Victory Hotel

Intrigued by mysteries as I am, I decide my next stay at a Stockholm hotel is going to be at Hotel Victory in the Old Town. This hotel is part of a “Ghost Tour” of Stockholm, but while many “haunted” hotels around the world are proud of their ghostly residents and use them as a promotional tool, some hotels prefer not to discuss the ghosts living on the premises. Victory seems to be one of them. The Victory is one of three Collector’s Hotels, located in the Old Town. The other two are Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton, Lady Hamilton being Lord Nelson’s lover and The Victory the name of his ship.

I am greeted by a very friendly receptionist and after a quick and easy check in procedure, I head straight down to the Spa, which has been reserved for me privately. I follow the receptionist down the steps and into the basement cellar vaults. I hesitate when she says goodbye and the door shuts…and locks behind her. I am left in the vaults all by myself….. or am I? There is a cozy fire burning in the fireplace and there is a nice collection of old dusty gorgeous wine bottles in the adjacent room, but no signs of any dusty old Captains “floating” around. This is a perfect area for a small VIP group to have a private wine tasting or a relaxing spa experience. 

The sauna features one glass wall facing the cool-water dipping pool, and comfy wicker chairs. It is big enough for 6-8 people. There are two showers and a basket full of shower products. The pile of towels is thick, and heavy navy blue bathrobes with matching slippers are available. Also, my little private spa has a stereo, with a couple of CD’s to pick from. I pick “The best of the 80’s”. Still no sign of any other “guests”. After a perfectly uneventful and extremely relaxing two hours in the spa, where the only interruption was when the staff came down with a bottle opener for my beer (I called, they came running), I head up to my room.

The elevator is unexpectedly large and fast. The hallways and stairs are full of marine antiquity, a private collection belonging to the hotel owner himself. Among many items, you will find an original love letter from Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton. It’s a bit museum like and very interesting. This is a unique hotel in a perfect location -- and a nice contrast to the new modest design hotels that have been so popular over the last few years. This hotel is everything but modest. The room follows the same theme, with a sense of being in the Captains home. It’s warm and welcoming. The King Size bed is huge and comfy. The windows are facing a quiet street, and have water view both to the left and right… if you just lean out the window a little bit. The room also has a small safe and a mini-bar. I try out one of them…

Risbecker Factor: An unexpected attribute is the Bang & Olufsen stereo, which magically opens up if you just walk by it. The bathroom is large and beautiful. It has a huge mirror over the double sink, and a Jacuzzi tub.  Here too, you will find the heavy navy blue bath robes, as well as good products including conditioner and bath bubbles. When I needed to iron a shirt the staff came up to my room within minutes with an iron and ironing board.  

After a night out, I head back to the hotel and start chatting up the man behind the reception desk. I try to get some information from him on what “guests” are to be expected during the stay. He is very friendly and patient, and of course has no detailed information to share on this subject… although he does not deny the fact that there might have been some apparitions in the house.

Nothing went bump in the night and I enjoyed a quiet breakfast buffet in Lejontornet – the hotel restaurant. Not a large assortment but you will find everything you need. Best is the omelet. All in all I have to say that the service is impeccable at this hotel. If you are looking for an out of the ordinary hotel, maybe for a small VIP group, this is it!

http://www.victoryhotel.se/

The Sheraton -   (Superior Room) April 2011

The lobby here feels international and I liked the way the lobby blended into the bar. The high ceiling reached up to the conference floor on the first floor. Everything here is sober, white Marble. In the bar there was a mix of business men and women from all over the world. You can tell that Sheraton is a business hotel and here were business people, going about their business.

The reception staff couldn’t find my booking so we witnessed how the personnel dealt with this type of problem. I waited in the bar next to an open fire and used the free internet. I felt relaxed rather than stressed over the situation. Good problem solving Sheraton. After a couple of minutes I got my room on the eighth floor. And it was worth waiting for!

Sheraton has a good central location. It’s close to the Central Station, close to attractions and everything you need.  Despite that, the immediate area around the hotel is dead. But you don’t have to walk long to get some action. Restaurant F12 is not far away, nor is the city centre and Kungsträdgården for example.

The entire hotel seems to be decorated in an American West coast style. It all gives a fresh impression. The view from my room was fantastic, almost like a painting of Riddarholmen and the Old Town. The room had everything one could wish. The mini-bar is a bit boring and had no hard liquor but apart from that you have everything. The room was decorated in pale turquoise, steel, glass and brown wood. Again American West Coast style. Checking the room service menu I saw that they offered a service guarantee – receive you order within 30 minutes or it’s free!

Risbecker Factor: Pillows and the quilted linen were fantastic. It was a pleasure to lie in the bed. It felt like a luxury just to lie in the comfy bed, watching the curtains moving through the open balcony door with a stunning view over Riddarholmen.  The traffic is there yes but it’s hard to avoid in central Stockholm. With the balcony door shut you can’t tell it’s there.

I decided to check out the Lobby Bar. They had Tanqueray No. 10 which is always a good sign. I ordered a nice G& T, relaxed in comfort and then called it a night.

Breakfast was OK. I would love to say that it was great but I couldn’t get settled. The tables were a bit too tight for my taste and noise level a bit too loud. The personnel were friendly but they gave a tired impression. I wasn’t served coffee so I took care if it myself. This was no problem because their cappuccino machine was fantastic. As usual, the scrambled eggs came from a bag but on the other hand you could order a freshly made omelet from the chef. Not bad at all. The breakfast had several fun things like a pancake machine for example but despite all this, I was left with a somewhat chaotic impression.

I liked Sheraton and I know I will be back. I’ll probably order a Tanqueray & Tonic then too!

http://www.sheratonstockholm.com

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