This was my 16th stay in a Leading Hotel in 2011 – and it was the most disappointing one.

I booked two rooms for two nights from Dec. 26 – 28, 2011 via Leading Hotels. I booked a standard and a superior room as the GH-homepage says that all superior rooms „contain a comfortable seating area“ and we looked for a bigger room whre the family could meet for tea time. Rates were SEK 1.690 (190 Euro) for the standard and SEK 2.190 (245 Euro) for the suoerior room, breakfast inculded.

At arrival no doorman was available, an emloyee of the security team called a porter after we requested help with our luggage (the second and third day doormen were available, during bank holidays obviously not). As a Leaders Club member we got an upgrade from no view rooms to harbour view rooms. The habour view superior room (no. 229) was surprisingly small, the „comfortable seating area“ were two armchairs, placed about 1,5 meters away from the bed! The room was newly refurbished, the quality oft he bed was above average and very good (in both rooms).

In total the rooms were not breathtaking, but acceptable for the luxury segment. Annoying was the service. Enough staff was available throughout our stay but they were not very well trained and a „culture to service“ was missing. For example:

- In the bar were no seats available. We asked for a dining option after our 7 hours journey. The waiter answered, not his problem, wait until guests leave the bar. I asked, if we could use one of the free tables at the restaurant and order a la carte. Answer: only if you order the christmas buffet, no other dishes like club sandwich or soups will be served in the restaurant. He finally offered my 70 years old disabled mother a barchair!
- Coats weren’t stored, a cloakroom was missing. All guests leave their jackets in the room by the seats – very nice atmosphere. Finally we got a table at the entrance. With our ordered soups we also got bread and butter. Bread knives were forgotten, we asked three times. After we finished our lunch, the service remembered: oh, now it’s probably too late.
- During breakfast: No smile, guests even take tea and coffee from the service stations on their own. The setting oft he tables does not include cutlery (never seen before; only napkin and a cup were on the place). I asked for cutlery when my ordered egg benedict was served and got the answer: please go to the buffet where cutlery ist available.
- Turn down normally puts a bedcover and decoration pillows away. Not at Grand Hotel, there the bedcover just was folded back on the bed and about six pillows placed on it - I never had this before. As a guest of Grand Hotel, you can start putting the heavy bedcover and the pillows away after turn down was present. Since the second night I knew the reason: The housekeeping maid has no storage for the bedcover in the small room, the wardrobe has not enough space. So she took the bedcover out oft he room as I asked to put it away from the bed.
- Shoe shine at Grand Hotel means moving the shoes slightly in front of the room, without cleaning them.

Why the only restaurant besides the bar serves buffets the whole day (morning buffet, lunch christmas buffet and on the evening „smörgasbord“ (=buffet)) is a secret of the f&b -anager. The Dahlgren restauarnt was closed all three days, the guest only had the chance to join buffets or to use the roomservice (besides the few snacks in the bar). For the hotel probably a perfect combination of revenue (the buffets are not cheap) and no service as there is a self service.

I guess, we had a „Grand Experience“ at Grand Hotel Stockholm – unfortunately the wrong way!

We had a lovely stay over Christmas 2011 at the Grand. We had a harbour view room which had a spectacular view over the city. Furnishings were old-fashioned (in a nice way!) but at the same time very comfortable and high quality.
Breakfast was great, all foods on offer cooked to perfection. Some hotels go in for an ostentatious interpretation of the breakfast buffet, offering everything but not doing anything particularly well. We were pleased to see the Grand did not take this approach. Service at breakfast was excellent, too; special mention must be made of one staff member, Andrea I think her name was, who should be promoted to head of customer relations immediately.
Some of the other guests did give us a creepy sense that we had stumbled onto an episode of Poirot; we occasionally wondered if breakfast would be interrupted with the announcement of who the murderer was. Obviously this isn't something the hotel can do anything about, however what they can sort out is the attitude of a couple of Cadier bar staff; I don't pay £350 a night in a hotel to be looked down on by some supercilious barman. The hotel could do with reminding them of who is actually serving who. Having said that, other bar staff were lovely and redeemed their less professional colleagues somewhat.
Despite these little niggles I would wholly recommend the Grand to any discerning traveller- we will be back!

I have just return from my short trip for Christmas in Stockholm.
Grand it is a great hotel in a very good location and it is the hotel to stay if you are looking for a luxury hotel in Stockholm
The position it is the best overlooking the old town and very near to the shopping center of the city also
The breakfast very nice with a lot of choises and very good quality
Very helpful concierge and very efficient he was assisting us for all the needs
The hotel it is a classical one ,old but in good condition
The room was not so big but very nice setting
The only down side when I was asking for a cofee and a table to sit the answer was than they cannot give a table in the bar just for a cofee only for the dinner if and if was 15.00 h.
The bar it is very nice with a nice view to the water but you dont have where to sit for a coffee!
All the other persons in the hotel except the bar are very nice and helpful
A very nice stay
mm1118

If you are looking for the classic five star this should be your choice in Stockholm. Classic interior but don’t expect a trendy boutique hotel with designer furniture and models dresses in black and where its hard to find the reception….(the original part of the hotel even in need of a make over). The rooms are nice some give you an amazing view of the Old town and Royal castle. The service is great when you need it but without people running around you all the time which I personally like. The location put you within walking distance to the most parts of Stockholm and there is a wide choice of good restaurants nearby (not the most trendy ones but very good) Berns Asiatiska, Operakällaren, Wedholms fisk, Zink, and the hotel itself houses two very good resturants and a bar with an amazing view. To top it up you have Stockholm’s, in my opinion, greatest SPA in the basement.