We stayed for a week at the Hotel Hellsten for a visit to Stockholm and the surrounding area.
Our experience was a little mixed, so here are the good points: the staff were very helpful, particularly on the first day, when we had to change rooms (of which more later). They were generally friendly throughout our stay.
The hotel is on the quiet street, just off the busy Sveavägen road. It is close to the Rådmansgatan metro station but also only a 5-10 minute walk to the Odenplan station which is on the commuter train (Pendeltåg) network. There is a fairly good selection of restaurants in the surrounding area, including some lively pubs. If you want to walk into the centre, it is a good 20 to 25 minutes, so we took the Metro (two stops to the central station, three to the old town).
The main downside for us was the room we were given on arrival. We arrived in the middle of a heatwave and were given a room overlooking the breakfast area, which is a glass covered courtyard, but - critically - the room window was below the roofline. So the window could not be opened (NB the rooms don't have air-conditioning). It was unbearably hot and stuffy. It was also very cramped - the only place for our suitcases was under the bed. It would have sufficed in cooler temperatures for a short stay, but not on a hot summer for a whole week. (We later checked and we had booked a large-double or twin room, which Booking.com had listed as a larger size (sq/m) than the one we were offered - and much larger in the photo than the one we were offered. So, in effect, we were given a smaller room than we had paid for.)
So we returned to reception, and explained the problem: the receptionist was very sympathetic - particularly as we were staying for a week - and showed us another room in the more modern extension at the back of the hotel. This was completely different - a more conventional and spacious room, with opening windows and a decent sized bathroom.
Storage was still a little limited - three hooks for coat hangers on the wall - but at least we had space for the suitcases. We procured a fan, so with the opening window we managed to achieve a comfortable temperature. Our room wasn't serviced for the first couple of days, but after that it was, and this was perfectly good.
Breakfast was average: the breakfast serving area is a bit cramped, so you find yourself waiting behind others quite a bit, but there's a decent selection of cereals, cold meats, cheeses, yoghurts, salads, breads, pastries, juice and hot drinks. Hot food is limited to boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, bacon, and meatballs (and only white bread toast). Pickled and mustard herring are available if that's your thing! So perfectly sufficient, but not the best we've experienced (especially if you are vegetarian).
In the evening, there is a small lounge, with coffee and tea available 24/7. The reception is also staffed 24/7. read more