Scandic Skärholmen

This was a peculiar experience for a hotel that calls itself 4 **** as per Euro Reviews. My room was small, and it made me wonder if I could have found an I*bis instead. There was an iron and ironing table, but what for, when so many other things were missing? There was no desk phone for the reception, no glasses for drinking water, no letterpad or pencil for a business trip, and no hot water kettle. I know tap water is fine, but using the bathroom tumbler to drink it felt odd. In all my travels through 17 countries, I haven't had to go on a treasure hunt for a QR code hidden in an undiscoverable corner just to call reception. You have to use your phone to find and scan it. I couldn't find any free WIFI, and the reception didn't tell me about any inclusions either. If you need something, you have to walk all the way to the reception or look for that tiny QR code and call. I'm not trying to be harsh, but after a business trip you expect hospitality and a comfortable sleep. The reception handling and breakfast area earned my two stars. Otherwise, it might have been one.

The best part of the stay was how much the cleaner left alone. Cleaning was on request, so they only changed towels and emptied bins unless you asked for more. I loved that. We didn't try the gym or sauna, and skipped breakfast. The bathroom and shower were more than adequate. There were plenty of plug sockets, and having two separate duvets was lovely, especially since my partner LOVES hogging them. The TV worked on maybe 8 channels and had no bluetooth. There was no kettle, which was frustrating but not a huge problem. We were told weeks before our visit that early check-in wasn't available because the building was full. Then, when we arrived four hours early, they offered it for a premium fee. We had to wait until 4pm to get into the room, which was baffling, but at least there was a luggage room for our bags. It was a pretty great stay since we didn't spend much time at the hotel. For a cheap stay with good transport links, facilities, and shops nearby, it was more than adequate for the price. People expecting a lot more are being silly.

The lobby was great, everything was very clean, and I loved how hospitable the people there were. The bed and bedsheets could have been better, though, and I thought breakfast was a tiny bit overpriced.

We were upgraded to a superior room, which was clean. We stayed one night before catching a ferry back to Finland and had to leave early, so we asked for breakfast boxes. They gave us plenty of things to eat, and I was very impressed.