This Vasaplan hotel, right next to where the Stockholm Arlanda Express train drops off, has long been known as one of the city’s foremost design hotels. The Nordic Light, Stockholm is famous for its innovative in-room lighting that emulates the dancing lights of the aurora borealis. But, after a decade of delighting travellers to the Swedish capital, the property has been reimagined, boasting a complete ‘start from scratch’ refurbishment of its rooms and common areas.
Fans will be glad to know that the Nordic Light – in the heart of Stockholm – has not lost its Scandi chic. in fact, it has upped its game in the lagom (Swedish for ‘just right’) stakes, with perfect doses of minimalism and high design. Our corner suite was perfectly appointed, with beautiful clean lines, storage that encouraged minimalism and characteristic Nordic design elements that included gorgeous furniture pieces commissioned from 10 different up-and-coming Swedish designers and pastel-coloured, ecologically minded soft furnishings throughout everything a 21st-century traveller could want from a city hotel. Sleeping in the Hilding Anders beds was like kipping on a cloud.
The suite uses its brutalist ex-office building space to its advantage, making a feature of the wraparound windows, which look out onto much older, stereotypically Swedish architecture in and around Stockholm’s central station. The hotel boasts a fantastic breakfast in its ground-floor restaurant, the perfect way to start time exploring the city. Throughout the day, the eatery serves up contemporary takes on traditional Swedish food, which is getting harder to find in today’s Stockholm. Our only gripe is that, while the chefs put a lot of love into their creations, service is slow and inattentive, but we were hardly short of dining options in the area.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Insider | ARN | GMT +1 |
| While you’re Out There |
| We can’t actually believe we’re making this suggestion, but just across the street from the Nordic Light, Stockholm is a Swedish institution that mustn’t be missed. It’s called Max Burger, a Northern Swedish fast-food chain that Swedes of all ages just adore. Try the umami halloumi burger, especially after a night out on the town. It’s heaven in a brioche bun. |
Photography courtesy of Nordic Light
