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STOCKHOLM
by Rich Rubin
Fresh off its stint as this year’s host of Europride,
Stockholm continues to be a European leader in gay-friendliness
with a dedicated GLBT section on their website (http://www.stockholmtown.com).
As Stockholm’s gay factor heats up, the city’s
unique gay-friendly hotel alliance is growing by leaps
and bounds, with eight members. Among charter members
of the alliance, the Nordic Light (Vasaplan. Tel:
011-46-8505-63000. http://www.nordiclighthotel.se)
recently upped its gay quotient, and their website even
features the personal stories of its GLBT staff members.
At wonderful Berns Hotel (Berzelli Park. Tel: 011-46-8566-32000.
http://www.bersnhotel.se),
the driving force behind the gay-friendly alliance, there
have been some major culinary changes, with the restaurant
now devoted to a pan-Asian menu. Hint: the Asian-inspired
brunch buffet on weekends is a winner. Another great development
here: the hotel’s theater hosts Boybar on
Saturday nights, one of the hottest parties in town.
The Clarion, another charter member,
just opened a new branch this year. Called the Clarion
Sign (Östra Järnvägsgatan 35. Tel
011-46-8676-9800. http://www.clarionsign.com),
it features the imaginative work of a series of famous
Scandinavian designers, such as Arne Jacobson, whose
rooms in red, blue, and green feature his signature
chairs. This hotel, the largest in Stockholm, also features
an outpost of New York’s famous Aquavit Restaurant,
the first venture outside the
United States for Sweden’s star expatriate chef,
Marcus Samuelsson. Meanwhile, the stylish Clarion
on Södermalm (Ringvagen 98. Tel: 011-46-8462-1000.
http://www.clarionhotel.com)
continues to be a gay favorite as the area around it
transforms from slightly spooky to increasingly chic.
This neighborhood, now known as “SoFo” (South
of Folkungagatan, one of the main Södermalm streets),
is developing quite a reputation for boutiques, shops,
coffee houses, and international dining.
One of Stockholm’s newest accommodations,
Hotel Stureplan (Birger Jarlsgatan 24. Tel: 011-46-8440-6600.
http://www.hotelstureplan.se),
opened in May 2008 and it’s no surprise this stylish
boutique hotel, with rooms based on well-known Swedish
design, should be a member of the alliance. Other members
of the gay-friendly hotel group include the charming
Victory (Lilla Nygatan 5. Tel: 506-40000. http://www.victoryhotel.se),
a sea-themed boutique hotel at the heart of the Old
Town island of Gamla Stan (their bar, Leijonbaren, often
attracts a very gay crowd), and the Grand Hotel (Blasieholmshamnen
8. Tel: 679-3500. http://www.grandhotel.se),
which is still the city’s leader for old-world
luxury. They recently added an entire new wing of spiffy,
up-to-date rooms for people who prefer a more modern
style.
Culturally, Stockholm is a surprise
to many, with its dozens of museums and numerous performance
venues. This fall, you’ll find everything from
The Merry Widow to My Fair Lady at local theaters,
as well as performances by Kill Hammer, described
as “a mix of Ziggy Stardust glamour, gothic Smashing
Pumpkins darkness, and sexy androgynous Placebo angst.”
As the world’s ABBA fans await the June 2009 grand
opening of ABBA: The Museum, there’s plenty
additional cultural life to keep you occupied, with
exhibits from African Dance Masks at the National
Museum of Ethnography (Djurgardsbrunnsvägen
34. Tel: 011-46-8519-55000. http://www.etnografiska.se)
to the opening of Art Exposed, a new display of paintings
from the collection of the wonderful late nineteenth-century
Hallwylska Museum (Hamngatan 4. Tel: 011-46-8402-3099.
hwy.lsh.se).
You never know what you’ll discover
in this city full of surprises. For instance, you’ll
find hipness on the Old Town island, Gamla Stan, in
the tiny, blink-and-you-miss-it boutique Stickeriet
Leopard (Österlanggatan 6. Tel: 011-46-8676-0048.
http://www.stickerietleopard.se).
Amazingly talented knitter Lotta Häggblom’s
new line (just back from showings in Japan) includes
some of the wildest scarves, hats, and gloves you’ll
ever see. Her sleek new selection of women’s wear
is a sure way to bring some fabulous Stockholm style
back home for the winter.
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