Elite Hotel Arcadia

The reception staff member was really helpful when I arrived early after a transatlantic flight, well before check-in. He found me a room by 10 am and brought the key over while I was working in the lounge. Bring a sleep mask, though, because the thermostat display is very bright.

Close to the metro, with clean rooms and comfy beds. Breakfast was great too.

The room was warm, the bed was pretty comfy, and breakfast was good. But none of that made the price feel justified, especially when we’d chosen the hotel specifically for a bathtub as a change from the shower at home. I booked a Deluxe Double Room with a bathtub and made a point of saying it was a must. When we got the keys, there was no bath. The shower curtain was so short that water covered the floor, and there was nothing to mop it up with. The shower also seemed mouldy, and the bathroom door squeaked and wouldn’t close properly. The bathroom was very cold too, with old windows letting in drafts while changing or using the toilet. We went straight back to reception with pictures from the website showing this exact room with a big tub. The receptionist was friendly, but said he was new and needed to call someone. Apparently there were no rooms available, and he couldn’t cancel our booking with a refund. After I insisted that something be done, he offered two 100sek restaurant discount vouchers. The room cost around 1500 sek, so that was hardly much, but we accepted to avoid ruining the weekend. The vouchers were only valid during our stay, February 15-16, Saturday and Sunday. Then we found the restaurant was closed on both days. That “excuse” felt like a spit in our faces, and we had to find takeaway for dinner in the room. Luckily, there are some restaurants in the neighbourhood. The TV remote didn’t work properly because the batteries were low, and when I went down to ask for new ones, there was no one at reception. The shower chair was taken away after about 10 minutes because someone else needed it. I guess the room was being prepared for someone with special needs, judging by the toilet and chair. We’d booked a little weekend getaway with my husband. “Elite” in the hotel name feels like a joke after this stay.

A pleasant surprise. The bathroom was very modern, the bed and mattress were comfortable, and the service was good. Breakfast had an interesting range of items. It’s a bit far from the city centre, but there’s a metro station around 700m away. I’d recommend it for a smooth stay that also saves some money in Stockholm.