Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Wonderful, river-circled Stockholm! This beautiful, well-known city hardly needs an introduction, but it would be a crime not to showcase just how much of an excellent queer travel destination it is. The Scandinavian heartland is a region well known for open-mindedness and progressiveness, and there’s no place that this attitude is more prevalent than in the heart of Sweden’s capital.
Stockholm is famous among tourists on a general level thanks to its massive number of maritime museums, intact period streets, and its connections to both culture and science, but there’s a lot more to the city than just historical locations. Modern and queer influences run very strong in the city’s streets and communities, and this readiness to embrace the world of today that has earned Stockholm its welcoming reputation.
Some queer-centric districts of the city include areas like the Södermalm and the Gamla Stan, both of which are at the very forefront of the city’s trendy, modern center and have more than a fair share of reputable gay bars such as the well-known Secret Garden. All of these wonderful locations serve up their blend of Scandinavian and international culture with a relaxed, personable vibe, making them unmissable and essential to make part of any visit to Stockholm.
There’s food, clubs, live music, and a whole range of other amazing places to visit on offer, so no matter what you value while traveling abroad, it’s sure to be there for you to enjoy while soaking up the unique culture of Stockholm and Sweden as a larger whole.
Even though the queer locations and centers of the city are relatively modern, that fact doesn’t mean that Stockholm’s kinship with the queer community and LGBTQ+ issues is a recent development. The city has long been the center of Sweden’s gay community and its rights rallies and continues to hold the country’s largest pride rally every year, alongside other related events and social meets.
Stockholm has several support systems and community centers available for queer youth, which only solidifies just how clear this city’s dedication to gay rights is.
Even with that said, however, the horizons of Stockholm are just as varied and wide as the culture of its people, and as such, things that appeal to gay travelers in the city aren’t always necessarily going to be directly marketed toward them.
We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic. Most of these wonderful hotels have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to and by queer people in general, as well as highly rated by previous guests and critics.
With that said, if you’re ready to get your feet on the historic cobblestones of one of Europe’s most famous, calm, and welcoming cities, then get to packing your travel bags and prepare to have your mind blown away by our specially curated list of eight top gay hotels in Stockholm!
In this article we will cover...
Clarion Hotel Stockholm
It’s always difficult to choose a hotel to start showcasing an amazing gay travel destination with, but things are made playfully easy here, thanks to the sheer reliability and general appeal of the Clarion Hotel Stockholm. The Clarion Hotel Stockholm has a stronger international front than some of the other hotels on this list, and guests from around the world can expect to have no issues checking in and out and enjoying their time at the hotel in peace.
On top of that, the views from this location are nothing short of absolutely stunning, so if having a tranquil outlook over the amazing city of Stockholm is important to your choice of gay hotel in the city, rest assured that you can prioritize that here without impacting your proximity to the queer quarters of the city one tiny bit, or making things any less convenient for yourself.
The on-paper benefits of staying at the Clarion Hotel are just as impressive as its benefits in appearance and location, if not more so. Some important plus points include the hotel’s enclosed pool, its amazing culinary experiences in the form of its restaurant, the Eatery Social Skanstull, and its bar, the Terrassen at Clarion Hotel.
In addition to the hotel’s no less than seventeen rentable event spaces for get-togethers such as weddings and birthdays, there’s also an in-house spa facility by the name of the Elements Spa, which is fully equipped with just about every relaxation opportunity that you could imagine, from hot tubs to massage spaces and a sauna.
If that wasn’t enough, the list of positives expands even further with the excellent daily breakfast spread and its service dedication – both factors that have earned this pace of accommodation a nearly immaculate reputation with previous and present guests.
Hotell Söder
Built from head to toe out of noble red brick and nestled just far away from the hustle and bustle of the city to give it a little peace without removing it from what makes Stockholm so exciting, the Hotel Söder is a truly amazing and unique addition to this list of gay hotels.
This location may not have official rating stars to its name – as is true for many of the other hotels on this list – but what it has instead is a true feeling of homely hospitality and heartfelt practicality. Locations such as the Hotell Söder are incredibly special thanks to the fact that their slightest isolated locations and smaller-than-usual sizes allow individual establishments to create their own atmosphere and niche amongst their respective communities.
This is especially true here with the Hotell Söder itself – a hotel perfect for those looking for a location that bundles everything about accommodation into one package and makes it as sweet and simple as possible.
The Hotel Söder offers stunning breakfast spreads every morning, a sea-central yet still metropolitan location, and – perhaps most importantly for those looking to explore the entire city – a rock-solid connection to Stockholm’s public transport system.
Describing the cozy and competent rooms of the Hotell Söder as ‘budget’ or simply ‘affordable’ would be incredibly unfair, but it must be said that they have quite humble rates for the extreme array of benefits that they present, and the on-point position amongst the city that they take up.
The Mosebacke neighborhood is known for its amazing array of cultural events, and you can bet that the queer bars and clubs of the Södermalm island district where the hotel gets its name are nearby and just waiting to be visited.
Lord Nelson Hotel
This fine hotel may be built up within the renovated hull of a 17th-century townhouse, much like the other hotels on this list, but it is in no way old or historic. The Lord Nelson’s accommodation offerings are stylish, up-to-date, and convenient for all guests, and the hotel is well known for having a welcoming and respectful attitude towards everyone that walks through its doors. The views and the atmosphere are excellent, and the in-house food is even better.
The Lord Nelson Hotel belongs to the Collector’s assortment of hospitality establishments, and that little aspect of franchise-backed confidence gives this location the perfect push that it needs to take its accommodation and service quality to the next level.
Some of the strongest factors about the Lord Nelson Hotel – as dictated by its guests of old and critics that have come away from the hotel satisfied – include its nearness to public transport, its excellent overall location for both travelers in general and those looking for access to Stockholm’s queer districts, and – of course – the size, quality, design, and upkeep of its rooms.
As we go on to talk about in greater detail the amazing Castle House Inn and Scandic Gamla Stan, the Gamla Stan district itself – mentioned at the beginning of this list as one of Stockholm’s queer hotspots – is an amazing pocket of culture and life amongst the already exciting and colorful skyline of the wonderful city that it calls home, and that isn’t only because of its gay hotels and bars.
There’s also the city’s Royal Palace within a few minutes walk of the Lord Nelson Hotel and an amazing range of other historical landmarks and fashionable stores to occupy your time in Stockholm visiting and filling up your planning notebook.
Hotel Tre Små Rum Stockholm
Now this is a unique location – not quite like any of the hotels before or after it on this list or truly akin to the other hotels in Stockholm as a whole.
The Hotel Tre Små Rum may be a little unconventional and quirky in appearance and the way it handles accommodation, but the hotel’s reviews and amazing personality speak loudly for the quality of the experience that it provides, and there’s no better way to achieve a hands-on view of a city than staying at a more quirky, unique location rather than a large chain hotel which looks the same all around the world.
Things work differently at the Hotel Tre Små Rum, and you can bet that this unique sense of open-armed hospitality extends to an utter acceptance of queer guests and a deep respect for their values and safety. LGBTQ+ reviewers and bloggers online hold this location as somewhat of a point of fascination, but one needs to truly visit it and get feet on the ground to understand just how truly different it is.
The tucked-away privacy and slight segregation of the Hotel Tre Små Rum Stockholm make it a perfect candidate for your next romantic getaway, so if you’re looking to come to this wonderful city with your significant other, then this might be the place for you.
Things needn’t be stressful or require extra effort either, thanks to the available breakfast, the nearness of public transport, and the above-and-beyond service mentality of the Hotel Tre Små Rum’s staff. This hotel is also located in the very center of the Södermalm district and its wide range of queer-centric hangout locations, and as such, you’ll be able to have an amazing time with others, even if you’re holidaying alone.
Castle House Inn
It may be a budget option, and some of its rooms may be nothing short of tiny, but if there’s a hotel on this list that perfectly embodies Scandinavian design and practicality, then the Castle House Inn is it. This establishment finds its home down the side of a small, narrow, and rustic cobblestone lane, but there’s nothing little or rural about the hotel’s interior. Instead, the opposite could not be more true.
This location is one of the most refined across the entirety of Stockholm’s skyline – especially that of the Gamla Stan isle and its nearby gay district – and as such, you can expect your stay here to leave as much of a lasting positive impression as the hotel itself has on the city around it.
The Castle House Inn is also one of the only hotels on this list to take the extra step in its marketing to officially mark itself as queer-friendly, and while this certainly isn’t a dealbreaker for the other locations on this list that haven’t made that effort, it is still a vote of confidence towards the individual welcome that the Castle House Inn offers to queer visitors to Stockholm.
When it comes to on-paper benefits that make the Castle House Inn so worth the not all that large sum of money attached to a night there, the first things that previous guests commend are the hotel’s pool, the fact that it’s pet-friendly, and the variety of the breakfast spread that are served every morning.
There’s also an on-site golf course if that’s something you’re interested in, and even if you’re not, a holiday always has room for one to try something brand new and interesting – be it out amongst the city’s bars and clubs or on the green.
Scandic Gamla Stan
While some of the other hotels that we’ve included on this list excel at things such as practicality, location, or service attitude, when it comes to the Scandic Gamla Stan, this hotel’s strong suite is loud and clear for all ears and eyes from the moment that one walks through its doors. Style and glamor are the words that this location lives by, and even in the individual rooms, there’s no escaping from the Scandic Gamla Stan’s excellent sense of fashion and modern design.
That isn’t all, however. Having attractive rooms improves a hotel’s appearance quite a bit, obviously, and there are bonus points to be added for cleanliness, but potential guests can rest assured that this location isn’t just all looks.
There’s also an amazing breakfast buffet available every morning for a small fee, a wide range of public transport options available nearby, and the surrounding district is well known for its many New Nordic eateries and restaurants.
Galma Stan is the very heart of both Stockholm and Scandinavia’s modern cultural workhouse, and this feeling of strong innovation and international welcome can be felt through every aspect of the nearby streets.
When it comes to the advantages of the Scandic by the measure of a conventional hotel, the location stands out quite well thanks to its large suites, 17the century construction, and its available food market and sitting terrace for eating and simple relaxation.
Breakfast is free at the Scandic, unlike many of the other hotels on this list and in the city of Stockholm in general, and this fact is backed up tenfold by the rooms and event spaces available for hire in the Scandic’s industrial-chic basement and first level. This excellent location could be the site of your next get-together, birthday, or wedding!
Hotel Hellstens Malmgård
The Hotel Hellstens Malmgård may be one of the most expensive locations on this list, but it makes up for that distinction with its aristocratic, upper-shelf surroundings, including a large art community, open parks, and excellent water views.
Not everything is elegant and talks about this establishment, however, and one only needs to look at the hotel’s positive reviews from past guests and its mission statements as a place of hospitality to begin to notice that. This is a truly excellent gay hotel – embracing the queer community of the Södermalm island with open arms and ensuring that it ensures that every one of its visitors feels equally welcome within its walls.
The Hotel Hellstens Malmgård is located in one of the quiet and more academic streets of the Södermalm island, but that doesn’t mean that it is at all separated from the gay village that resides upon its section of the city in the slightest.
In addition to the much-appreciated gay clubs and bars that we’ve discussed throughout this list, there are also quite a lot of amazing eateries and design shops near the Hotel Hellstens Malmgård, and as such, guests here can expect to have more than enough variety available to them to keep them occupied for every second of their excellent holiday in Stockholm.
The individual rooms and common spaces of the Hotel Hellstens Malmgård are clean, simple, and surprisingly Mediterranean in style, which is a bit of a diversion from the usual attitude and presenting factors of the locations around it, but a welcome one nonetheless that makes it all the more interesting for new arrivals.
Another highly-rated and much-appreciated aspect of the Hotel Hellstens Malmgård’s amenities is its daily breakfast spread – presented in the hotel’s amazing retro industrial-style basement dining room.
Skanstull’s Hostel
It may seem odd to end a list with so many top-shelf locations with a hostel, but we promise that this location has a lot more up its sleeve than one might expect. It’s hardly a hostel at all, thanks to the rather impressive size of its spaces and the exquisite atmosphere of its rooms.
Whether you’re okay with a mixed dorm or you’d like to upgrade to a private room, casual, calm, and convenient are the by-words that this location follows, and guests here can expect one of the most affordable and relaxing accommodation experiences available in the entire city.
Despite its unassuming appearance, Skanstull’s Hostel is the perfect location for those looking to explore the city’s nightlife and queer bar scene, and even if you’d like to experience a bit more of Stockholm’s generically appealing side, then there’s public transport directly nearby and a wide range of eateries and cultural sites to interest yourself with along the way.
The Södermalm district is also well known for its connection to the city’s art and film scene, so if either of those things interests you, then you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of niche locations for you to find a new favorite theatre, gallery, or exhibition.
It’s when it comes to its in-house amenities in comparison to its rates and location, however, that Skanstull’s Hostel truly begins to shine its brightest.
The hostel is home to its very own daily breakfast bar spread, much like the other hotels on this list, and provides both a restaurant and bar set up for those eager to save money where they can to save unnecessary extra costs. There’s also a communal kitchen if you’d like to cook your meals and save even more cents.
Gay Hotel Map Of Stockholm
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Stockholm? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Stockholm! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Stockholm.
