Motala Stadshotell

Please avoid this hotel. They cancelled my room less than a day before we were due to arrive, after we'd travelled from Ireland for a wedding in Sweden. I called to find out what had happened and was treated disgracefully. Booking.com later told me the hotel hadn't updated its page, and the room I'd booked a month earlier apparently hadn't been available for some time. I had a confirmation from the hotel, but they claimed my booking only came through a few hours before they cancelled it. Disgraceful.

The location is hard to beat, with restaurants, entertainment and sights all within walking distance. Our view was excellent, the staff were friendly and helpful, and breakfast was a perfectly ordinary hotel buffet, good but nothing more. The junior suite itself needs work. Its furnishings were nice, but the floors, ceilings and walls had visible damage, and the bathroom was in poor shape. There was a sewer smell during our stay that they couldn't fix. The bed sank into a literal pit, and the WiFi in our room was weak, especially in bed. Overall, an okay hotel, but the rooms need renovation.

The breakfast was very enjoyable, and the sauna was spotless and top notch, with a TV and relaxing chairs just outside. It can be hard to find on the top floor because from the outside it looks like a regular hotel room. There's also a gym, though I didn't have time to try it. One heads-up for light sleepers: Harry's is right behind the Hotel, and weekend music can go on loudly until 2-3 AM. The Hotel leaves earplugs in every room, so I slept fine. Our booking was for a day later than we'd intended, but they sorted that out smoothly. I was pleased with the service and price, enjoyed the visit, and will probably come back.

The restaurant serves really good food, the rooms are good, and the restaurant staff are lovely. But the hotel is behind a nightclub, and the bass makes it really noisy. The desk staff didn't seem to care. Bring earplugs if you're staying here.