Rooms at Hotel Kung Carl: how to pick one

What you pay for at Kung Carl is space, not extras

The price difference between the room categories buys floor space, not inclusions. Every room rate carries the Scandinavian breakfast buffet, served in the inner courtyard from 6:30 to 9:30 on weekdays and 7:15 to 10:30 at weekends, and access to the mini gym on the sixth floor, which looks out over the rooftops. WiFi is free throughout, so what you are actually choosing between is the size of the room, the bed in it and whether it opens onto anything.

The building is a 19th century one on Birger Jarlsgatan, and the rooms are individually furnished, which means two rooms in the same category can look quite different. Many standard doubles keep their original high ceilings and chandeliers, while the de luxe rooms add tiled stoves, four-poster beds and balconies. Sizes run from 8 sqm to 50, and that range is the honest measure of what separates one category from the next.

The small rooms, and how small they really are

The Small single is 8 to 10 sqm with a 90 cm bed, and the reduced floor space is the point: it suits guests who plan to spend their day out in the city and only sleep here. It is a bed, a desk and an armchair, not somewhere to sit for an evening. The standard single is 10 to 15 sqm with a 140 cm queen bed and takes one or two guests, which makes it the smallest room in the hotel that a couple can share.

Standard doubles are 15 to 18 sqm with a queen bed or two singles, and many of them keep the high ceilings and chandeliers that give the older floors their character. This is the first category that feels like a full hotel room for two people, and for most stays it is the sensible floor to start from.

Superior and family rooms: the same square metres, a different job

Superior double rooms are 18 to 20 sqm, with a queen bed or twin beds, an armchair, a coffee and tea maker and a bathrobe. Some have a balcony, some have air conditioning, and some have both, so if you are booking for a warm month, ask for a room with air conditioning rather than assuming the category includes it.

Family rooms measure the same 18 to 20 sqm and sleep four: one king bed plus a bunk bed or a sofa bed, for two adults and two children. The trade is plain. You get the footprint of a superior double filled with beds instead of open space, which works for a short city break and gets tight over a week.

De Luxe, and the two rooms built around one feature

De Luxe is the spacious tier, and two of its rooms are defined by a single thing. De Luxe Bath has a bathtub, a four-poster queen bed and a tiled stove, which is the one to take if a long bath is the point of your evening. De Luxe Balcony puts the balcony in the name and delivers it, with a city view from your own outdoor space.

The Deluxe Ice Cream Room is 20 to 25 sqm and was made with the ice cream company 3 Vänner. It has a vinyl player, a Nespresso machine, a private balcony and free ice cream, and it is booked by email to info@kungcarl.se.

The Victoria Suite is the only suite, and it sleeps two

The Victoria Suite is the only suite in the hotel and the only room with a private sauna. It sits on the top floor, 45 to 50 sqm, with a balcony facing Stureplan, a separate living room, a dinner table for four to six and a Bang & Olufsen hi-fi system. The bathroom is in the tower room, under a crystal chandelier, with a bathtub and the sauna.

The catch is the bed. One queen, maximum two guests, so a family of four cannot use it however much the dinner table suggests otherwise. It is a room for two people who want the space and the view, or for a private dinner with the city below.

What settles it: check-in, dogs and getting there

Check-in starts at 3 PM and check-out is at 11 AM. Arriving earlier gets you luggage storage in the lobby rather than the room, so a morning flight buys you a few hours in Stockholm, not an early bed, and late departures are arranged with reception. Kung Carl is a non-smoking and cash-free hotel, and dogs are allowed in a number of standard double rooms, booked in advance at 350 SEK per stay.

If you are timing your arrival, the Arlanda Express runs nonstop from the airport to Stockholm Central in 18 minutes, and a single ticket on Stockholm's public transport costs 43 SEK and covers 75 minutes of travel once you are in the city.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a room at Hotel Kung Carl?

The lowest published price that includes a night is 2,770 SEK, for the Jazz It Up package of dinner, live jazz and a room upstairs, and the Love and King for a Day packages start at 3,000 SEK. Room-only rates vary by date and room type, so check the category you want against your own nights before you compare.

What room types does Hotel Kung Carl have?

Singles, standard doubles, superior doubles, family rooms, four de luxe categories and one suite. Sizes run from 8 to 10 sqm for the Small single and 10 to 15 sqm for the standard single, through 15 to 18 sqm for standard doubles and 18 to 20 sqm for superior doubles and family rooms, up to 45 to 50 sqm for the Victoria Suite. The de luxe tier covers De Luxe, De Luxe Bath, De Luxe Balcony and the Deluxe Ice Cream Room.

What are the best rooms at Hotel Kung Carl?

The Victoria Suite is the top of the range: 45 to 50 sqm on the top floor, with a balcony facing Stureplan, a separate living room and a private sauna. Below it, De Luxe Balcony gives you your own balcony and a city view, and the Deluxe Ice Cream Room adds a vinyl player and free ice cream. If you want space without the suite, a superior double is 18 to 20 sqm and some have a balcony.

Are the rooms at Hotel Kung Carl small?

Some are. The Small single is 8 to 10 sqm with a 90 cm bed and the standard single is 10 to 15 sqm, so the smallest rooms are compact by design. Standard doubles at 15 to 18 sqm are the usual choice for two people, and superior doubles and family rooms at 18 to 20 sqm are the roomiest short of the suite.

Does Hotel Kung Carl have a suite?

Yes, one: the Victoria Suite, 45 to 50 sqm on the top floor, with a balcony facing Stureplan and a separate bedroom and living room. The bathroom sits in the tower room and has a crystal chandelier, a bathtub and a private sauna, and there is a dinner table for four to six. It sleeps a maximum of two guests.

Does Hotel Kung Carl have family rooms?

Yes. The family room is 18 to 20 sqm and sleeps four: one king bed plus either a bunk bed or a sofa bed, for two adults and two children. Breakfast, the mini gym and rooftop terrace access are included.

Do rooms at Hotel Kung Carl have balconies?

Some do. De Luxe Balcony has a private balcony with a city view, the Deluxe Ice Cream Room has one, the Victoria Suite has one facing Stureplan, and some superior double rooms have a balcony. Outside those categories, ask for a balcony when you book if it matters.

Do Hotel Kung Carl rooms have air conditioning?

Only in the superior double category, where some rooms have it and some do not. Ask for a room with air conditioning when you book if you are travelling in a warm month, and treat it as something to confirm rather than something the room type guarantees.

What time is check-in and check-out for Hotel Kung Carl rooms?

Check-in starts at 3 PM and check-out is at 11 AM. Arriving earlier means leaving your luggage in the lobby rather than going to the room, and late departures are arranged with reception.

Can I get early check-in at Hotel Kung Carl?

Not before 3 PM as a standard option: early arrivals get luggage storage in the lobby, not the room. If your flight home is in the evening, ask reception about a late departure instead.