Berns Hotel

Class: First

Style: Modern design

Rooms: 65

Since the 19th Century, Berns Salonger has been one of Stockholm’s classiest hotels, with its Belle Epoque exterior and an opulent interior to match — in fact the Red Room was the setting for August Strindberg’s novel of the same name.

The hotel has since been renovated, the exterior lovingly restored and the interior completely redesigned in a simple, ultra-contemporary style, in cherry and marble. The suites are a bit more extravagant, some featuring saunas or jacuzzis, with interiors by a number of guest designers, including the ubiquitous Philippe Starck.

The restaurants and bars have had a facelift courtesy of Terence Conran, and the hotel is one of Stockholm’s top performance venues — the China Theatre showcases anything from drama to DJs, rock shows to stand-up comedy, and it’s a different crowd every night. But for all the bustle in the public spaces, Berns as a hotel has a certain intimacy about it — 65 rooms is a very manageable size.

The location is ideal, in the city’s center, providing access to all the capital’s attractions — Old Town and the Royal Palace are nearby, and the National Museum and Royal Opera are not much farther. The financial district is just on the other side of Berzelii Park, and the best shopping intown is just minutes away.