Castanea Old Town Hostel

Brända Tomten and Kindstugatan – building and location

Castanea Old Town Hostel is located at Kindstugatan 1 in Gamla Stan, by the small square Brända Tomten at the corner of Kindstugatan and Själagårdsgatan. According to the hostel's own historical records, the property was built around 1747 by court carpenter master Johan Wollff. The building is four storeys high and in the basement there are remains of medieval masonry. Outside the entrance, at Brända Tomten, grows the large horse chestnut tree that has given the hostel its name.

Gamla Stan underground station is within a short walk, and the bus stop Slottsbacken is nearby. Car traffic is heavily restricted in Gamla Stan and there is no parking directly adjacent to the hostel. Guests planning to travel by car should expect to park elsewhere in the city and reach the hostel by public transport or on foot.

The location means that guests find themselves in the heart of the medieval street network with cobbled streets, narrow alleyways and closely packed restaurants, cafés and shops. The Royal Palace, Storkyrkan and Stortorget are reached on foot in a few minutes. Södermalm and Norrmalm are accessible by underground or on foot across the bridges. The historical environment is a tangible part of the stay: the façade, stairwells and uneven floors reflect the building's age. It is a deliberate choice to stay in an 18th-century property rather than a modern hotel – with the character and limitations that entails. The hostel has a lift, which makes it easier for guests with heavy luggage in a building where the stairs are otherwise narrow.

Room categories and bed linen – what distinguishes the categories

Castanea offers eight room categories: single room, small twin room, twin room, family room with four beds (private), small 4-bed dormitory, 4-bed female dormitory, 6-bed dormitory and 16-bed dormitory. In single rooms and twin rooms there are consistently floor beds. In the family rooms, floor beds and bunk beds are combined, and the layout varies between the different rooms. The dormitories have bunk beds and lockable lockers; guests need to bring their own padlock or hire one on site. This is a practical detail worth planning for in advance, especially if travelling with valuables.

An important practical matter concerns bed linen: it is not included in the price regardless of room category. Guests can bring their own sheets and pillowcases, or hire them from the hostel for a fee. Sleeping bags are not permitted. Pillows and duvets are provided in the rooms. All rooms – private as well as dormitories – share toilets and showers in the corridor. The shower facilities are separate and lockable from the inside.

The rooms are, according to the hostel's own information, generally small but have large windows and in most cases high ceilings. The view varies: some rooms face Kindstugatan, others face the square Brända Tomten with the horse chestnut tree, and yet others face the quieter courtyard. The dormitory with sixteen beds is the most compact option and suits guests who prioritise price over space. The private rooms and smaller dormitories offer more freedom of movement. A reading lamp is provided at each bed in all categories, which is an appreciated detail in shared rooms where not everyone sleeps at the same time.

Shared kitchen, common areas and what is actually included

The hostel's shared kitchen is fully equipped and open for all guests to use for cooking. There is also a common room with TV, maps, board games and a book exchange shelf with handwritten tips about Stockholm from the staff. These areas are a central part of the hostel's character and are actively used by guests who want to cook, plan their day or socialise. The opportunity to cook your own food is a concrete way to keep travel costs down in a city where restaurant prices are generally high.

Free WiFi is included in all rooms and in the common areas. Luggage storage is available for guests arriving early or needing to leave bags after checkout. The hostel has a safe. A hairdryer, iron and books can be borrowed. Laundry service is available for a fee. No breakfast is served and there is no restaurant or bar in the hostel – cooking in the shared kitchen or restaurants and cafés in Gamla Stan are the alternatives.

Reception is staffed daily with opening hours 09:00–11:00 and 15:00–18:00. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 11:00 at the latest. Guests arriving outside reception hours are asked to contact the hostel in advance to obtain a door code. The entrance is accessible 24 hours via door code, which means guests can come and go without restriction by reception hours. The hostel states that it actively works with energy saving and waste sorting as part of its daily operations.

Gamla Stan as a base – considerations for different types of travellers

Staying in Gamla Stan means that the most visited parts of Stockholm's historic centre are directly accessible on foot. The Royal Palace, Storkyrkan and Stortorget are within a couple of minutes' walk. The underground's green line via Gamla Stan station provides quick connections to Central Station, Södermalm and northwards in the city. Gröna Lund and the Vasa Museum on Djurgården are reached by tram or ferry from Slussen, which is a short walk from the hostel.

Gamla Stan is one of Stockholm's most tourist-dense districts, which is noticeable in the streetscape during high season. Cobbled streets and narrow pavements can be difficult to navigate with large suitcases, something worth considering when packing. Car traffic is restricted and there are no parking facilities directly adjacent to the hostel. Guests planning to travel by car during their stay should expect to park elsewhere in the city and reach the hostel by public transport or on foot.

Castanea suits travellers who want central and affordable accommodation with the opportunity to cook their own food and who accept shared bathrooms and a compact format. Private rooms offer more privacy than dormitories but still share bathrooms with other guests. The dormitory with up to sixteen beds is the most budget-friendly option but requires comfort with a large shared room and the noise and light levels that entails. The hostel does not accept pets and does not provide cots, which is practical information for families with children planning their trip.