Diplomat Hotel: Stockholm's Stylish Address

For a gracious, old-world style hotel with a prestigious address in the heart of Stockholm, look no further than the Diplomat Hotel. The crimson awnings that automatically roll down over the windows in sunshine make it easy to spot from the street.

Check-in is deftly handled at the desk in the middle of the boutique hotel’s T-shaped restaurant and bar. From there, an antique bird-cage-like elevator takes you up to your room. To return to the lobby, walk at least once down the circular marble staircase with burnished gold railings, lined with stained-glass windows, that wraps around the elevator.

All 130 rooms are serene, decorated in ivory and dove grey colors, with blonde wood furniture and extraordinarily high ceilings. Some are small by North American standards. But book a junior suite like we did, and you’ll delight in a spacious, octaganol-shaped room with two Juliet balconies overlooking boats and passenger ferries plying the Strandvagen waterfront. Bathrooms feature thick robes, slippers and lovely Argan bath products. While originally built in 1911, the Diplomat satisfies modern-day tastes with smart phones and flat-screen TVs.

Hungry for dinner? Pop down to the T-Bar restaurant, considered one of the best in the city. Just be sure you have a reservation – the buzzing bistro-style resto and bar with granite tables is hugely popular. In the mornings, a breakfast buffet (included in the rates) is offered here – try the traditional Swedish soured milk (like yogurt) with lingonberries. Then when you’re ready to venture out sightseeing, most tourist sites are within walking distance.

Written by George and Janice Mucalov. Originally published in Cruise & Travel Lifestyles Spring/Summer 2018 issue. Photos courtesy of Diplomat Hotel.