The next stop of my Europe trip was Stockholm, Sweden and for this leg of the trip, I stayed at Birka Hotel. Compared to the other Scandinavian cities I visited, Stockholm was more affordable, and finding for a decent place to stay without breaking the bank was quite easy.
Here's a quick review of Birka Hotel.
Location
The location of Birka Hotel was good. As you might have guessed, it's within walking distance from the central train station. Again, I always opt for accommodations close to the train station when traveling through different cities just because it's more convenient, especially with a big suitcase. Birka Hotel is just a 15-minute walk from the train station and with a medium-sized suitcase weighing around 13 kilos, I had no issues getting there on foot.
It's also within a 30-minute walk from many tourist attractions, such as Gamla Stan and the Stockholm City Hall. I don't mind walking for 30 to 40 minutes. I actually like it because it's a great way to discover some hidden gems in the city. From the hotel, there are many shops and restaurants within a 15 to 20-minute walk.
Amenities
For the price I paid, the amenities of Birka Hotel were great. Mind you, I paid for a single room with a small bed and once again, I was given a double room with a big bed. Even the amenities inside the room, such as the towels, coffee, and tea, were good for two people.
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| coffee and tea |
The bed was firm, which was perfectly fine for me. The room had an ensuite toilet and bathroom, which was very spacious, and came with the basics such as shampoo and body wash. I'd also like to mention that the shampoo in all the hotels I've stayed at was really good - my hair was so soft during the entire trip. The room also had a TV with Netflix, an electric kettle for coffee, mugs and cups for drinking, a hairdryer, and a few charging ports close to the bed. There was no desk for me to do some online work at but the Wi-Fi was pretty good.
There was no air conditioning, which was fine for me because the weather was nice and cold during my visit. Just take note of this if you're planning to visit in the summer. There's also a heater which will come in handy during cold months.
My booking included a free daily breakfast. It was a buffet that had an assortment of bread, meat, and cheeses. There were also scrambled eggs, beans, sausages, jam, butter, and cereal, plus coffee, tea, and fruit juices.
Cleanliness
The room and the ensuite bathroom were very clean. I have no complaints in this regard. They have a daily room cleaning service, which you can opt out of - you just need to inform the front desk staff. With the daily cleaning, they'll also change your bath towels and restock your paper towels, as well as the instant coffee and tea packets.
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| the spacious ensuite toilet and bathroom |
Customer Service
The customer service of Birka Hotel was very good. The check-in and check-out processes were a breeze. Since I had to leave early in the morning to catch my flight, I just had to leave the keys in a small hole in the door of the reception area. The staff members were quite friendly and as expected, they spoke fluent English. I even had a nice chat with the guy at the reception who was quite keen on hearing about my travels.
Price
Compared to Copenhagen and Oslo, everything in Stockholm was more affordable and that applies to accommodations. I paid SEK2,430 or around PHP12,902 for three nights, which puts the nightly rate at around PHP4,300. The value that I got was really good for how much I paid.
Out of the hotels I stayed at on this trip, this was easily my favorite. My experience was more than pleasant and everything exceeded my expectations. Needless to say, I'd stay here again if ever I come back to Stockholm.
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