City Lodge Stockholm

The location was a real plus, close to the main train stations, cafes, shops, and a shopping mall. I felt safe walking alone late on a cold, dark night, while still keeping an eye on my surroundings. I was only there for one night and wasn’t expecting much comfort, lol. Most of my time was spent in the tiny lounge with some older residents. They were cool, mostly watching TV or sitting around the table. A couple smoked. They usually went outside, but one woman stayed in once and coughed really hard. There weren’t any ventilators to clear the air, so bring a mask if you book here. The washer and dryer are in the men’s bathroom. There’s a door to the shower and cubicles, but having the machines in the men’s restroom felt weird. The custodian was kind and helped me set them up, then checked they were still running. I didn’t want him staying up late. I was still on Pacific time, wide awake at 1am and talking to my mom on the phone.

There isn’t much to praise beyond the location. Check-in staff weren’t very friendly, and the place didn’t feel great. It seemed like some homeless people had been living there long term, and their hygiene was poor. When I walked into the room, there was a smell like they hadn’t showered in days. People in the public area were unfriendly too, and I felt uncomfortable sitting there to eat.

The location is the only thing going for this place, and there are other options, even sleeping in the street. I was in room 9, where two beds were taken by long-term residents who lay in bed all day, and another by an older man who insisted the door stay open. With the stench, that didn’t seem to matter. Bed bugs, too. The washrooms were filthy, the rooms are all windowless basements, and the common areas feel stark and uncomfortable. There was a resident in the kitchen muttering curses I couldn’t make out and throwing away anything within reach. The whole atmosphere felt like a Soviet-era gulag. The smell will haunt my grandchildren’s dreams. It was miserable from start to finish. I’d suggest taking up smoking, even if you don’t smoke, just to have a reason to get out of the hovel. The only social scene I saw was lost souls huddled on both sides of the entrance, breathing in hope of lung cancer. Never again!

Pure horror. Somehow I escaped without bedbugs, and I’ve never felt so relieved about something like that. Please avoid this place at all costs. If you’re after an adventure, watch Midnight Express instead. You’ll see the same sort of accommodation, the Turkish prison, without the permanent scarring. Luckily, mine was only mental.