Hotel Review & Room Guide: Hilton Slussen, Stockholm, Sweden – Why This Is the Best Property in Stockholm

by Shelli Stein

Stockholm, Sweden: home to Ikea, fika, bulle, and meatballs. And for my home while in Stockholm, I chose the Hilton Slussen. Hilton’s footprint is growing in Europe and it had been a few years since I’d stayed at a Hilton in Europe. In 2002 Hilton took this property over from the Scandic hotel chain and in 2012-2013 the hotel was renovated. The other hotel I was considering was the Sheraton, but I liked that the Hilton was a smaller property and also felt that Hilton’s location was much better. Here’s my Hilton Stockholm Slussen review. There’s a lot that’s great about this Hilton!

From what I could tell ahead of time, I felt I might get a more authentic Swedish experience at the Hilton Slussen. As it turns out, I made the right choice and had a great stay at the Hilton.

Hilton Slussen Stockholm

Hilton Slussen Stockholm

It’s much nicer inside than it looks from the outside!

 

Hilton Slussen

Got to enjoy meatballs when in Stockholm.

First Impressions Are Important

The Hilton Slussen has 289 rooms in three different buildings all connected to each other. The hotel is deceptively large with a big bright welcoming lobby. Upon arrival I had a fun experience. It was early evening and the young, energetic staff at the front desk was happy to inform me that because of my Gold Hilton status I had been upgraded to a corner Executive room.

I went up to my room, but after entering I realized I was overlooking the bridge and construction. I went back to the staff and asked if they perhaps had another room with not such a busy view. The staff huddled over the computer and came up with a few choices for me. One of them accompanied me and we checked out a few rooms and I chose one. She insisted on helping me fetch my luggage from the first room and helping me get settled into my new room.

It’s always fun for me to talk with young, energetic staff just getting started in hospitality, and I could see that this Hilton staff had been given the green light when it came to being proactive in satisfying guest requests. This impression I got on my first night there turned out to be 100% correct.

I had a long visit with both the Guest Relations Manager and the Front Desk Director, so I’ve more to share with you but first, the Executive room was a great space for me and it worked well, so let’s dig in to the particulars of the room and hotel.

How I Paid For My Stay

For my stay I used my Citi Prestige Credit Card 4th Night Free benefit, for all but one night for which I used Hilton points. The all-cash rate at the Hilton Slussen was $210 a night, so I found this rate worked better than using all Hilton award night points. Remember, do what I do and when you’re paying cash for a hotel stay, let Pruvo monitor your rate for price drops! The Hilton Slussen is a Hilton Category 4 property meaning free nights start at 34,000 Hilton points per night.

Using my Hotel Room Scorecard I broke down the individual elements of my Executive room at the Hilton Slussen, which scored a 31 of 40 points.

Location (5/5)

Realtors have an expression: location, location, location. I don’t think you can find a better location for your Stockholm trip than the Hilton. The hotel says it best, “Stockholm Slussen is in the hip Södermalm area, with fantastic views overlooking the water and historic Old Town.” And it’s a short walk away from the city center, and metro. I love to walk and given the central location of this hotel it was a challenge to get in my usual long distance walking days.

Hilton Slussen

Construction on the river as you look into Old Town Stockholm.

Don’t forget to try a bulle from one of the many amazing bakeries you’ll find within an easy walk from the hotel.

Hilton Slussen

Delicious cardamom bulle.

Lighting (4/5)

The rooms at the hotel are on the small side so there was only one window. It does let enough natural light in given the size of the room. The lamp lighting was great. There is a light over the corner dining table, hallway lighting, the closets had lights, the bathroom had two levels of light, lights on the walls by the bedside, and recessed light all along the ceiling. That’s a lot of lighting and a pleasure to have such a well-lit room.

Window Access (5/5)

You can open the window! However, that means you’ll let in the street noise.

Hilton Slussen

Yeah for a window that opens!

I didn’t mind it at certain times of the day and would just shut the window if it got too noisy for me. The curtains are sheer dark ones for privacy and heavy fabric ones as blackout curtains.

Hilton Slussen

Good view of the curtains and window with Stockholm lit at night.

Though overlooking the river, bridges, car traffic, metro traffic, and construction (Stockholm is a busy city), I did have a great view of Gamla Stan. This is the Old Town area and it’s beautiful and historic.

Hilton Slussen

Gamla Stan just across the river from the hotel.

Bed Comfort (1/5)

The bed was awful. Very hard and uncomfortable. Not staying at Hilton properties very often, I have no idea if this is an outlier or if Hilton beds are usually this bad. Being in Sweden, I was hoping for a wonderful bed from Ikea!

Hilton Slussen

Bed, table and chair, and night time outside the window.

Bathroom (4/5)

This was a great bathroom given the size of the room. It had great lighting, which you could make bright or by turning off one light keep well-lit but dimmer. There were plenty of hooks for towels, a towel warming rack, and a shower splash guard on the tub that almost worked well. So why does the bathroom only get a 4? As I noticed throughout hotels in Scandinavia, it has a very HIGH step to get into the shower/tub. Be careful!

Hilton Slussen

Shower splash guard almost works.

Hilton Slussen

Watch your step as you enter the shower.

Hilton Slussen

One sink in the bathroom.

Hilton Slussen

Great to have a towel warming rack.

Interior Appointments and Furnishings (5/5)

I liked this room a lot. It was small but efficient in design and use of space. I felt like I was staying in an Ikea bedroom showroom. The seating area by the window had a very comfortable black lounge chair and ottoman. It was not only comfortable but placed in the most logical corner by the window. This became a good spot for the view, fresh air, and watching the sunset light up Gamla Stan.

Hilton Slussen

Comfortable chair and ottoman.

As a workspace in the opposite corner there is a round table with one chair. I do think a square table would work better, and adding another chair would make sense.

Hilton Slussen

Spacious corner table and chair.

There is wood paneling on the entrance way walls. NO ART work at all in the room. Not even one piece. LOTS of mirrors throughout the room obviously to increase the perception that the room was bigger than it was. When it comes to carpet versus wood floors in a hotel room, I always prefer wood floors. This room had wood flooring throughout.

Hilton Slussen

Wood paneling throughout the room.

 

Hilton Slussen

The heating system was odd and I couldn’t figure out how to customize the temperature. It had general settings but nothing specific to regulate the temperature.

Hilton Slussen

Strange heating/cooling system. Could never get it regulated.

Electronics (2/5)

As I mentioned earlier, the hotel was last renovated in 2013, so the tech options felt old and outdated. The main plugs were by the table area and the lounge chair corner had an outlet with two plugs.

Snack and Minibar (5/5)

This minibar had the biggest in-room Nespresso machine I’ve ever seen. It slides in and out as does the other shelving in this snack area. The minibar itself wasn’t working, but that’s not an issue for me. There was no counter space to use as a snack area but the corner table and the ledge below the TV can be used as surface areas.

Hilton Slussen

This huge Nespresso machine needs no introduction!

Hotel Service

As I mentioned earlier, I had a great long chat with two senior staff members, Josefin and Sabina. They also gave me a tour of the hotel and showed me various rooms. When it comes to choosing a room for your stay the choice comes down to a quiet room versus a room with a view. The hotel is on the river, which creates a wonderful view. But with this view comes traffic from cars, metro noise, and construction work being done with lots of noise from cranes.

Hilton Slussen

Construction right below the hotel.

Hilton Slussen

Early morning view when traffic isn’t so dense.

Hilton Slussen

Metro runs right outside the hotel.

The deluxe category room comes with a view and a balcony! There are five categories of rooms at the hotel so you’ll have many to choose from. I was told price-wise for hotels in this Hilton category 4 group, the Slussen is in the top middle price range.

The family category rooms have the view and also a good location. However, if you’re hoping for an upgrade know that lots of families pay for these rooms, so they are often not available for suite upgrades for Hilton Diamond members.

There are a few unique things about the hotel. Omelets are not common in Sweden. Hilton Stockholm Slussen is the only hotel with a live cooking station manned with an interactive chef who cooks to order after guests choose their preferences for ingredients and choice of topping.

Hilton Slussen omelette chef

The omelet station has a large quantity of ingredients to choose from so guests have their own pick and mix. I did notice he had quite a following of enthusiastic omelet seekers. The hotel has the largest hotel gym in Sweden. Good to know if you use hotel gyms.

I wondered who the “typical” guest is at the hotel. The staff told me that 50% of the hotel guests are Swedes. It’s a fine line for this Hilton to walk when serving both Swedes and tourists.

On the one hand, Swedes don’t like to be waited on, self-serve is fine by them. The Swedes are often surprised by the level of service and the warmth of the staff. I witnessed this preference for self-service in many restaurants as well. Yet other non-Swede visitors expect full-service such as having many concierges available, valet parking, and fast room service.

I probably fall in the middle and never found the service at the hotel to be lacking or too much. There was always plenty of staff at reception and if the concierge wasn’t there he was always back in a minute or two. The concierges are definitely experts at multi-tasking.

Housekeeping was always available and the executive lounge, though very busy, had one staff member who worked hard and yet was always accommodating and friendly.

Hilton Slussen

Flags flying high just outside the executive lounge window.

I asked the senior staff I spoke with “What’s unique about this hotel?”

They were quick to answer and said the service and staff. There is a very LOW turnover in staff. In general when I speak with hotel management about staff and turnover, it’s a touchy subject. Whenever I inquire about it, hotel managers get defensive and while I understand this, my experience when I checked in to the Hilton Slussen was that all three staff had been there only a short time.

They were great, young and energetic, well trained, and as helpful as could be, so I’m not criticizing, just commenting. In fact, staff is what people like best about the hotel and I could see why. The staff represents 42 different nationalities! I did not meet a staff member who wasn’t friendly and helpful.

The other two aspects of the hotel that are unique are the location and the view from the hotel. Both are standouts in choosing this hotel.

Then I asked about the major complaints guests have about the hotel.

Guests complain that the rooms are too small. They also complain that there isn’t enough closet space. When the front desk sees people check in with too much luggage, they already know the complaints will come in. I thought there was plenty of closet space!

Hilton Slussen

Hilton Slussen

Nifty storage closet design.

Hilton Slussen

Hilton Slussen

Functional closets with plenty of capacity.

In case you’re curious, the average stay at the Slussen is 2.2 nights and maybe 3 nights in the summer. Because Stockholm is a compact city you can plan a short stay and see most of the highlights.

The Upshot

I can’t imagine staying anywhere else when I’m in Stockholm. I’m glad I got a chance to pen this Hilton Stockholm Slussen review! The staff is excellent, the concierges some of the best I’ve ever met, and the Executive Lounge breakfast and evening offerings were great. I really liked the Swedish style of the room (except for the bed). The LOCATION of the Hilton Stockholm Slussen can’t be beat, and coupled with the amenities, and exceptionally attentive staff, this hotel is high on my Hilton list of properties I’d return to and surely recommend.

Shelli Stein is a health and fitness entrepreneur who travels the world in search of culture, food, and fun! Besides contributing to PointMeToThePlane, you can find her at Joy in Movement.

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Related Articles

14 comments

Paul v October 23, 2018 - 5:43 pm

Agree with most of what you wrote….I love the Hilton Slussen! But breakfast in the restaurant is such a treat that I stayed away from the lounge in the morning. That said, the lounge was a GREAT place for a coffee and light snack, all with a nice view, in mid afternoon while resting your feet. The staff, as mentioned, was great across the board. Some awesome restaurants just a few blocks away, and an easy stroll into Gamla Stan. The easy to use metro is just a short walk away as well.

Reply
Vladimir Putin October 23, 2018 - 5:45 pm

Shelli, I am not one to troll blog posts because I realize the massive amount of effort that goes into creating them, but I have to take exception to this post claiming its the best property in Stockholm.
This area has a MASSIVE-(think WTC scale) infrastructure project going on that is incredibly loud, dirty, and noisy. This area has no neighborhood feel and when we were there recently couldn’t get out of here fast enough.
how many other properties did you stay in to make this claim? I can think of 5 properties off the top of my head that are better than this one.

Reply
Shelli October 23, 2018 - 7:30 pm

HI VP, I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment. And no worries about taking exception to my claim. You make good points. True enough, the infrastructure project is massive. It didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would because it wasn’t all day long. And if you kept your window shut or had a room on the other side of the building, you wouldn’t hear any noise at all. It might bother some people, so I did my best to mention it and show photos of what it looks like. As for the neighborhood feel, I have to say I don’t agree. One to two blocks in any direction either puts you in Gamla Stan or deeper into Sodermalm. I found lots of great areas in Sodermalm for eateries, bakeries, and coffee houses. I totally recognize that hotels and our choices, whether they be the “best one” or the worst one, are subjective. Please do, if you’d like, mention any other properties you’d recommend. I think readers would appreciate having some other recommendations to consider!

Reply
Shelli October 23, 2018 - 7:21 pm

Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment, Paul. Glad your experience was a winner. I did wander into the breakfast hours in the restaurant and it did look like an amazing spread. If you want to mention the restaurants you tried, please do. I’m sure readers would appreciate the recommendations.

Reply
GUWonder October 24, 2018 - 6:36 am

Hilton used to have more Hilton and other properties in Sweden than it now has. Isn’t Hilton down to just one property in all of Sweden, this one in Stockholm?

This is definitely not the only hotel in Sweden with a chef making omelettes to order for breakfast. The Clarion Sign has been doing it on weekends at times, and the Hotel Six, also in Stockholm, had it this year too. And even in quaint little Malmo, population size akin to Buffalo, NY, the Renaissance Malmo (now an Elite Hotel) was doing it this year and for some years back.

Reply
Shelli October 24, 2018 - 8:25 am

Yes, GW, Hilton is expanding in other parts of Europe but in Sweden this is their only property. Interesting about the omelette chef. This is what I was told by the management I spoke with at the Slussen so I’ll double check and if need be correct my information. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!

Reply
Shelli October 27, 2018 - 10:44 am

GW, Just wanted to let you know I did update the information on the chef at the Hilton Slussen and even added a photo!

Reply
Best Coffee in Stockholm, Sweden October 24, 2018 - 10:34 am

[…] is near the Mariatorget metro stop and less than a mile walk from my Hilton hotel. You can read my review of the Hilton Slussen […]

Reply
Chloe's mum October 24, 2018 - 3:37 pm

We stayed here 2 nights last month. We booked a queen room (the cheapest category) and were upgraded to a room with a king bed. We are gold, but no offer to access the exec lounge – no problem. Breakfasts were very good – like the juice machine. Location was good as close to old town, metro station and ferry. We live the UK and have a small dog, so when we travelled around the UK with our little dog we often stayed at a dog-friendly Hilton. For some reason, our profile has noted that we have a dog. When we checked in the staff looked around and said they had noted that we would be bringing our dog! We said no, she was in the UK. When we got to the room, there was a dog bed with treats in it 🙂 We had a good laugh. The same thing happened when we stayed at a Hilton in California, the staff kept asking where was our dog?

Reply
Shelli October 24, 2018 - 3:55 pm

I love this story about your dog, and the dog treats and Hilton bed she missed out on. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment, CM.

Reply
Richard Garrido December 3, 2018 - 11:27 am

I remember eating cook to order omelets at Clarion Stockholm Hotel last year. There are two centrally located Choice Hotels at 10,000 Choice Privileges points per night with breakfast included. That makes a cheap $75 hotel reward night when in Stockholm.

Reply
Shelli December 3, 2018 - 11:31 am

Thanks, Ric, for adding these choices to the Stockholm options!

Reply
Peter January 1, 2019 - 1:59 am

Shelli
Thanks for your very helpful comments.
The Stockholm Hilton apparently comprises more than one building – and it seems that each has their respective merits and disadvantages. From the images above, it seems that you were given a room in the main (red brick) building. Is this the best of the buildings accommodation wise? We’re looking at an Executive King with View…
Would appreciate your advice…

Reply
Shelli January 1, 2019 - 3:42 am

HI Peter, Yes, I was in the main building. I did get a tour of the other buildings, though. The lounge, if you will have access, is in the main building, so that’s easy enough. I think it depends on the room category. I would go for room category and not fuss much about the building. If you have any questions at all, email/contact the hotel. The front office staff and the director of rooms are all super helpful and they’ll advise you when they know what’s most important to you. The hotel staff is great. Enjoy Stockholm!!

Reply

Leave a Comment