My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new hotel review on the Mr.M blog. In April 1917, two Swedish radicals walked a Russian revolutionary into a department store on Stockholm’s Hötorget square. They bought him a new suit, so he would look respectable on his journey home to Russia. His name was Vladimir Lenin. Three years later, a teenage girl named Greta Gustafsson took a job in the same store, selling hats. The world would soon know her as Greta Garbo.
That building still stands on the western side of the square. Since May 2016, it has been home to Haymarket by Scandic, one of the most distinctive hotels in the Swedish capital. From my window, I watched rain darken the cobblestones while the sky-blue Concert Hall glowed across the square. By the end of my stay, I understood why so many travelers fall for this place.
In this review, I will walk you through the building’s history, my Grande King View room and dinner at Paul’s. You will also read about breakfast, the bars, practical tips and a short guide to Stockholm for your first or fifth visit.
HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC: WHAT MAKES THIS STOCKHOLM HOTEL SO UNIQUE?
Location is the first answer. The hotel sits on Hötorget, in the Norrmalm district, right in the commercial heart of the city. Hötorget metro station is only about 200 meters away. Meanwhile, Drottninggatan, the long pedestrian shopping street, starts practically at the door. You can reach the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan on foot in under 15 minutes.
The second answer is character. Haymarket was the first signature hotel of the Nordic hotel group Scandic, and it feels nothing like a standard chain property. Instead, the design celebrates the 1920s with Art Deco patterns, brass, velvet and rose gold accents. The hotel describes its own style as “Garbo meets Gaga,” and honestly, that sums it up well.
Finally, there is scale. Haymarket by Scandic has 401 rooms, three places to eat and drink, a gym and a small cinema. Add an event space for up to 600 guests, and it works almost like a small neighborhood. Yet the mood stays warm and playful rather than corporate.
Stockholm architecture and interior design firm Koncept led the transformation. The team restored original details, including patterned floors, curved stair rails and the gallery-like character of the entrance. As a result, the hotel feels authentic rather than themed. For anyone who loves design, that difference matters.
THE HISTORY OF THE PUB BUILDING: FROM DEPARTMENT STORE TO HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC
The story begins in 1882. That year, a merchant named Paul Urbanus Bergström opened a store at Hötorget and named it PUB, after his initials. The hotel remembers him as a menswear pioneer, a detail I found charming, given what I write about. His business grew fast, and he soon owned several buildings around the square.
The building you see today rose in stages. According to the historical plaque on its corner, the Kungsgatan section came first, in 1917, with a facade by Cyrillus Johansson. Architects Edward Bernhard and Hakon Ahlberg then completed the wing facing Hötorget in 1925. In 1937, the houses toward Drottninggatan finally merged into one large complex.
After Bergström died in 1934, the consumer cooperative Konsum Stockholm took over the store. Later in the 20th century, a hotel moved into the upper four floors. Then, in 2015, Scandic and property owner AxFast announced a plan to turn the entire building into one grand hotel. Haymarket opened its doors in May 2016.
Now, back to that suit. Lenin passed through Stockholm in April 1917 on his way back to Russia. Swedish left-wing politicians Ture Nerman and Fredrik Ström took him to PUB, so he would look presentable when he arrived. As someone who writes about menswear, I can hardly imagine a stranger footnote in a hotel’s family tree.
PUB itself lived on for decades as one of Stockholm’s major department stores. Many locals still remember shopping there. That shared memory, I think, is part of why Stockholmers feel so fond of the hotel today.
BEFORE HOLLYWOOD: GRETA GARBO’S DAYS WORKING AT PUB IN STOCKHOLM
Greta Gustafsson joined PUB in 1920 as a sales clerk. She worked in the hat department, and before long, the store used her as a model. In 1921, she appeared in short advertising films for PUB, including one titled “How Not to Dress.” Those little commercials helped open the door to her first film role, in the 1922 comedy “Peter the Tramp.”
That same year, she left the store to study at the acting school of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. Hollywood followed a few years later, and the rest belongs to film history. Few hotels anywhere can claim such a glamorous former employee.
Today, Haymarket by Scandic honors her with style rather than kitsch. The café on the ground floor carries her name, Gretas. Black-and-white portraits of screen beauties appear throughout the hotel, from the corridors to the rooms.
In my room, a classic Hollywood portrait in a burgundy frame hung on the wall beside the bed. It looked very much like Garbo herself. I like to think it was a quiet wink to the girl who once sold hats in this building. Even if you know little about old cinema, this layer of story gives the hotel a real soul.
STEPPING INSIDE HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC: A WORLD OF ART DECO DETAILS
First impressions matter, and this entrance knows it. A red carpet leads under a canopy covered in warm bulbs, just like an old theater marquee. Above it, golden letters spell HAYMARKET. Behind them, the original inscription “Paul U. Bergström” still runs across the stone facade.
Inside, the lobby opens into a grand space with marble walls, geometric black railings and a deep red carpet. A huge chandelier made of glass globes hangs over the lobby floor. Below it, a gold table holds a generous arrangement of pink orchids. Nearby, a bronze bust of the founder sits between two plaques that tell the PUB story.
What surprised me most was the atrium. Glance upward and you will see floor after floor of Art Deco railings, crowned by a glass roof. Along one wall, large screens show black-and-white images arranged like strips of film. It feels like walking through a set from the silent movie era, which suits the Garbo connection perfectly.
Small details reward a slow walk. A turquoise monkey lamp hangs from a column, holding a glowing bulb in one hand. Velvet sofas in deep teal sit beside a golden chair shaped like a giant hand. Nothing here feels accidental, and yet nothing feels stiff.
INSIDE MY GRANDE KING VIEW ROOM AT HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC
My room came with a view, and that view was the highlight of my stay. From the window, I looked straight across Hötorget at the Stockholm Concert Hall, with its sky-blue facade and ten tall Corinthian columns. At dusk, as the lights came on, the whole scene looked like a painting.
The room measures around 18 square meters, which felt comfortable for a city-center hotel. A king-size bed dominates the space, framed by a glossy black headboard with a stepped Art Deco outline and a copper edge. Hidden lights glow behind it and wash the wall in soft, golden light.
That wall deserves its own paragraph. Haymarket uses specially designed Art Deco wallpapers, and mine showed delicate fans in sage green and cream. Brass reading lamps on both sides added old-world glamour. Meanwhile, black-and-white chevron cushions brought a graphic, modern edge.
Above the bed, a small gallery of framed photographs told stories of their own. I spotted a 1920s-style portrait of a woman with dark lips and a bobbed haircut. Next to it hung a bowler hat print and a small sketch of what looks like the PUB building itself. Waking up under that wall felt less like a hotel stay and more like a private screening.
My mornings started slowly here. I stretched in the crisp white bedding, made a cup of coffee and caught up on emails before breakfast. The rose gold accents and wooden floors gave the room warmth, even on a gray Swedish morning. For a design lover, it is a genuinely happy place to wake up.
THE BATHROOM: A HERON, A HOUSE OF CARDS AND A GOLDEN RAIN SHOWER
Bathrooms rarely make me stop and stare, but this one did. Inside the shower, a large tile mural shows a heron covered in blue porcelain patterns, standing beside a pink rose. Look closely and you will notice that the bird balances on a tiny house of playing cards. It is witty, elegant and slightly surreal, very much in the spirit of the Roaring Twenties.
A gold rain shower head completed the scene. Around the mural, handmade-looking white tiles with a black border kept the look clean and graphic. The floor uses octagonal tiles with small black inserts, a classic pattern you might find in an old Parisian apartment.
Other bathrooms in the hotel feature round copper mirrors ringed with bulbs, brass taps and the same black tile band. Even the slippers carry the Haymarket monogram, embroidered on soft black terry. These are small things, perhaps, but they show real care.
HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC ROOMS: A GUIDE TO ALL ROOM CATEGORIES
Because the building is large and historic, the rooms vary a lot in size and layout. That variety is useful to know before you book Haymarket by Scandic. According to the hotel’s official website, the main categories include:
- Cozy Single Sleep (no window): 12 square meters, for one guest who mainly wants a good night’s sleep
- Classic Double and Classic Courtyard: 13 square meters, facing either the street or the inner atrium
- Grande View: 18 square meters with a king-size bed and views of Hötorget and the Concert Hall
- Grande Double: 21 square meters, some with a sofa or armchairs
- Hay Junior Suite: 33 square meters, with a record player and a Nespresso machine
- Hay Master Suite: 43 square meters, with a separate bedroom and living room
- The Grande Terrace Suite: 52 square meters, plus a private rooftop terrace of 97 square meters
There is also a seasonal Christmas Suite with a fireplace, which sounds perfect for a December trip. My advice is simple: pay a little more for a room with a view. Windowless rooms suit a quick business night, but a city this beautiful deserves a window.
THE VIEW ACROSS HÖTORGET: STOCKHOLM CONCERT HALL
Few hotel windows frame a landmark this famous. The Stockholm Concert Hall, or Konserthuset, opened on April 7, 1926. That means it celebrated its 100th anniversary in April 2026. Architect Ivar Tengbom won the design competition and set out to create a classical temple to music.
Every year on December 10, the Nobel Prize award ceremony takes place inside. The only exception is the Nobel Peace Prize, since Oslo hosts that ceremony. The hall is also home to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the annual Polar Music Prize.
In front of the steps stands the Orpheus Fountain by Carl Milles, one of Sweden’s most celebrated sculptors. The bronze group has stood there since 1936. From my window, I could see Orpheus reaching toward the sky, surrounded by his circle of figures.
If you love architecture, book a concert or a guided tour of the building’s art and design. Keep in mind that many tours run in Swedish, so check the Konserthuset website first. For guests of Haymarket by Scandic, a concert night needs no taxi at all, since the entrance is just across the square. Even from the outside, though, it is one of the most photogenic buildings in Stockholm.
DINNER AT PAUL’S: AN AMERICAN BRASSERIE WITH A SWEDISH SOUL
Paul’s, the main restaurant of Haymarket by Scandic, sits one floor above the lobby and carries the founder’s first name. The setting is pure brasserie glamour: green leather booths, marble tables, glowing globe lamps and a dramatic black staircase. Dinner service starts at 5 p.m., and Scandic designed the restaurant as a destination for Stockholmers, not only for hotel guests.
One detail impressed me right away. Every dish on the menu comes with a suggested wine pairing, from Sancerre to Barolo. For guests who love food but do not want to study a long wine list, this is a thoughtful touch.
We started with the Forest Mushroom Toast. Sautéed wild mushrooms arrived on brioche with smoked Gruyère and pickled pearl onions. It tasted earthy and rich, while the onions added a bright, tangy contrast. The menu pairs it with a dry Riesling from Rheinhessen in Germany.
For my main course, I chose the Arctic char. The fish came pan-fried with crisp skin, resting on potatoes under a light apple and fennel salad with dill. A pool of beurre blanc, streaked with green dill oil, tied everything together. It felt clean, fresh and very Nordic, and the suggested Petit Chablis matched it beautifully.
Across the table, the Chuck Roll from the grill section made a heartier statement. The beef comes slow-cooked, with red wine sauce, smoked pointed cabbage and glazed carrots. Crispy fries in paper cones arrived on the side, which kept the mood relaxed. At the time of my visit, main courses ranged from SEK 225 to SEK 475.
A SWEET FINISH: DESSERTS AND COCKTAILS AT HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC
Save room, because the desserts are worth it. The Apple Financier came warm, topped with cinnamon crumble and surrounded by vanilla sauce. A silver sauce boat held even more sauce, which I appreciated more than I should admit.
The Milk Chocolate Mousse was the real showstopper. It arrived in a glass bowl, decorated with brownie cubes, caramel drops, hazelnut crumble and a smooth quenelle of caramelized white chocolate cream. A Tonka bean caramel sauce added warmth and depth. Both desserts cost SEK 98, which felt fair for this level of quality.
Cocktails deserve a mention too. We tried several colorful drinks, garnished with fresh strawberries and citrus slices. Some looked like little sunsets in a coupe glass. The aperitif list at Paul’s includes classics such as a Negroni, a Paloma and an Elderflower Collins.
For a longer evening, head down to Americain, the hotel’s cocktail bar. It blends historical influences with a Caribbean mood and serves snacks from the Paul’s kitchen. Picture a brass bar canopy lined with glasses, teal velvet sofas and red tufted banquettes. From Wednesday to Saturday, the bar stays open until 1 a.m., so a nightcap is always within reach.
GRETAS: A STOCKHOLM CAFÉ WITH A HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION
On the ground floor, Gretas offers a lighter and brighter mood. Pink-and-white striped ceilings, rattan chairs, peacock-print cushions and tall green plants create a summery feel, even in late autumn. It works as a café during the day, serves lunch on weekdays and hosts brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Honestly, Gretas could be a destination on its own. Anyone can walk in, so it naturally mixes hotel guests with locals. Large windows face the square, which means you can watch the market life with a cup of coffee in hand.
Haymarket by Scandic named the café after its most famous former employee, yet the space never feels like a museum. Instead, it feels like a modern take on a 1920s garden room, light and a little flirtatious. If you only have time for one coffee stop near Hötorget, make it this one.
A TASTE OF SWEDEN: BREAKFAST AT HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC
Breakfast takes place at Paul’s, one floor up, and the buffet is generous. An omelette chef prepares eggs to order, and mine came folded around mushrooms, ham and chives. Fresh orange juice, a dark rye roll and a poppy seed bun completed my first plate.
The yogurt bowls caught my eye next. Creamy yogurt came topped with granola, banana chips, pumpkin seeds and a ruby berry compote. A small glass of creamy oats layered with fruit compote offered another light option. There are also choices for special diets, which matters to many travelers.
Then came the indulgent part. I could not resist a plate of thin Swedish pancakes, layered with chocolate sauce, berry jam and chocolate cream. Was it healthy? Not exactly. Was it delicious? Absolutely.
On weekends, breakfast runs later, until 11 a.m., which suits a slow Stockholm morning. My tip: grab a booth by the mirrored walls and take your time. In the evening, this room is a brasserie, but at breakfast, it feels calm and sunny. Overall, breakfast at Haymarket by Scandic is a strong start to a long day of sightseeing.
BEYOND THE ROOMS: GYM, EVENTS AND FACILITIES AT HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC
The gym surprised me almost as much as the lobby. Part of it sits in a tall inner courtyard, surrounded by orange columns, climbing plants and potted palms. A separate cardio room with treadmills, bikes and an elliptical trainer hides behind bold tropical palm wallpaper. The gym is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Beyond rooms and restaurants, Haymarket works as a real social hub. The hotel runs a weekly program of live music, DJ sets, tastings and film nights, open to guests and locals alike. There is also a small cinema with dark red velvet armchairs, as well as event spaces for fashion shows and film premieres.
Here are a few practical points worth knowing:
- Address: Hötorget 13-15, 111 57 Stockholm, Sweden
- Check-in and check-out: Check-in starts at 4 p.m., and check-out is by noon
- Payments: The hotel is cash-free, so bring a card
- Parking: There is no on-site parking, but the public Hötorgsgaraget is about 100 meters away
- Metro: Hötorget station is one stop from T-Centralen on the green line
- Sustainability: The hotel holds the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the official ecolabel of the Nordic countries
WHAT TO SEE AND DO NEAR HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC
Step outside and Stockholm unfolds in every direction. Right in front of the hotel, the Hötorget market sells fruit, vegetables and flowers every day. Next to the square, Hötorgshallen is an international food hall whose history goes back to the 1880s. It is perfect for a quick lunch of fish soup or Middle Eastern specialties.
On weekends, part of the square turns into a flea market, a local tradition since the mid-1990s. From there, Drottninggatan leads south toward the Old Town, lined with shops and cafés. Kungsgatan, one of the city’s grand boulevards, also runs right past the hotel.
A walk of roughly 15 minutes brings you to Gamla Stan, the medieval Old Town. Along the way, you pass Sergels torg and the Royal Swedish Opera. Stockholm City Hall, where the Nobel banquet takes place each December, is about a 12-minute walk from the hotel.
In other words, Haymarket by Scandic puts the whole city center within easy reach. For travelers who prefer to explore on foot, that freedom is priceless.
WHAT TO SEE IN STOCKHOLM: MUST-SEE SIGHTS AND DAY TRIPS
Stockholm spreads across 14 islands, right where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea. Because of that, you cross water constantly, often without noticing. These are the places most visitors put at the top of their list:
- Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace: Winding lanes, the colorful Stortorget square and a baroque palace with more than 600 rooms
- Vasa Museum: A royal warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and rose from the seabed, remarkably intact, in 1961
- Skansen: The world’s first open-air museum, founded in 1891, with historic buildings from all over Sweden
- Stockholm City Hall: Home of the Nobel banquet in the Blue Hall and the glittering Golden Hall
- Nobel Prize Museum: On Stortorget, telling the stories behind the laureates
- Fotografiska and Moderna Museet: Top choices for lovers of photography and modern art
With an extra day, the Stockholm archipelago is unforgettable. It counts around 30,000 islands, and boats leave right from the city center. Drottningholm Palace, the private residence of the Swedish royal family and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, makes another easy outing. History lovers can also take the train north to Uppsala, Sweden’s great university city. For the full story, read my Stockholm travel guide.
IS HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC THE RIGHT HOTEL FOR YOU?
This hotel suits travelers who want more than a bed. If you enjoy design, history and a lively atmosphere, you will feel at home here. Couples on a city break, culture lovers and fashion-minded guests will appreciate the details most.
On the other hand, guests who want total silence may prefer a quieter address. Haymarket is social by nature, and its public spaces stay busy into the evening. Also, the wellness offer centers on the gym, so spa lovers should plan accordingly.
A few tips from my stay:
- Book a view: A room facing Hötorget and the Concert Hall changes the whole experience
- Mind the corridors: The building is large, so ask for a room near the elevators if long walks bother you
- Reserve dinner: Book a table at Paul’s in advance, especially on weekends
- Check the calendar: Look at the hotel’s event program before you arrive
HAYMARKET BY SCANDIC: MY FINAL VERDICT
Some hotels give you a room. Haymarket by Scandic gives you a story, and then invites you to become part of it. Within these walls, Lenin bought a suit, Garbo sold hats and Paul Urbanus Bergström built a retail name from his own initials.
Today, the same building holds velvet sofas, a turquoise monkey lamp, Art Deco wallpaper and a front-row view of the Concert Hall. Add an excellent location, a thoughtful restaurant and a playful sense of style, and the hotel’s popularity makes perfect sense.
For readers who value quality, history and a touch of glamour, this is a Stockholm address worth remembering. I am already dreaming about a winter return, and I know exactly which window I want to look out from. If you love hotels with a strong design story, continue with my review of Manon Les Suites Guldsmeden in Copenhagen, a true jungle under a Danish roof.
With love from Stockholm,
Mr.M
This post is sponsored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and the Haymarket by Scandic hotel, as well as other local partners who selflessly supported this project. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.
