Mornington Hotel, Stockholm Review

The Mornington Hotel was chosen as it seemed to offer good value and was close to the Stockholm City Centre, being only 10-minutes’ walk from Stureplan in the Östermalm area.

Arriving late, a taxi was used from the bus station. A big mistake as it cost too much. The taxi driver refused to run the meter and ripped us off. Not knowing the local law in this regard, and being midnight, there did not seem to be much I could. However, it was a shock and not what was expected in a city like Stockholm. On the return journey, we walked to the bus station where the airport buses run, and it only took about 15 minutes, so beware of overpriced taxies!

Whilst unimpressive from the outside, appearing as a non-descript, concrete block, the Morning Hotel is transformed once inside. The limited space has been used well and the comfortable reception area, with books on the walls, worked well.

The open-plan design then flowed through to a well-stocked bar with comfortable chairs and private booths. Further in, the linked restaurant began. More books lined the walls here, adding interest and worth a browse. This was followed by a breakfast area, which was less appealing to the eye and more of a modern, canteen-style, without the cosier feel of the rest of the ground floor.

Breakfast itself was a stand out. It offered an excellent choice of hot and cold food, with meats, cheese, eggs and bacon, and a good selection of cereals and yoghurts. The favourite for us were the pancakes with fresh cream. Free international newspapers were provided and so, for this writer, a very good start to the morning!

Food is not cheap in Stockholm, so a large breakfast is a good idea for budget travellers and meant that lunch was not needed, especially with a busy day ahead.

Rooms at the Mornington Hotel were not huge and might be termed compact or small. Again more books were in the room to read. One feature we always enjoy is a decent-sized desk and the Mornington Hotel came up trumps for that. As a writer, it becomes most annoying to have a lovely room and then nowhere to write. The free wi-fi, another must for us, worked well. Complimentary coffee and tea was available.

Although there was not much space to put clothes and bags, it was manageable. The small, but spotless shower room and toilet was adequate. The bed was most comfortable and we slept off jet lag well. This was much appreciated after a 23-hour flight in from Sydney!

The main restaurant was good and the prices were reasonable, so we ate there a few times, finding each dish most acceptable. The service was very professional and pleasant. On other nights, we ate in one of the many restaurants surrounding the hotel. There was a full choice from very upmarket to a MacDonald’s all close by. A few minutes’ walk down the Nybrogatan takes you to where a lot of boat trips start and some offer dinner and lunch cruises.

For an extra charge, there is a gym in the basement for the use of hotel guests.

Overall, we gave this hotel a good rating. It is no frills and offers good, standard accommodation at reasonable rates. The location is perfect!

Mornington Hotel Images