Scandic Norra Bantorget

Don't let the Scandic name fool you. This particular property of the popular chain doesn't live up to the trendy modern design associated with the brand. Nevertheless, this is a solid mid-range hotel with contemporary decor and a good price, but it’s location is it's main selling point. The lobby and restaurant feel a bit smashed together. The lobby has a black-and-white front desk and appears crammed with a small snack shop, a children’s play area, and a single desktop computer. There’s no areas for sitting, which prevents guests from lingering. The restaurant is off the lobby and features worn red-and-brown carpet, simple dark tables and chairs, and a long bar with a colorful abstract skyline design on the wall. About the most attractive area of the entire hotel is the terrace, a covered outdoor strip attached to the restaurant with tables, chairs, and couches topped in red pillows or small blankets for guests to keep warm. All in all, this isn't an exceptional hotel, but it is a decent chain property providing a basic comfortable stay in the city center. 

The most attractive aspect of Scandic Norra Bantorget is its location. The lively shopping street of Drottninggatan is just around the corner and features shops and dining options galore. Old Town and Stockholm Palace are a 20-minute walk away. Kungstradgarden is a 17-minute walk from the property. It’s a bit far from some of the popular museums like Vasa Museum or Skansen, but there’s plenty of public transportation nearby, including a bus stop a three-minute walk away, a T-bana that takes seven minutes to reach on foot, and a train station that’s an 11-minute walk from the hotel. It’s a 16-minute drive to Bromma Stockholm Airport. 

Many of the rooms at the Scandic are small and oddly shaped here, and most are in need of an update. Decor varies, and streamlined furniture and wooden floors are about the only common elements among the rooms. Updated rooms have colorful geometric-inspired art or bed runners, funky-style chairs, and trendy wallpaper, while unrenovated units are homier and outdated, with brightly colored bed runners and curtains some of the few decorative details in the characterless spaces. All rooms have flat-screen TVs and kettles, but no minibars (though some higher-category rooms have mini-fridges). Rooms lack individual air-conditioning, and some don’t have windows. Family Superior Rooms maximize space with Murphy bunk beds. Studio Apartments, located in a separate building, have small kitchenettes with microwaves, sinks, two-burner stoves, and mini-fridges. Bathrooms are small, with walk-in showers and wall-mounted toiletry dispensers, but some are grimy.

For a mid-range hotel, Scandic Norra Bantorget’s amenities run a little short. Like most Scandic hotels, the property offers a free organic breakfast buffet in the morning, and the restaurant has a bar with light bites and drinks. For late-night bites, the hotel offers a snack and coffee shop in the lobby that's open 24/7. There’s no gym on-site, but the hotel provides free passes to a nearby fitness center, and there are bikes and walking sticks for rent through the front desk. There are no meeting rooms and only one public computer, but Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Parking is available at nearby private garages, but not directly on-site.