Villa Dagmar

Long gone are the days of minimalist sparseness in Scandinavian hotels. In recent years cities like Stockholm have embraced a richly textured and elegant style, and Villa Dagmar, in the city’s upscale Östermalm district, is a fine example: paying tribute to Art Nouveau and other century-old influences, all viewed from a playful contemporary perspective.

With 70 rooms and suites it’s on the large side for a boutique hotel and on the small side for a luxury hotel, which is sensible given its Goldilocks character. It’s a sequel to the family-owned Hotel Diplomat, and is named for a particularly well-traveled and curious family member; her spirit is on display all throughout this eclectic hotel’s interiors, including Dagmar Spirit & Retreat, a small wellness center with two treatment rooms.

And despite the hotel’s location right next door to the famous 19th-century Saluhall food hall, it goes to the trouble of offering some high-quality culinary options of its own: from Salon, the high-end restaurant, to Dagges, the wine bar, and the more casual Butiken, which serves breakfast, lunch, and light after-work fare.