Hotel Skeppsholmen

Two barracks wings from 1699 converted into a design hotel

Hotel Skeppsholmen is located on the island of Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm and houses the two buildings that have been jointly known as Långa raden – Östra and Västra boställshuset since the mid-19th century. The buildings were erected in 1699–1702 on the orders of Charles XII, designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, originally intended as barracks for the king's mounted guards. The soldiers never used them as planned, and the wings instead served as a plague hospital, storage, the navy's offices and finally residences for naval officers. In 1935 they were classified as a listed building.

The conversion into a hotel was carried out in 2009 by the architectural firm Claesson Koivisto Rune together with Erséus Arkitekter. The principle was that all new additions should be fully reversible, meaning no interventions were made that cannot be restored. The buildings were originally constructed using recycled materials from buildings and ruins throughout Sweden – an early expression of sustainability that the hotel maintains characterises its operations to this day. The hotel is operated by Nobis Hospitality Group and has been a member of the Design Hotels network since opening. It also carries the Swan label, the Nordic environmental certification, which is reflected in everything from material choices to its own kitchen garden on the island.

Anyone seeking a hotel with a clear historical identity and concrete connection to place within Stockholm's urban landscape will find it here. Skeppsholmen is an island in the middle of the city centre, surrounded by water on all sides, and the hotel's location along Långa raden provides a spatial experience that differs markedly from a city hotel in a city block. The address is Gröna gången 1 and the hotel is reached on foot from Blasieholmen via Skeppsholmsbron.

Rooms and suites in historical proportions

The hotel has 78 rooms divided into several categories: Standard, Standard sea & garden view, Superior, Deluxe sea & garden view, and Junior suite and Suite. The standard rooms are 14–16 square metres – an area that corresponds to the original floor plans' room divisions from 1699 – and have a 140 centimetre bed. They face the hotel's park. Standard sea & garden view rooms share the same size and bed width but offer views of water and garden. Superior rooms are 25–29 square metres and have either a 180 centimetre wide bed or two single beds. Deluxe sea & garden view rooms are 28–35 square metres and include a separate seating area and hall.

The suites accommodate up to four guests, whilst the Standard, Superior and Deluxe room categories are specified for up to three guests. This is a practical difference for groups of more than two. All rooms share the same basic amenities: DUX bed, minibar with drinks and snacks, flat-screen TV, safe and workspace, and fixed and wireless internet. The bathrooms feature basins by Italian designer Boffi, shower with integrated lighting and toiletries by Byredo. The windows have traditional wooden venetian blinds, an original element preserved from the buildings' earlier condition.

Breakfast buffet is included in the price. All guests have free access to the hotel's mini gym. Those needing more space for a longer stay or more luggage should look at the Superior or Deluxe categories, as the standard rooms' historically determined dimensions are small compared to what newer hotel buildings often offer.

Restaurant Långa Raden and the kitchen garden on the island

The hotel's restaurant is called Långa Raden and serves lunch and dinner. The kitchen works with contemporary Swedish cuisine based on local ingredients, and the menu varies with the season. The hotel operates its own kitchen garden on Skeppsholmen whose harvest is used in the restaurant's cooking – a concrete connection between place and plate that is unusual for a city hotel. The restaurant also has a bar and a terrace with views of the water. Breakfast is also served in the restaurant but is always included in the accommodation price and is not a separate restaurant visit. Lunch and dinner at Restaurant Långa Raden are charged separately if no package has been selected. The restaurant is accessible to outside visitors and not only to hotel guests.

Restaurant Långa Raden is Swan-certified as a hotel restaurant, a certificate that sets requirements for, among other things, food purchases, energy use and chemical use in the kitchen. The entire hotel is also Swan-certified, which means that environmental requirements apply to the operation as a whole and not just the restaurant part. The hotel is a partner with Moderna Museet, Operakällaren Foundation and the organisation Project Playground, three collaborations that are confirmed on the hotel's official About Us page.

The terms for what is included in the accommodation price may vary depending on the booking type. The hotel's official website states that breakfast is always included, but it is advisable to check the specific terms for the chosen room or package before booking is completed, as offers may differ between different booking channels and times.

Skeppsholmen's location: water all around, museums in the neighbourhood, ferry to Gamla stan

Skeppsholmen is a small island in Stockholm's city centre, connected to the mainland via Skeppsholmsbron from Blasieholmen. Moderna Museet and Arkitekturmuseet are on the same island, within a short walk from the hotel. Nationalmuseum on Blasieholmen is reached on foot. Regular ferries operate across the sound and take guests to Gamla stan, Södermalm and Djurgården.

The island's character means that the hotel lacks direct access to the underground in the immediate vicinity. This is a real consideration for those planning to move around the city a lot by public transport. On the other hand, the island's environment is free from through traffic along Långa raden, which contributes to the character of the place. Parking is available at the hotel for a fee. The hotel has a partnership with Moderna Museet, which reflects the close geographical connection between the hotel and the museum's activities on the island. On the island there is also a kitchen garden that is linked to the hotel's operations.

The hotel has nine meeting rooms and conference and event facilities, including Sjöofficersmässen which is used for larger gatherings. For those planning meetings or conferences in Stockholm, the location on an island with water all around and museums in the neighbourhood is a clear profile – secluded from the office district environment but still central. The hotel is Swan-certified for both hotel and restaurant, which is a verified environmental certificate for the operation. A tennis court is located by the water in front of the hotel, and cycling is another way to get around the island and its surroundings.