Classy and elegant urban Stockholm hotel with a banking past
Bank Hotel / Stockholm / Sweden
Class, elegance and quality are the three words I first come to think of when staying at the Bank Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden. It comes as zero surprise that this used to be a bank. Even if the name of the hotel would have been something totally different, the banking heritage of the building is so strong that you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to see this. Just the bronze double entry doors alone screams of bank.
When this renaissance inspired building was completed in 1910 it was the Södra Sverige Banking company that were the first tenants. Over the years, several different banking companies have moved in and out until it opened as Bank Hotel in August 2018. The hotel is part of Swedish group, Stureplansgruppen, that is running several hotels, clubs and restaurants in Sweden where Bank Hotel is the crown jewel.
As soon as you enter this 115-key hotel you are engulfed by the classy, elegant interior. We are talking mahogany-plated walls, marble tables, contemporary crystal chandeliers and a classic black-and-white checkered marble and granite floor. It basically breaths old world (banking) luxury.
Right next to the reception is Bonnie, the in-house restaurant named after one of the members of the world’s most famous bank robbing duo, Bonnie & Clyde. This impressive space with six meter high glass ceiling used to be the main banking hall. This is also where breakfast is served.
The rooms are a stark contrast to the heavy richness of the common areas on the first floor. The thing that connects the design is the quality and elegance but if the common areas were dark and sombre our room was very bright and airy. The best word to describe the design scheme is soft, with fitted carpet, plush head board, flowy curtains, velvet armchair and colorful contemporary art. In the room you’ll find a Bank Book that has a lot of great suggestions on what to do during your stay in Stockholm.
Welcome to Bank Hotel. Located on a side street, smack in the centre of the Swedish capital.
The entry of the hotel honors the banking past of the building.
Sombre and elegant with marble tables and dark mahogany walls
I love the attention to details And the black-and-white checkered floors.
A real statement modern version of a crystal chandelier.
Our room was a contrast to the rest of the hotel. Bright, soft and airy with some splashes of color.
A corner to rest in while looking out over the roof tops of central Stockholm.
There is a lot of original art at the Bank Hotel and all of it is described in this booklet that you’ll find in your room.
Our bathroom with a marble sink and lime-stone floor tiles.
I love to take the stairs when staying at hotels. On top of getting some extra steps in, it is also a great way to see if the hotel in question has taken their design all the way. And this was totally the case with the Bank. The staircase is just as classy as the rest of the hotel.
I think this might be the best looking hotel gym ever. Mahogany walls is not something you see that often in a gym. Me like!
Bonnies, the in-house restaurant is in the old main hall of the bank.
The ceiling height is impressive, six meters, where these contemporary chandeliers do what they can to fill up the space.
Hotels that serves proper coffee always score high in my book. When I can get a tasty cappuccino in the morning I am a happy camper.
The hotel bar breaths elegance and class.
Stockholm is best explored by boat. One thing I highly recommend is to get on one of the boats from downtown out to one of the countless islands. This is Vaxholm, well worth a visit.
This statue is called Gud fader på himmelsbågen by Swedish artist Carl Milles, and is guarding the inlet to Stockholm.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…are a lover of finer things in life. If you like your hotel to have an air of class and elegance and be located in the middle of the action, I know you will appreciate Bank Hotel.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the design. How they have managed to honor the past with a clear nod to the banking history but still make the design feel contemporary and up-to-date. The hotel feels lux bit not in the way that some hotels can make you (or me) feel, where you feel slightly out of place. It is a kind of inclusive Swedish version of luxury.
What not to miss when staying here is…
…to catch a boat to one of the countless islands in the Stockholm archipelago. It is a joy to discover Stockholm and the surroundings from the water regardless of what season you are here. Although I must admit that there is something extra about the light Scandinavian Summer nights.
If you like this hotel you might also like…
Soho House, Amsterdam, Netherlands
St George, Helsinki, Finland
Sommerro, Oslo, Norway
