Visit the open city with these as your base | Photo: Courtesy of Stockholm LGBT
Stockholm, arguably the world’s most ‘Open City’, is celebrating after hosting its third Europride in three decades. It turned out to be its largest ever Pride festival – and the largest ever in Scandinavia, for that matter.
Having shown its LGBTI-friendly credentials to Europe and the rest of the world, Stockholm is ready to explore. It ranks high as a city break for new travelers curious to experience somewhere diverse and inclusive, or for returning tourists to rediscover the beautiful capital on the water. After all, it’s said narrow streets meet open minds here.
The city is not short of fabulous places to stay, but if you’re looking for the most LGBTI-welcoming properties for a long weekend, make sure it’s from the Stockholm LGBT collection. Here are some of our favorite rainbow hotel properties to whet your appetite.
1 Hotel Hellsten
The quaint and friendly Hotel Hellsten is found in the heart of the city. This is a place where great service is combined with exciting and eclectic interiors, designed to be an experience in itself. It’s the perfect bolthole for those escaping for a weekend and is perfectly located for urban explorers.
2 Hellstens Glashus
The hipster sister hotel to the property above, Hellsten Glashus is located in the most trendy neighborhood in Stockholm, Södermalm. Just a year and a half old, it is set in one of the area’s oldest buildings, with some rooms boasting floor-to-ceiling windows and trench balconies. In the lobby, the floor showcases exposed bedrock, on which the city is built.
3 HOBO
Sticking with the hipster vibe, HOBO is a trendy new choice in the city center. But it claims to be far more than just a hotel: the hotel is all about bringing the community together, so you’ll find Stockholmers and visitors alike mingling in its vast communal spaces. Check out its SPACEby area, a place for pop-up collaborations between local artists, creators and their guests.
4 Nordic Light
Nordic Light is a unique design hotel located next to the Central Station, where the Arlanda Express train pulls in from the airport. It’s also well located for those who love a bit of retail therapy with Stockholm’s busiest shopping areas just a step away. It has just undergone a major refurbishment, so it is pretty much all new and proud to receive LGBTI guests from around the world.
5 Pop House
Are you a Swedish Music Fan? Do you like ABBA? Then you’ll just love Pop House, or as we like to call it, ABBA central. It is the hotel just above ABBA The Museum and its suites are ABBA themed – think Mamma Mia and ABBA Gold and you’ll be on the right track!
For more LGBTQ-friendly hotels, restaurants and attractions in Stockholm, visit www.StockholmLGBT.com
For ongoing inspiration about the ‘Open City’ of Stockholm in general, visit www.VisitStockholm.com
Stockholm LGBT is a partner of Gay Star News.