Hostels & budget hotels

Recent figures indicate there are between 800 and 900 accommodation houses classified as a hostel (vandrarhem) in Sweden. There are no Swedish hostel chains, but the name “hotel and hostel” (or hotell & vandrarhem) is becoming popular as accommodation houses try to satisfy demand in budget segments and the concepts of low-price hotels and hostels with private rooms merge. This is noticeable in Stockholm, where a few floating hotel-hostels and other novelty options have appeared. Self-check in is also part of the trend.

Pensions

The term pension (pensionat) is not as widely used in Sweden as in central Europe. But comparable budget rooms in private, usually family-run small accommodation houses with breakfast are not hard to find on accommodation booking websites, referred to as guesthouses or B&Bs.

STF hostels

More than 130 hostels and hotels, including mountain stations and cabins, are part of Svenska Turistföreningen. Many offer private singles and doubles or family rooms. STF is the national hostel organisation affiliated with Hostelling International. There are no age limits and the adult annual membership fee is 375kr, the youth fee (ages 16-25) 195kr. STF also has an app. Savings on hostel beds are at least 50kr a night for adult members and there are also discounts on some rail travel (see the Rail tickets section below).