It is Easter and as always we take the time to relax and prepare ourselves for the long and rather exhausting final stretch before the summer break.

This time it feels different. There is so much uncertainty in our job at the moment that making any future plans seems difficult and so all we could do this break was be practical. We decided to save money and planned just a short staycation in Stockholm to get away from things for a night.

For this little trip we decided to book The Winery Hotel in the suburbs of Stockholm which is conveniently located a short walk from the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia. For us it is just off the E4 making it an easy location to get to without having to drive into central Stockholm. For those not residing in Sweden, it is easily accessible via a 7 minute local train from central Stockholm station and the occasional direct train from Arlanda airport.

The rooms appear to be spacious and well designed. We booked a Superior King room which was not the cheapest nor the most expensive but was a nice aesthetic with exposed brick and old factory style windows.

There is a bar and a winery; which offers tours and tastings. There is rooftop pool which is accessible all year round if you are willing to brave the Swedish weather… we were not during the second winter.

There are two restaurants on offer at The Winery Hotel, the Terrano Kitchen and Gallo Nero. We decided to try the Italian inspired Gallo Nero during our stay indulging in all the carbohydrate delights it had to offer including these delicious pizzas.

The breakfast was equally delicious which was served in the Terrano Kitchen restaurant. It is a traditional Swedish breakfast buffet with a mix of cold cuts, cheese, bread, hot food, pancakes etc…

This hotel is perfect if you want to mix shopping, good food, good wine and a little relaxation. Even when things don’t quite go to plan, like a noisy neighbour, the staff at The Winery Hotel are so helpful and will do anything to make your stay enjoyable. Even relocating you at 12 am to a more quiet room.

We has a great time at this hotel and we will certainly look at booking again for July when P!NK is performing at the Friends Arena just a short walk away.

Until then we are still planning for our trip back home in the summer and patiently waiting to see where we will end up next academic year.

SP x