Lydmar Hotel

It’s nice otherwise, but I wish I’d stayed elsewhere. I booked through American Express travel because the listing said there was a sauna, which was the main reason for choosing the hotel. There is no sauna here. You can use one next door for an extra $85, and it isn’t even private. The listing didn’t mention the extra charge. The gym was okay.

I’ve been coming back to the Lydmar for more than thirty years, and watching it change has been a little like watching an old friend age. The hotel started near Stureplan, where it was a rock and roll place before that was even a category. Viktoria Tolstoy sang there, and Swedish photographers covered the walls. The rooms were noisy, but we didn’t mind. Back then, discomfort seemed to mean a place was authentic. In 2008 it moved to a small castle beside the Grand Hotel, in one of Stockholm’s finest waterfront spots. The Grand feels like an impeccable, untouchable elderly Swedish countess. The Lydmar is more like her rebellious granddaughter, well-bred but not interested in behaving. The art and photography are still all over the hallways, with an edgy, deliberate feel. It has kept its cultural DNA and still feels like a gathering place for people who think about things, not just somewhere to sleep. The Swedish breakfast is gloriously abundant in that particular Scandinavian way, and the staff have been excellent for decades. I still love the place, though the rooms could use some updating. On my last visit I arrived early from New York after being promised access to a room, but it wasn’t ready. The manager couldn’t even get me a breakfast seat, so I ate in the lobby. The food was good enough to restore my equilibrium. Even the rare failures here are oddly forgivable. A genuine uplift.

We loved the generous, delicious breakfasts, and the hotel was easy to get around from, with public transit nearby and plenty within walking distance. The rooms and shared spaces were beautifully designed, and our room was quiet and comfortable.

We stopped in for a drink at the bar/restaurant. The interior is beautiful. The bartender seemed a bit cold and out of it, though maybe she was just having an off day. Still a nice place to visit whether you’re staying there or not.