Haymarket by Scandic

The former PUB department store transformed into an art deco hotel at Hötorget

Haymarket by Scandic opened in spring 2016 in the building that previously housed the PUB department store. PUB closed in 2015 and the building was subsequently converted into a hotel. The result is a consistent art deco theme with geometric patterns and brass details drawn from 1920s design language. Converting a century-old department store into a hotel is not uncommon in Europe, but Haymarket is one of the more ambitious Swedish examples of this type of conversion.

The connection to Greta Garbo is not merely decorative but historical: it was in PUB's premises that she worked as a shop assistant in her youth, before her Hollywood career took off. The hotel's name, Haymarket, is an English translation of Hötorget and refers to the location rather than an international chain – although Scandic operates the business. The hotel is marketed under its own name with a pronounced thematic character that clearly distinguishes it from the chain's standard hotels.

The hotel contains a total of 401 rooms divided into several categories, including Classic Double Sleep at 13 square metres and Grande Double Sleep at 18 square metres. Grande Double With Sofa Bed offers 21 square metres and accommodates up to four guests, whilst Grande View at 18 square metres accommodates up to two guests. Hay Junior Suite accommodates up to four guests and Grande Terrace Suite is 52 square metres with space for a maximum of two guests. The location directly at Hötorget means that the Concert Hall lies opposite, Drottninggatan begins a block away and Hötorget underground station is in immediate proximity to the building. The property consists of adjoining building sections, which is evident in the floor plan and means that corridors and room placements can feel somewhat irregular.

Room categories: windowless Sleep rooms versus street views and suites with roof terrace

The hotel's smallest category is Cozy Single Sleep, a single room of 12 square metres without windows intended for one guest. Similar windowless options exist in the double room segment: Classic Double Sleep at 13 square metres and Grande Double Sleep at 18 square metres, both for a maximum of two guests. These rooms are priced lower but lack natural daylight, which is a trade-off that should be made consciously rather than by accident when booking. For those who spend most of their time outside the room, a windowless room can be a rational choice, but for longer stays, daylight is often worth the additional cost.

Classic Courtyard and Classic Double with street view are also 13 square metres and accommodate a maximum of two guests. Grande Double at 21 square metres offers a seating area and space for a maximum of two guests, whilst Grande Double With Sofa Bed at 21 square metres accommodates up to four. Grande View at 18 square metres accommodates a maximum of two guests. Hay Junior Suite at 33 square metres accommodates up to four guests and is an option for those needing more space without upgrading to full suite level.

At the top of the range are Hay Master Suite at 43 square metres for a maximum of four guests and The Grande Terrace Suite at 52 square metres with a private roof terrace, which accommodates a maximum of two guests. All rooms feature blackout curtains, flat-screen TV with digital channels, safe and bathroom with shower; some rooms have a bathtub. Room service is available to hotel guests.

Gretas, Paul's and Americain – three dining venues with different character on the ground floor

The hotel's ground floor contains three distinct dining venues that are also open to outside visitors. Gretas is a café and restaurant with a menu that includes lunch, brunch and evening service featuring vegetarian dishes. The café is open Monday 10–18, Tuesday–Friday 10–20, Saturday 11–20 and Sunday 11–18. Lunch is served Monday–Friday 11–14:30, whilst brunch is offered Saturday 11–15 and Sunday 11–17. In the evening, champagne and oysters are served, giving the place a different character than during the day. Gretas is named with a clear Garbo reference and is accessible for spontaneous visits without a hotel booking.

Brasserie Paul's is the hotel's more traditional restaurant with a European and American menu and open kitchen. The atmosphere is somewhat more formal than at Gretas. Breakfast is served Monday–Friday 06:30–10:00 and weekends 07:00–11:00. Lunch is served Monday–Friday 11:30–14:00, whilst the restaurant does not offer lunch on Saturday or Sunday. Dinner is served Monday–Saturday 17:00–22:00, and on Sundays the restaurant is closed for dinner. Paul's is therefore the ground floor dining venue with the most restricted opening hours in terms of days of the week.

Americain is the cocktail bar and the third component of the ground floor offering. The bar is open Monday–Tuesday 16–00, Wednesday–Thursday 16–01, Friday–Saturday 14–01 and Sunday 16–00, which means that Fridays and Saturdays are also the days when the bar opens earliest. In addition to the three dining venues, the hotel offers a gym open daily 07–22, a cinema and six conference rooms, making it possible to combine meetings with film screenings. For guests' convenience, concierge service, luggage storage and express check-in and check-out are available.

Hötorget's market trade, the Concert Hall and underground – what the location actually means

Hötorget is one of Stockholm's busiest transport hubs and this is noticeable outside the hotel's entrance. The market trade in vegetables and flowers takes place directly in front of the façade, giving the place a lively urban space but also movement and noise during the morning hours. The Concert Hall, with its distinctive façade, lies opposite on the square and is one of the location's clearest landmarks. Hötorgshallen, a food hall with market stalls, is within a couple of minutes' walk and helps keep the area active throughout the day, from early morning to late afternoon.

Hötorget underground station is in direct proximity to the hotel and provides quick connections to Central Station, Gamla Stan and Södermalm. Sergels Torg with its glass obelisk and surrounding shopping centres lies approximately 300 metres to the south. Drottninggatan, Stockholm's longest pedestrian street, begins nearby and leads south towards the city centre. Stureplan and Östermalm are reached in under a kilometre's walk to the north, making large parts of the inner city accessible on foot without needing public transport.

The central location means high activity in the surroundings throughout the day and night, which is relevant for those sensitive to urban noise. The hotel has no car park of its own, but there are parking garages nearby for those arriving by car. The hotel offers concierge service and express check-in and check-out for a smoother stay. The nearest airport is Stockholm Bromma; Arlanda is reached via public transport from Central Station, which is within walking distance of the hotel.