Inside Sweden’s Jumbo Hostel

by Grant Martin on

Your eyes do not deceive you, that’s a bed in the cockpit of a commercial airliner. Or former commercial airliner, I should say. What you’re looking at is the top front room of Stockholm’s Jumbo Hostel, a converted Boeing 747 jumbo jet that’s been remodeled to form one of the most unique hostels in the entire planet.

Parked just off of the tarmac outside of Stockholm’s Arlanda airport, the Jumbo Hostel features a series of bunked rooms on either side of the “aisle” moving from the center to the back of the aircraft. A few rooms, including that pictured above and the one in the tail cone come with ensuite bathrooms, but in true hostel style, there are scattered, shared bathrooms throughout the craft.

At the nose of the airplane and in the aft of the second floor, the Jumbo Hostel features two common areas, the latter of which is adorned with actual seats from the first class cabin of an airliner. The common area in front also doubles as a place to sit down, grab a few snacks, have a drink and swap a few stories with the other bewildered residents.

As far as comfort, our room in the tail cone featured two narrow beds positioned near each other, a bed stand and a small television mounted to the wall – not lavish by any standards, but quite common and almost cozy for a hostel.

Rooms at the Jumbo start at about $60USD per night. Be forewarned that there aren’t a ton of food options near the property except for the local snacks and the Radisson Blu across the street, so if you’re going to need a meal then plan ahead. You can reach the hostel from Arlanda by taking the 14 bus from the public transit area.

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Note, some logistical help in executing this trip came from the Sweden tourism board. Itineraries and adventures were our own creation.

Sweden in Midsommar: From traditional to contemporary

by Grant Martin on

Our hearts are still in Stockholm this week, neck deep in the celebration of one of Scandinavia’s biggest holidays: Midsommar. In case you missed it earlier, Midsommar is the celebration of the longest day of the year in these high latitudes, a time when the sun only sets for three hours a night and when Stockholm is most appreciable.

From a local’s perspective, Midsommar is often spent with the family and friends, most often in a small beach house in the outskirts of Stockholm or out in the geologically diverse archipelago.

Some of those that remain in the city pilgrimage to Skansen for Midsommar Eve, an open air museum not unlike Greenfield Village or Colonial Williamsburg. Hosting a full range of historical Swedish architecture, characters and foodstuffs, Skansen throws the biggest celebration in the city during the day of Midsommar Eve, all culminating in the traditional hoisting of the maypole around which thousands of visitors can dance. Admission is around 18USD.

In parallel, guests can roam the sprawling museum campus, picking flowers for Midsommar garlands, gobbling up meatballs and herring or gawking at the hundreds of traditionally dressed workers strolling about. Family time is important at Skansen, and the hours spent here learning about Swedish culture and tradition are an excellent way to spend the day, regardless of the holiday.

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As with any social experience, drinks and dancing also have a special role in Midsommar festivities. On the eve of the holiday when the children have gone to bed and the sun is still out, adults drink late into the night, fortifying themselves for a long weekend of family fun and socialization.

For those that have gone into the islands to party, Sandhamn is the place to be. A few hours by ferry outside of Stockholm, the island is a nexus for young Swedes in full-on celebration mode for the long weekend. As the population balloons, many choose to camp on the beach after all night festivities, and the air takes on a buzz of drunken, joyous happiness similar to the full moon parties well known in Thailand.

The party rages forth in Stockholm as well, with many social circles hosting private parties at decked out residences across the city. Many clubs and restaurants stay open for the holiday, and one of the biggest places to celebrate is in the Berns Hotel Salon, just next to and behind the Grand Hotel in the center of Stockholm. With a tall, vaulted ceiling, a huge dining area and several outdoor terraces, Berns is one of the places to be on Midsommar Eve (and they know it,) so get here early and be prepared to spend a few extra dollars for drinks. Though it’ll be expensive, the scenery and the setting are worth every crown.

Traditional as it might be, Midsommar thus has a streak of unbridled celebration that any common visitor can daftly take part in. For a first time visitor, Skansen is a good bet for a crash course in traditional culture, eating and drinking. If your budget and schedule don’t match up though, a good bottle of whiskey and a few new friends out on the sunny streets of Stockholm will do the trick.

Note, some logistical help in executing this trip came from the Sweden tourism board. Itineraries and adventures were our own creation.

A trip through Sweden’s Midsommar festival

by Grant Martin on

In ten short hours I have forgotten Chicago. Sitting outside of Hotel Skepshollmenn on the sprawling, gravel terrace, the pastel, Scandinavian sun reflects off of the yellow building walls and tall, leafy trees rustle in the polite sea breeze. It’s hard to believe that we’ve so fluidly escaped the Midwest heat, let alone that we’re in the center of the largest city in Sweden.

Here in Stockholm it’s Midsommar, the traditional celebration of the longest day of the year, a time when hard-working residents take to their summer cottages out on the archipelago, when the city adopts a quiet, astute functionality and grace. Though the date changes every year, the festival is always held on the weekend closest to the solstice; this year it’s June 24-27.

Volumes of debate swirl around when the best time of the year is to visit Scandinavia. It goes without saying that summer is the best season in which to make your way (as hotel and airline prices will surely reflect,) but around Midsommar, which is celebrated differently in each Scandinavian nation, demand tapers in. With so many residents and workers away for the holiday, much of Stockholm slows down, some of the unique, boutique stores and restaurants button up and the access to the residential, city culture is somewhat restricted.

As a result, visitors might see a dip in hotel prices and other associated costs during the weekend of Midsommar — at the expense of missing out on some of the more organic aspects of Stockholm.

As in any metropolis, however, city life does move on. Gamla stan, the old town and tourist center of the city, becomes the hub of activity, with visitors and the few remaining workers sifting through Irish bars, souvenir shops and cafes. Museums and attractions including the open air Skansen and the new Fotografiska still stay open, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the traditional Midsommar aquavit and pickled herring across the city.

For residents, however, Midsommar is a time for celebration, relaxation and socialization. Observance ranges from traditional to hedonistic (which we’ll get to later) but the underlying theme is all the same: visit with family and friends and enjoy the long happy weekend.

Later this week we’ll get to the particularities of Midsommar celebration and the practicality of designing your own trip. We hope that you enjoy the trip.

Note, some logistical help in executing this trip came from the Sweden tourism board. Itineraries and adventures were our own creation.

Video: The weirdest hotels in the world

by Gadling Staff on

Want to try something different this vacation? How about staying in one of the weird hotels in the world? Whether you want to unleash your inner mermaid or spend time repenting your sins in prison, these hotels offer everything for the truly strange-at-heart. On the flip side, at least you don’t have to worry about showing your friends boring old vacation pictures…

Do you ever wonder how Tarzan and Jane felt swing though the trees? Well wonder no longer! At the Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel in Brazil you live in the tree tops. This hotel is actually built in the tree tops of the Amazon Rainforest.

Ever wonder how it would feel to live like a caveman? Well now you can! The Madonna Inn Hotel in San Luis Obispo, Calif., features a caveman room equipped with it’s own waterfall and caveman mallet.

If being a caveman or cave-women is not your style, how about an igloo? At the Icehotel in Sweden, everything is made of ice, well, ice. As you can see in the video, even the furniture is made out of ice. Make sure to pack your wool socks!

Want all the amenities without breaking the bank? Are you okay with small spaces? Then this hotel is for you! It is a Japanese capsule hotel and it has everything you need: TV, alarm clock, and radio.

If the capsule hotel is not for you, how about a concrete tee-pee? The Wigwam hotel in Arizona features tee-pees instead of rooms. This hotel definitely gives you the feel of being in another place and time.

Ever wonder how the little mermaid felt living under the sea? Well now you can at the Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Florida. You are promised a great view!

Guilty conscious? No fear! Alleviate your suffering by spending time in the Alcatraz hotel located in Kaiserslautern, Germany. You even get your own prison-striped pajamas!

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Think you might have been a rock star in another life? The Hard Days Night hotel in Liverpool, England is the world’s only hotel devoted to the Beatles. You can play the piano in the John Lennon Suite. Sorry, screaming fans not included.

Midsommar: The very best time to visit Stockholm

by Grant Martin on

Deep in the lowest latitudes of the Earth’s extremities, the far reaches of the planet where temperatures begin to plunge and where human populations drop precipitously, seasons have deeper meanings. Spring, Winter and Fall are plain, solid facts of life, the cold months during which fires are built, hard work is complete and the foundation of the year is laid. These are the months where Lyle and Scott sweaters are worn proudly by light skinned Swedes, where bicycles are ridden furiously through the blinding snow, puddle jumping from one warm abode to the next, conserving every last bit of warmth.

It’s preparation in a way, ten long months of good hard work for a two month reward, a swift, vanishing summer than can easily be missed in the blink of an eye. In Sweden, these months are June and July.

Swedes take their summertime very seriously, especially in Stockholm where cooped up urbanites use their stored up vacation to escape from the nation’s bustling, stark capital. Activity hits fever pitch around Midsommar, the traditional festival held once a year celebrating the longest day of the summer, fertility and the general release of energy stored up over the long, winter months. During this time, tempers even out, jovial residents take to the streets and the celebration spills through the country like a tidal wave of happiness, with dinner parties, drinking events and sales unlike any other time of the year.It is inside of this precise window that Sweden is often best to visit. It’s true that not all attractions are open and not all services will be at fever pitch, but the atmosphere, in short, is Godly. From the high, fluffy Atlantic clouds to the clean, bright architecture to the festivals and the sales and the never ending stream of herring and aquavit, Sweden is at its best during summertime festivities, and is a destination unrivaled in aesthetic and experience.

Getting there, however, can be tricky. With limited routes to the Scandinavian nation and demand at a seasonal high, tickets tend to be expensive for travel during summer months. But creative routing, fare sales on SAS and good planning doth an inexpensive trip make, so plan ahead, set up a fare alert and save your allowance for vacation; though Sweden is an expensive country there are plenty of budget options for the savvy traveler.

At the very least, be sure to tune into Gadling’s Midsommar coverage as the summer progresses. We’ve got many more wonderful stories to tell.