We upgraded and had a wonderful room overlooking the small park at the front of the hotel. Bed and pillows wee exceptionally comfortable.The bathroom is quirky - but everything worked well. Breakfasts were amazing and food in the taverna was also very good. Staff were exceptional and we loved the boutique style of the hotel. The coffee station on the 4th floor is also a great touch. The hotel is in a very good area with lots around to explore away from the main tourist areas - but the old town is a pleasant 10 min walk and upmarket shopping is 20 mins stroll along the water. There are some very good cafes, bars and independent shops in the local area. Stockholm is a fabulous city to visit.

We would have appreciated being able to eat or have a drink a little later in the hotel as it is room service only after 11pm - even the Taverna shuts around 9pm. Opening hours are different in the warmer months.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Rival in Stockholm for one night, and I can confidently say it was one of the best hotel experiences I've ever had! From the moment we arrived, the front of house staff, Cecille and Svedje, went above and beyond to ensure our stay was nothing short of fantastic. Their warm welcome and attentive service made us feel right at home. The hotel itself is a lovely, cozy retreat in a fantastic location, making it easy to explore all that Stockholm has to offer. Our room was beautifully appointed with crisp, fresh bedding that provided the perfect sanctuary after a day of sightseeing. It truly felt like a little haven in the city! After such a wonderful experience, we decided to rebook at Rival for later in the week, even canceling our other hotel plans. It’s hard to find such a gem in the city center, and we knew we wanted to return to the comfort and hospitality that Cecille and Svedje provided. If you're looking for a charming hotel with an unbeatable location and exceptional staff, look no further than Rival. We can’t wait for our next visit! Highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great location. Bar and restaurant areas are superb.

Minibar pricing is ridiculous. Hotel parking always full.

The room was clean and staff were friendly and cheerful. Breakfast was excellent, with good selection of egg dishes, plenty of smoked salmon, and additional items made to order. (For some reason, one of our party had trouble getting a glass of water. Probably just a fluke though. There were plenty of non-water options.)

Laundry services (provided by an outside party) were expensive. Prices charged for laundry items were higher than listed on the order sheet. This was likely due to an older order sheet left in the room. Nevertheless, staff was very helpful in adjusting my billed to reflect the prices as offered.

Everything but especially the staff

Busy at show times

What a winner! A super boutique hotel, overlooking a beautifully manicured square full of flowers, statues, and men playing boules. It was the sort of hotel where all the other guests tell you “they always stay at The Rival when they come to Stockholm”. And you can see why…a beautiful cocktail bar in the entrance hall, a chic brasserie, a stylish salon for a tasty breakfast, and the hotel’s own auditorium with over 750 seats. Friendly service, lots of help with bar and dinner recommendations - thank you Malin - and everything worked. As for the bedroom, comfy bed, shower with Molten Brown luxuries, an old-fashioned CD/DVD player with albums and movies provided, and an umbrella and fan in the cupboard…where all the hangers were wooden!

A class hotel with a fabulous history and a famous owner…Aha!…but it is a bit of a walk into the city centre. That’s if you can be bothered to go out.

All the staff were so friendly and helpful I really appreciated the recommendations I received when I checked in on surrounding places to visit. wide-ranging. The room was spacious and spotlessly clean. The bed was super comfortable with various high-quality pillows to choose from. I also loved having my bed turned down in the evening. The breakfast is delicious and wide-ranging to satisfy all palettes. We visited in February, so not balcony weather really. And yet it was mild enough one evening to sit out there briefly and enjoy the night air and view over Mariatorget. Thank you that there was furniture there and even flower boxes. All-in-all a fabulous stay. My husband and I regularly treat ourselves to long weekends away, testing different hotels in Stockholm, and Hotel Rival is one we will definitely return to.

We booked the wheelchair-accessible room, which was quite spacious, very clean and we even had a small balcony. The bathroom was large with a roll-in-shower and an accessible vanity. The door of the room had an automated door opener, which makes it a lot easier to use. The breakfast was very delicious, we loved the opportunity to have a buffet and on top of that some additional meals that are prepared on request. The staff in the hotel (e.g. reception, breakfast) was always extremely friendly and helpful. The hotel is located in a very nice neighbourhood with a park directly in front, a metro station just a few minutes walk away, and some convenient stores very close nearby.

A smart TV to connect would be nice to have.

I think one of the major highlights of our stay was the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff - at reception, in the bar and the restaurant. The breakfasts were wonderful, super-healthy and delicious and really set us up for the day. We loved the complimentary tea/coffee/ice/fruit station on the 4th floor - that really added a 'homely feel'. Very welcoming and - so - relaxing. We also appreciated the gentle politeness of various notices inviting people to observe house rules - rather than the 'Guests must not...' vibe that is so common these days... at least in the UK...A small touch but it didn't go unnoticed. If I'm ever in Stockholm again - which I hope I will be - I'll definitely be back.

Not exactly 'not liking' but just a suggestion that some upgrading of some bathroom elements (the 'rain shower' part of our shower didn't work) might be a plan at some point. And also the media stations - though pleasantly nostalgic with DVDs and CDs etc - could perhaps be modernised. Just a thought rather than a criticism. I loved our room.

Outstanding hotel, with almost every little detail thought about in...especially lots of storage and wall hooks, which so many hotels seem to forget about. Our room was stylish, comfortable and the shower in particular was fabulous. We were warmly welcomed on arrival and the front desk staff were exceptionally professional and friendly...especially the lovely lady that checked us in. This hotel will be our first choice whenever we are back in Stockholm.

Other than the breakfast offerings not being quite to our taste and the breakfast staff being a little hit and miss (some friendly and attentive, others not so much), we struggled to find fault with this hotel.