As I grow older, my hotel selection is no longer solely based on the cheapest, but most central location. I would far prefer to pick a hotel with a ton of charm over a bland, faceless hotel in the city center. I know a lot of people say, “well, you aren’t supposed to be spending that much time in your room anyway!” Everyone assumes that you’re supposed to be out, exploring the city 24/7. And while this is partly true, I feel that coming home to a relaxing place at the end of the day really can make or break your trip.
On my latest trip to Stockholm, I stayed in the NOFO Hotel. This hotel had been personally recommended to me by a few friends who had previously visited there, and I was eager to check it out for myself. NOFO is located in the hip neighbourhood of Södermalm. While staying in the center of town might seem like the best option for travelling, it often leaves you in an area deserted at night, as tourists are your only neighbours. Staying outside of the tourist hub, you get to see the real residences of the city. You can feel more a part of the citizens’ daily lives and get a better glance through the looking glass.
In the 1500s, Södermalm was a district that was mainly inhabited by the most impoverished workers of Stockholm. But today, a lot has changed! Now, in the streets of Södermalm, you can find the most relaxing cafes, trendy bars, and hipster clothing shops.
NOFO Hotel a great place to be located as it is also just a 20-minute walk into the Gamla Stan, the historic old town of Stockholm. There is a metro station just 2-minutes down the road where you can get to Stockholm Central Station in 10-minutes. The Stockholm Slussen kajen ferry terminal is also located 15-minutes away by foot. From this terminal, you can take the ferry to any of the nearby islands. There are also buses which run all over the neighbourhood which will bring you anywhere in the city in a jiffy! This proved especially convenient during the winter when it was too cold to walk. I never had to wait for more than 10-minutes for a bus. This neighbourhood really proved to be super easy for getting around Stockholm!
NOFO Hotel prides itself on embuing the Södermalm spirit of creating a space for curiosity, creativity, open-mindedness. The building was initially built in the 18th century by brewer Lorenz Sifvert. The brewery was set up on the ground floor, and the upper levels were used for the workers, and the top floor was his residence. After the brewery went belly up, the large building remained a prized property, so the city bought it in 1812. For years it was used as a barracks for the city guard. Here beggars, petty thieves and women who engaged in prostitution were brought in to pay for their crimes.
Later in 1834, when the city was being ravaged by cholera, the building was once more converted into a temporary hospital. It wasn’t until 1976 when it was converted into the Columbus Hotell. The hotel continued to grow over the years, expanding into more and more rooms throughout the complex. They even turned the 18th-century vaults downstairs into a wine cellar! The hotel changed hands multiple times with each new owner continuing renovations to meet the needs of modern travellers. Finally, in 2014 we saw the opening of NOFO Hotel! Can you believe the history-steeped into these walls?! What a place to lie your head at night! Thankfully, I didn’t hear any ghost rattling around at night although you never know with all the goings-on which happened here…
Each of the rooms inside the NOFO hotel is different. This is not just so you have a unique experience, but because they could not change too much of the original building’s structure. So they had to get creative with the room layouts. There are only 109 rooms, over the three floors, which makes the space feel intimate without being too small as to not offer the fantastic amenities they have. There are four different design styles found throughout the hotel, each one featuring stylistic touches that are the definition of what makes a boutique hotel.
The Scandinavian retro room features classic Swedish patterns, green leather and accent colours in yellow and orange. The inspiration comes from Scandinavian designs of 1930 from both Södermalm and Copenhagen.
The Parisian rooms reflect ‘La Belle Époque‘ of Paris. Visual references for these designs were drawn from Montmartre, a small neighbourhood in Paris, which was home to the Moulin Rouge. As such, you’ll find velvet everywhere creating a lush, serene and somewhat sensual environment. Great for couples!
The Metropolitan luxury rooms drew their inspiration from the Uptown neighbourhood of big cities like New York, London and Rome. They blend modern classics with elegant designs.
Their newest rooms are the Industrial Vintage style. The inspiration for these rooms was drawn from neighbourhoods like Södermalm, as well the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens in New York. They have a more contemporary vibe, with metal, leather, glass, solid wood and steel pipes incorporated into the layout. But for all the style and luxury, their room prices are incredibly affordable! If you have a design preference simply put that in your booking notes and the hotel will do its best to accommodate.
For me, one of the best things they offer were Single bedrooms. This is amazing since I was solo travelling while visiting the city. It was great to have the option of a single bed at a lower price, which was perfect for me. But when I arrived, they upgraded my room at no charge since there were a few Superior Rooms in the hotel unbooked. It’s these small gestures that smaller boutique hotels can do that make your stay even more special.
One of my favourite parts of my room was the view of the nearby church. At night, people would come to light candles in the cemetery for their loved ones. The gentle flickering of the candlelight at night was one of the most lovely sights to enjoy while sitting in my room, detailing the day’s experiences as night drew to a close.
It was Christmas time when I visited and throughout the entire hotel there were Christmas trees and decorations all over the place to make your home away from home feel as festive as possible! I loved these small touches and the warmth the twinkle lights brought to the dark and chilly weather was much appreciated!
Prices obviously vary during different times of the year but here is a good estimate of their ranges. All these rates include breakfast, which I’ll get into later—and all prices are listed in USD.
Single Room: $114 – $130
Classic Room: $125 – $171
Standard Room: $134 – $180
Superior Room: $152 – $199
Executive Room: $162 – $237
Junior Suite Room: $301 – $330
Suite: $385 – $423
Included in your hotel room you’ll get a laptop-sized safe, hairdryer, eco-labelled toiletries, iron and ironing board, and an umbrella. The toiletries were terrific, and if you’re trying to travel light, it’s great not to have to bring any of these items with you. Umbrellas take up a lot of space and weight so it was great to have one on hand! Should you be thirsty or peckish, there is a fully stocked minibar and an electric kettle to make coffee and tea in your room (which is free of charge). This was key for me after coming home from the cold. After throwing off my jacket, I would boil the pot as soon as possible to have warm tea upon slumping down in my comfy, made bed.
Book an executive room, junior suite or a regular suite and you’ll also get a CrossFit class ticket with their local gym partner (located 2 minutes’ walk from the hotel) Just ask at reception which classes are available and get your card there for a fun and challenging exercise. Might not be for everyone but for those who love to experience something different, this will be great for you!
More often than not, I never book a room with breakfast included. I would usually far rather head outside and discover a new cafe or restaurant to dine in. But I had heard WONDERFUL things about breakfast here. I was also staying over the Christmas holidays and wasn’t sure what would be open, so I felt by booking the breakfast with the room, I would be sure to get something to eat as soon as I awoke. And let me tell you how glad I am, I did! The word ‘breakfast’ doesn’t even begin to describe how beautiful the spread they offer really is.
When I walked downstairs from my hotel room (and I always took the stairs as they were one of the oldest and most intriguing parts of the building) the smell would perk me right up from any jet lag I might have been feeling. There were over five different rooms you could dine in, spread out in their wine bar area, which is open in the evening. I would pick a different room to eat every day. Each one was fantastically decorated for Christmas and had a unique vibe.
The room which most resembled a cafe was where you could pick up your coffee or tea every morning. They had every kind of tea you could think of, and the coffee was just as good as you would get in a fancy coffee shop. Another thing I found so charming was the candy table right beside the brew bar. Swedes LOVE penny candy, and I couldn’t believe to see it at breakfast too. I surely indulged, “when in Rome,” am I right? Besides the candy, there were also some cookies and crackers for those looking for just a light breakfast.
Then you made your way to the extravagant breakfast buffet. Walking into the main breakfast room, I was almost overwhelmed by the selection found there. Every morning there were a variety of homemade smoothies to choose from in these adorable little shot glasses. Individual pots of freshly made yogurt were on offer, which you could top with fresh fruits, cereal, granola and jam compotes.
Everything from home-baked bread, pastries and cakes could be found on the carbs table. My favourite section had to be the make-your-own-breakfast-smorgasbord. Here you could fill your plate with cheese, pickled herring, pickled onions and radishes, various cured meats and more! There were also breakfast staples like scrambled eggs, bacon, porridge and prinskorv (prince sausages – a traditional Swedish breakfast item).
One Christmas morning, we were treated to a Christmas spread, which included all the previous items plus rice porridge with clementines, Juligt Knäckebröd (crispbread), saffron buns, and a lovely gingerbread Christmas cake! I have never experienced breakfast like this before, and I hope to experience it once more! It was the highlight of my day and got every morning off to a fantastic start. I remember the first night of my stay I had a bit of sickness from the stress of my journey, and that morning’s breakfast was all I needed to feel absolutely refreshed, reenergized and ready for the day!
There were also plenty of gluten-free and vegan options laid out. I was told you might need to ask for them, but I never had to inquire as I found everything I wanted each morning. Breakfast is served from 7 am to 10 am on weekdays and 7 am to 11 am on the weekends. DON’T MISS OUT!
After coming home from a long day out, exploring the city, one of the best ways to wind down is relaxing at the bar. And at NOFO, the bar is only steps away from your hotel room! During the summer, the tables are set up outside so you can enjoy the Midsommar weather. In the winter, the cozy and sumptuous rooms indoors make you feel like you’re wrapped up in a big blanket. During my stay at Christmas, they even had their own Gin & tonic Glögg to try! Glögg is the Swedish version of mulled wine, so it was neat to try the same flavours in a gin and tonic!
The food on offer is uncomplicated and the Swedish interpretation of comfort food. The menu changes month to month, but you’re always bound to find something with a Scandinavian twist to indulge your travel tooth.
NOFO Wine bar’s opening hours:
Monday – Thursday 3 pm – 11 pm
Friday – Saturday 3 pm – Midnight
The kitchen is open from 4pm till closing.
One of my favourite memories of the entire trip was on Christmas eve. I knew most places would be closed, so I headed out the day before and bought a bunch of groceries to have a little homemade smorgasbord of Swedish Christmas treats back at the hotel. I decorated my room with a few different Christmas souvenirs I had purchased and even set up a burning fireplace video on my phone to make the entire meal feel all the more festive. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the holiday, even far from home. The comfort of the gorgous hotel room really was the cherry on top!
I cannot recommend this place more and hope the next time you’re visiting Stockholm, you stay at the NOFO hotel.
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My mother and I were spending a couple of days celebrating her 82nd birthday and it was wonderful. Everyone at the Heiwa Heaven The Resort was just lovely to hear. We made special memories. As always, thank you. What a beautiful environment you get to work in every day….the island, the hotel, and the people all make it so very special.