Thon Hotel Vasa

You come here for a city stay with a practical base rather than a resort routine. Thon Hotel Vasa has 144 rooms across six floors, and its setting suits divers who want Stockholm close at hand, with somewhere to eat, unwind and sort out the next day's plans without turning the evening into an expedition.

The hotel speaks to you in English, French, German and Spanish. That matters when you are arriving tired, asking about a transfer or trying to explain that the room key is not the only thing you have managed to misplace.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, a reception desk, a lift and luggage storage. The feel is straightforward and city-based: comfortable enough for a night in, but positioned for guests who intend to make use of Stockholm.

The address is Vasagatan 20 in Stockholm, Sweden. The hotel sits around 100 metres from the bus terminal and railway station, which makes arrivals and city exploration pleasantly uncomplicated. Stockholm city centre is about 1 kilometre away, with T-Centralen, Sergels Torg and Stockholm City Hall among the nearby points of interest.

This is an urban base, not a waterside hotel. The surrounding city is the attraction: transport links, central streets and Stockholm's museums, restaurants and public spaces are all more relevant here than a view of the sea.

For diving, the nearest listed centres are off site. Dykhuset i Stocholm, Dykhuset i Stockholm is about 0.4 miles away, while Stockholms Dykcenter is about 0.4 miles away as well. That is close enough to keep the logistics manageable, but you will still be travelling to the centre rather than walking downstairs to one.

The room choice is broad, from single rooms for solo travellers to double, twin, triple and quadruple options, with family rooms, junior suites and suites also available. If you are travelling alone and want the simplest arrangement, the single-room categories keep things compact. Couples can choose between a double bed or twin beds, while the triple and quadruple categories make more sense when several people are sharing the city break rather than pretending everyone enjoys sleeping in separate hotels.

The economy range includes a single room with a shared bathroom, as well as rooms with private bathrooms. That distinction is worth checking before you book; shared facilities are a perfectly workable way to keep a room simple, but they are less appealing when you are returning from a long day carrying wet kit and very little patience. Basement economy rooms are also available.

Higher categories bring a more useful collection of in-room comforts. Selected standard, business and superior rooms include air conditioning, blackout blinds, a mini-bar, safe, tea or coffee facilities, bathrobe, slippers, television and Wi-Fi. Some rooms also have a desk, while several standard and suite categories offer a view, including city views. Private bathrooms, showers, hairdryers, towels and toiletries feature across many of the room types. The practical difference is clear: choose the simpler room if you mainly need a bed and a bathroom, or move up when a cooler, darker and better-equipped night matters more.

Breakfast is served as a buffet and à la carte. It runs from 06:30 to 10:00 on weekdays and from 07:00 to 11:00 at weekends, giving you an early option when the day's plans start promptly, and a more civilised one when they do not. Coffee and tea are available, and breakfast can also be served in the room.

For lunch and dinner, Salon Terminal is the hotel's brasserie. Its kitchen combines traditional techniques with modern gastronomic know-how, producing familiar brasserie dishes rather than turning the menu into a chemistry lesson. Lunch and dinner are served from 17:00 to 22:00.

There is also a hotel bar, a café, a snack bar and a food vending machine for the moments when a full meal is too much ceremony. The available meal arrangement depends on the room booking, so check what is included when you reserve rather than assuming breakfast has joined the party automatically.

The useful decompression option is the sauna. It gives you somewhere to warm up and slow down without requiring a timetable, a treatment menu or the purchase of a robe with a motivational slogan attached.

There is also a modern gym with room for up to 25 people at a time. It suits a short session before heading into Stockholm, or a gentle attempt to persuade stiff shoulders and legs that they are still part of the same body. Fitness equipment is available for hotel guests.

When you want to leave the hotel but not organise the entire day yourself, the tourist information service can arrange excursions. The concierge can also help with practical plans. For a quieter evening, the restaurant, bar and sauna cover the basics; the city outside supplies the rest.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to midnight, and check-out is by 12:00. The hotel has a lift and accessibility facilities, along with luggage storage, a safe at reception and a wake-up service. Laundry, dry cleaning and shoe polishing are available, which is useful when a city trip has extended beyond the point at which one pair of socks can honestly be called a strategy.

Airport transfers can be arranged through the hotel. Stockholm Arlanda Airport is about 24 miles away. Public parking is available nearby and is paid, so drivers should factor that into the arrival plan rather than treating the car as an invisible extra guest. Pets are allowed.

The hotel also has a business centre, meeting and conference facilities, room service, cable television and free Wi-Fi. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and cash are accepted. The building is non-smoking and heated.