ProfilHotels Hotel Riddargatan

This 58-room boutique hotel is part of Profil Hotels, a small chain with city center hotels across Sweden and Denmark. This particular hotel’s claim to fame was that The Beatle’s performed on the same site before they became famous. The lobby has a bland, contemporary style with a blond-wood paneled wall, brown leather sofas, streamlined coffee tables, and tiled floors. The breakfast room has a bit more color, with red chairs and a small atrium above the bar, but wooden floors, simple tables, and basic abstract paintings don’t add any character. The only other public space is a library with a wall of bookshelves and leather armchairs. Both business travelers and tourists stay here. 

Hotel Riddargatan is centrally located in the Ostermalm neighborhood, close to popular areas and attractions. Stockholm Palace is a 17-minute walk away, while Gamla Stan -- or Old Town -- takes 18 minutes to reach on foot. There are plenty of shops around the corner on Birger Jarlsgatan, as well as cafes and dining options. Stureplan -- a high-end public square -- takes five minutes on foot to reach and has a number of clubs and bars for travelers to explore. It’s a five-minute walk to the closest bus and tram station, and eight minutes to the nearest T-bana stop. It’s a 27-minute drive to Bromma Stockholm Airport. 

Rooms at Hotel Riddargatan are colorfully decorated and range in size from cramped Single Rooms to 484-square-foot suites. The aesthetics vary, ranging from bright rooms with red-and-purple color schemes with floral designs and funky chairs, to rooms with a more subdued contemporary style with softer colors and floral prints. The Joseph Frank Suite has competing printed designs including cowhide benches, floral blue curtains and chairs, and bird-printed pillows. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, kettles or coffeemakers, minibars, and free bottled water, but no air-conditioning. Some have balconies, while others come kitted out with free weights and workout DVDs, as well as large umbrellas to borrow. 

Bathrooms vary in style and a few are starting to show some age, but they all have showers, individual toiletries, and hairdryers, while Suites have whirlpool-type tubs. Some complaints have been made about drainage issues with the showers. Be aware that some guests may be bothered by noise from the general neighborhood, especially if they open their windows at night. Though the rooms generally look clean and well-kept, some guests have pointed out slight wear and tear to the rooms. Units haven't been updated since 2002, though there are reports of an upcoming renovation soon. 

Hotel Riddargatan has few features. There's a free breakfast buffet with hot and cold items including eggs, baked beans, meat dishes, cheeses, and fruits, but there’s no full restaurant on-site. There is, however, a quiet bar in the breakfast room that serves drinks all day. Other perks include free hotel-wide Wi-Fi, a public Mac desktop in the lobby, and on-site parking for a fee.