Hotel Rival

• 18.5 Feedback Score

  18.5 of 20 average feedback score from 46 people who have actually stayed at Hotel Rival.

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  • Rooms

    18.0

  • Service

    19.0

  • Public Spaces

    18.5

  • Overall

    18.0

• 25 Guest Reviews

  25 Verified reviews from people who have booked Hotel Rival on Tablet Hotels.

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Hotel Rival

Style: Modern Design

Atmosphere: Happening

99 Rooms

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Widely hailed as Stockholm’s first boutique hotel, the newly rehabilitated Hotel Rival is in the heart of the hip Södermalm district and comes complete with an entertaining pop culture connection in the person of owner Benny Andersson, of ABBA fame. Some say Andersson is the reason the Rival has been such a hit with visiting pop stars and the like, while others more soberly point to the thoughtful and extensive facilities, as well as the comfortable and accessibly stylish Art Deco décor—as attractive as you’d expect from Stockholm, with nothing cold or formalist about it.

Not every hotel has its own cinema—certainly the big chain hotels don’t—and very few have not just a bistro and a charming little café but an on-site bakery as well. The cinema is something of a theme here; the bistro’s walls are papered with a mosaic of nearly a thousand portraits of international film stars, and over each bed hangs an enlargement of a frame from a Swedish cinema classic (or, in some cases, ABBA: The Movie). 32” flat-screen televisions are standard, and the hotel’s extensive and well-curated DVD library replaces the usual pay-per-view arrangement.

The Södermalm island location is convenient and picturesque, right on the Mariatorget square, and the neighborhood adds a number of dining and entertainment options to the Rival’s already overstuffed list. The Rival is a social hub, something every boutique hotel with a bar aspires to, and though the bustle is enjoyable you don’t have to worry about being crowded out, as one of the two hotel bars is set aside for guests.

Kids:

Guests over the age of 6 are considered adults. The "De Luxe" room sleeps up to 3 guests. For crib/cot, must book "Superior" room or larger. For 2 adults + rollaway bed, must book "Superior" or larger. For 2 adults + 2 kids beyond crib age, must book "N/A" room or larger. Connecting rooms available. Can be confirmed upon reservation.

Cribs are available and may be subject to an additional fee. Roll-away beds available for an additional fee of Sk300. No additional charges for kids beyond crib/roll-away.

There are no babysitting or daycare services available. The restaurant is kid-friendly with high chairs and a kids menu.