Aurora is a blight on an otherwise great and underrated city. I'm sad this is the last thing I'll…read moresee in Stockholm.
The worst lounge I've ever had the misfortune of visiting. My flight got switched and I stayed here because I was early for the next one out. Was greeted by someone who looked at my pass and gave me the third degree about being here too early. Trust me, honey: being stuck at Arlanda airport at the crack of dawn, lugging my oversized bags on two hours' sleep after a late taxi and a midwinter snowstorm, was not in today's master plan. Lucky for this reviewer, reception was accommodating, so long as I didn't stay longer than 3 hours. She promised to let me know when it was time to gtfo.
Overall impression: dingy, dirty, dorm room decor that looks cute from about a mile away, but is shabby and uncomfortable. Upon entry, it feels like a scam: like Donald Trump evicted some cute, little old lady from her home, demolished it, then put up a sleazy casino overnight using cheap labor and bad contracting. Nobody got paid.
At the table adjacent to me, men descended from Vikings try to sit comfortably in furniture made for dolls. Their knees bump the table while they attempt to conduct business in a dignified manor. Their burly fingers get stuck in the handle of cheap IKEA coffee cups. A shitty plywood table becomes the thin veneer between chaos and civilization. They're just one indignity away from burning and pillaging this place to the ground. A part of me wishes they would.
Food was downright terrible, with a breakfast consisting of processed cheese and school lunch meat. Worn carpet and crumbs everywhere create for an unappetizing environment. Sorta-clean utensils and plates and cups make you want to close your eyes, look the other way, and hope your travel vaccinations are still good.
The biggest mystery of my visit was the orange juice -- possibly the worst I've ever tasted. It looks like OJ, but it's so completely watered down that it tastes almost entirely like water. Barely even a hint of acidity. It's possible they added coloring because I have no idea how something can look that orange, yet taste like just like water.
Used the espresso machine and as the shot was poured, swore I saw something dirty and questionable. I decided to believe it was my imagination, or fool myself into thinking that the steam would magically kill off whatever germs were still in the cup. It wasn't fantastic coffee, but not undrinkable. The only pleasant surprise of this stay. Too bad the machine was coated in sticky milk and hadn't been cleaned since the Middle Ages.
Odd chirping and cicada-like sounds coming through the sound system. I think they're intentionally piped in to add some special "nature" effects to the living wall. They might have contributed to the atmosphere in a comfy setting. However, since I'm currently seated in furniture designed for a minimum security prison, starting to feel a little paranoid. This might be an experiment in insanity.
I'm afraid to go into the bathrooms. Sam and Frodo came back from Mordor once, and I'm not confident anyone can twice cheat the odds.
If you're reading this please send help, a croissant, or a message in a bottle.
