Hotel Royal Gothenburg is the oldest hotel in the beautiful Swedish city. Despite its age (established in 1852), that’s one of the most beloved hotels in town, preferred by international travelers and Swedes visiting the city. On a recent trip to Gothenburg, I decided to book a room and see if it fulfills the expectations. Hence, you’ll read my opinion about its services in this Hotel Royal Gothenburg review.
Before starting, I’d like to tell you that this is not a sponsored post. I chose to stay at Hotel Royal based on my budget and preferences. That said, I paid for my stay, and in this review, you’ll see my honest opinion about the hotel. As for the hotel review itself, it’s split into five sections: in each of them, you’ll see a score. The top score for each section is 20; at the bottom of the text, you’ll find the overall score (calculated out of 100).
So, let’s start with the Hotel Royal Gothenburg review.
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Hotel Royal Gothenburg review
The location of Hotel Royal Gothenburg
Nothing can beat the location of the Hotel Royal in Gothenburg (see the current prices). Located in the city center’s heart, the hotel is close to almost everything in downtown Gothenburg. The Gothenburg Central Station is just two streets away, while the main street Östra Hamngatan is less than a 5-minute walk.
Moreover, Hotel Royal Gothenburg enjoys a fantastic location on the corner of a street with almost no car traffic. While you can expect some people to stroll around, the truth is that the hotel feels quiet even though it’s in the middle of everything and close to the central train station. I still wonder how this could even be possible. The only explanation I can offer is that this is a micro-district that people usually access on foot.
Location verdict
You can’t go wrong with Hotel Royal Gothenburg when it comes to the location. The hotel is close to everything: restaurants, public transport, city life.
Location score. 20/20.
Rooms at the Hotel Royal Gothenburg
Hotel Royal Gothenburg is set on a 170 years old building. Therefore, this defines both its character and style. This old-world hotel features an impressive painted glass ceiling; therefore, you can’t expect modern furniture like the ones you’ll find in other contemporary establishments. If you’re searching for modern style in hotel rooms or interiors, this beautiful hotel is not for you. Last but not least, since this is an old hotel, the size of the rooms is based on 19th-century standards.
On the other hand, we have to judge the hotel according to its current use as a 21st-century hotel. Subsequently, this means that the standard rooms (like the one I stayed in) might feel small for most people. The room area feels a bit tight, and there’s space just for the en-suite bathroom, the bed, a small desk, a chair, and a night table. Every room comes with a small flat-screen TV, which is something I don’t care about that much because I rarely use them.
In every hotel room, the most important thing is the bed. I found the mattress to be good but not exceptional. However, I slept nicely in the Royal Hotel, and the room felt nicely warm at night. Moreover, there were two pillows to choose from, a relatively soft and a medium which I used. The standard single rooms are 9-12 sq.m. and the doubles are more or less the same size.
Some rooms face the courtyard, while others enjoy street views. I always prefer a street view room because I enjoy observing life. However, I had a courtyard room, which turned out to be nice and quiet.
Overall, I was satisfied with the room. It had lots of charm, and I’m happy I stayed there because modern hotels felt somewhat faceless. However, I’d love it to be a bit bigger, and if upgrading wasn’t that costly, I might consider booking a superior room.
Rooms verdict
The rooms are relatively small in Hotel Royal Gothenburg. However, the furniture is charming, and the old-times feel is unbeatable.
Rooms score: 16/20
Cleanliness & Room Amenities
When it comes to cleanliness is not just about the room. It’s also about the common spaces, the reception, the breakfast hall, and everything travelers have access to.
First of all, my room was spotless and smelled nice when I entered. I found two white towels, and there was a floor mat as well. The windows were also clean, and the room feel was very welcoming.
The same also goes for the common spaces. Luckily, there was no rain during my visit to Gothenburg, so the tenants didn’t have to worry about bringing mud inside. The impressive Art Nouveau staircase (with a carpet) was always clean, and it was great to see a tidy breakfast room. Finally, the hotel’s living lobby (which felt like separate living rooms) was equally neat. I spent half an hour there every afternoon, charging my phone and tasting the complimentary coffee and sweets.
Regarding the amenities, the room had shampoo and shower gel. Although I don’t usually use them, it was nice to see them there.
The one thing I really missed was having a small/tiny/ultracompact/whatever fridge in the room. Although I never use the mini bars in hotels, I always appreciate having a small fridge. During the summer you might want some cold water or a soft drink and without a fridge that’s impossible. It might sound like a luxury item; however, I always like having one in my room.
Cleanliness & room amenities verdict
Hotel Royal Gothenburg is one of the cleanest hotels I have ever stayed in. And while cleanliness is something we take for granted in more upscale hotels, I can assure you that this is not always the case. Nevertheless, everything was spotless, and that’s something to praise the hotel.
Regarding the amenities, the ordinary things were there (shampoo, shower gel, hair dryer, etc.); however, the lack of a fridge was something that I missed.
Cleanliness & amenities score: 15/20 (10/10 for cleanliness and 5/10 for amenities).
Staff at the Hotel Royal Gothenburg
When I chose Hotel Royal Gothenburg for my stay, the main reason was that I didn’t want a faceless hotel. Hotel Royal is a family-owned hotel and is the most compact in the city center: it has 76 rooms, while every other hotel is at least twice its size. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a hotel with 200 or 300 rooms will have rude employees; there’s no rule for that. But staying in small (or actually, smaller) hotels might mean you’ll interact better with the staff working there.
Hotel Royal Göteborg has a 24-hours reception, and that’s something I always appreciate when I’m traveling abroad. It’s not a matter of feeling insecure or anything, but I enjoy small talk and getting some local tips when I’m abroad. During my stay, I talked with more than 7 or 8 people working at the hotel: from the people in the reception to the guys responsible for the breakfast. Everybody was extremely polite and helpful.
Again, exactly like with cleanliness, we take politeness for granted. But, no, that’s not always the case. Whenever I entered the hotel, somebody at the front desk, even late at night. The one time this didn’t happen, I rang the reception bell, and moments later, a hotel employee appeared.
Staff verdict
The employees at Hotel Royal Gothenburg are polite, courteous, and willing to help. Every interaction was pleasant, and I got some local food tips. Very friendly staff.
Staff score: 19/20.
Various
So, in this final section of this Hotel Royal Gothenburg review, I’ll write about everything that didn’t fit above.
First of all, one of the nicest things in Hotel Royal (and from what I got, that’s the norm in most Gothenburg hotels) is the complimentary coffee and sweets. The Swedes have something called “Fika,” meaning the art of pausing the day to enjoy a cup of coffee. This is a very local thing, and the people are serious about it. They don’t negotiate its existence; they simply do it.
Straight after the reception and next to the staircase, Hotel Royal has a counter with coffee, tea, and cinnamon rolls. All these were available all day and night long. After a long walking day outside, it was great to have a break in the cozy armchairs of the hotels and enjoy a hot cup of coffee and some sweets. It became a daily ritual during the time I spent in Gothenburg.
The hotel also serves a daily breakfast buffet. While the dishes were daily almost the same, there was a great variety. Hot and cold dishes, refreshments, coffee, and sweets were always available. The breakfast hall is spacious, and you can even sit in the lobby if you need more privacy.
On the other hand, there’s no parking in the hotel. Hotel Royal Gothenburg has an agreement with a nearby parking lot, and you can park your car for a discounted price (240 SEK per day). There’s also no spa/gym in the hotel, but there’s again an agreement with a nearby facility at a discounted price. I didn’t plan to use any of these services but adding how the hotel deals with their absence have value.
Last but not least, I should add a comment about the price. Sweden is one of the most expensive European countries, and deciding to stay in the city center of a Swedish city comes at a cost. I found the room expensive, but for the Gothenburg standards, it was regularly priced.
Various verdict
The complimentary coffee-and-sweets and the delicious free breakfast definitely outperform the lack of parking or spa facilities for me. However, I realize they might be important for other travelers, so I had to point them out.
Various score: 15/20.
Hotel Royal Gothenburg review: overall score and verdict
The Hotel Royal Gothenburg proved to be the best option for my stay in the city. From the moment I saw it online, I didn’t have second thoughts about staying there. The old-times feel and the proximity to the city’s major attractions -Haga, Museum of Art, Liseberg amusement park- were crucial points for me.
The location turned out to be prime, and my room was cozy, even a tad small. However, the delicious breakfast served every morning and the fika in the comfy armchairs of this old-world hotel made my stay a great one. Moreover, the staff’s politeness and cleanliness of the place reminded me once again of what a joy is to stay in a charming hotel.
Whenever I return to Gothenburg, I’ll book a room at Hotel Royal. Hopefully, I’ll try to get an upgrade to a somewhat bigger room if I can afford it. But even the same room on the second floor served its purpose perfectly.
The overall score for Hotel Royal: 85/100
Hotel Royal Gothenburg key facts & how to book
You can find the best prices for renting a room at Hotel Royal Gothenburg on Booking.com here. Alternatively, you can visit the hotel’s website.
Some quick facts about the hotel
- Hotel Royal has 76 rooms.
- Breakfast is served Monday to Friday from 06.30 to 10.00. During the weekend the breakfast is between 07.30 and 10.30.
- Laundry service is available for a surcharge.
- It has a 24-hour reception.
- Guests can check in at the property from 3 pm and check out at 11 am.
- The hotel doesn’t accept cash; you can pay with Mastercard, Visa, and AmEx.
- You can find out more about the hotel on their website.
Thanks for a great stay, Hotel Royal Gothenburg.
More about Gothenburg, Sweden: Gothenburg city guide, My travelogue, The Göteborg Museum of Art
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Last Updated on July 23, 2022 by George Pavlopoulos