Scandic Grand Central

The Scandic brand is a titan in the Nordic hospitality world, with hotels that run the gamut from the relatively undistinguished to, well, this — the flagship of the group, the Scandic Grand Central, Stockholm, is an impressive hotel indeed, a place where the professionalism you expect from a big chain meets the well-defined personality that’s typically the preserve of the independent boutiques. The location, in Norrmalm, is central indeed, and while the stately exterior speaks to Stockholm’s traditional side, the interiors, by local architecture and design agency Koncept Stockholm, are just about as contemporary as they come.

Imagine a well-tuned business hotel combined with something rather like an Ace Hotel, but one whose comforts have been upgraded to a level that verges on the luxurious, and you’re in more or less the right neighborhood. Parquet floors and rain showers come standard, while some rooms include balconies and/or sofa beds, and the suites come with turntables, in keeping with the hotel’s musical inspiration. There’s a bustling ground-floor café and a music venue called Acoustic Bar, as well as a bistro, another contemporary Swedish restaurant called Teaterbrasseriet, and a cocktail bar to match. There are more businesslike luxury hotels in town, to be sure, and more nightlife-focused boutique hotels as well — but the Scandic Grand Central manages a bit of both, at a level that’s higher than you’d expect.