At Ariston breakfast was included. We arrived at 8:20, before it ended at 9, so the bread was a bit dry. There were crackers, several muesli choices, boiled eggs, sausages and meatballs. I didn't see the fresh fruit or scrambled eggs advertised by the hotel. Maybe we were late, or maybe they no longer serve them; I don't know. For a free breakfast at such a cheap hotel, I was satisfied. Our room was larger than the hostel room, with more comfortable beds, an en suite toilet and shower, a TV and a fridge. We didn't have to bring our own bedding or towels, unlike at the hostel. Getting into town took a direct Underground from the hostel, but only after an almost 15-minute walk. Ariston has a nearby bus stop, though you have to change to another bus or the Underground, which was fine for us. We'd read complaints about thin walls but didn't hear anything. Maybe we were lucky, or maybe the three-person room helped. I don't know. On that first visit, we were happy with the stay and the staff we met were friendly.

Getting into central Stockholm takes at least two buses, or a bus and the subway. Still, the neighbourhood is nice, and the rate makes it a good alternative to pricier city hotels. My room was basic but bigger than I expected. The walls were a little thin, and the shower stayed quite hot. Staff were friendly and very helpful, and they let me into my room early. For a reasonable price in a nice area, it's a good option if you're on a budget.