A couple of weeks ago Jumbo Hostel rolled into its place at Arlanda Airport (Stockholm, Sweden), but it will be a few more months before it can start receiving its first guests. And the rumors are that allegedly there are alleged problems with utility hookups and proper permits. Let’s just hope they will manage to sort it all out in time. And let’s also hope that their prices will be really as affordable as they claim they will be.

image: Jumbo Hostel

But if you find yourself at Arlanda at night and don’t want to sleep in the terminal (which is not that bad really, that’s my preferred budget option of spending the night there) you have the following choices:

Radisson SAS SkyCity Hotel, fully integrated with the terminal and with rates that will make your groin hurt. Apart from business people with fat expense accounts and foreign travel journalists on fully-paid press trips who later rave about the experience, I don’t know anyone who can afford to stay there. Single rooms (or coffins, or cupboards) start at 200 euro (additional taxes and charges may apply).

A short shuttle ride from the airport there is another one of the Radisson SAS hotels – Radisson SAS Arlandia. I like this particular hotel, because it allows pets (albeit only in their smoking rooms – I guess they figured that pet owners don’t mind the cigarette stench and that smokers aren’t allergic to cat hair). A coffin at Arlandia will set you back about a 100 euro (additional taxes also may apply). It’s a typical business hotel with all the typical business amenities. Boring, drab, but comfortable. That is, if and when you manage to get a room there – the place seems always fully booked.
Link to the Radisson SAS website here.

Ibis Arlanda is located about 1,5 km from the airport, has a shuttle bus and their prices vary from a 100 to 80 euro. Or even lower, if you happen to read Swedish and can tell them you are going on a charter vacation the next morning. The only problem with Ibis Arlanda? It tends to be always fully booked. Their breakfasts are horrid and will set you back 7 euro (not included in the room rate). Pets not allowed.

Park Inn Arlanda – 4 km from the airport and you have to call them to send a shuttle for you. The only good thing about this place is that they have special rates if you have a flight the following morning but you must show your valid airline/charter ticket upon check-in. And they will verify it, too! So, no lying! But the special rates are really great: 65 euro for a single, and 70 for a double (taxes may apply), breakfast included.

Nova Park Hotel only has a booking page in Swedish, and even then it’s difficult to find the most important stuff – namely, their rates (start at 150 euro). So let’s skip this hotel.

Arlanda Hotellby has rooms starting at 70 euro AND they offer free internet (you have to pay for it at all the others). It’s a hotel designed to look like a village with the main reception building in the center. “Hotellby” literally means “hotel village“. They also have a free airport shuttle, but you have to call for it. No, there aren’t any courtesy phones at the airport, you need to use your own mobile.

Quality Hotel Arlanda has just about the most complicated pricing structure I’ve seen in Sweden. That alone is a good enough reason for me not to stay there. Let’s just say that a single coffin can very in prices from 80 to 120 euro. Breakfast may or may not be included. And you need to call for their shuttle, too.

And then there’s Rest & Fly right inside the airport, between terminals 4 and 5. Modeled on a Japanese capsule hotel, it’s just that – a Swedish take on a hotel by the hour. It ain’t cheap either , 60 euro for 10 hours (after that, it’s about 3 euro per hour), but the single rooms are always fully booked. Showers in the hallway, breakfast (a total rip off, you’d be better off getting something inside the terminal, even at 7-11) is extra. This place is always full and always crowded. The rooms are the smallest coffins ever, but at that price right inside the airport you really can’t complain.

Which brings me to my original thought – how much will Jumbo Hostel charge? I’m guessing – about 70 euro. It seems to be the going “budget” rate.