High ceilings, expansive windows and an original spiral staircase hark back to the building’s Art Nouveau past while a gentle restoration has eased the iconic schoolhouse and its 92 rooms, two suites and two etage suites, into the modern day.
BERLIN – Design Hotels announces the rebirth of one of Stockholm’s most treasured Art Nouveau buildings. Built in 1910, the former Ateneum school for girls has been transformed by the ever-enterprising Nobis Group into a sleek Scandinavian bolthole among the tech start-ups and creative types of the evolving City district. Taking its name from Clara Stromberg, the beloved first headmistress of the one-time girl’s school, Miss Clara is an old soul with a contemporary heart.
A Window to the City
High ceilings, expansive windows and an original spiral staircase hark back to the building’s Art Nouveau past while a gentle restoration has eased the iconic schoolhouse and its 92 rooms, two suites and two etage suites, into the modern day. Swedish architect Gert Wingardh paid special attention to the original traits of the building, following a unique concept of an outward facing property, where the windows are treated as ‘center stage’. Located at one of the most up and coming addresses in Stockholm, gracefully arched windows overlook the buzzing Sveavagen Boulevard, while the easy and uncomplicated nature of the rooms absorbs the bustle below.
At street level, a vibrant restaurant and bar thrive on the cosmopolitan pulse of the Stockholm City district, welcoming visitors and savvy locals alike. Master Chef Daniel Guest from Nobis’ flagship dining room Operakallaren oversees the 80-seat restaurant, with updated takes on international and Swedish classics. Seamlessly connected to the lounge and lobby, the Miss Clara bar offers guests an intimate atmosphere – with stone floors and the use of Swedish limestone and leather contrasting the soft organic lines of the space. With versatility in mind, all three areas can be shaped to suit any need: informal gatherings, business meetings, simple relaxation or private dining in the Chambre Separee. Conversely, the gym, sauna and relaxation lounge on the lower floor of the property, take care of any restorative need, providing a calming oasis within the City’s buzz.
Swedish Craftsmanship
With a rich history of craftsmanship and a wealth of raw materials, Gert Wingardh looked no further than Sweden’s own borders for inspiration and enlisted the help of longtime Swedish manufactures known for expert artisanal skills. Favoring both form and function equally, many elements of the well-designed rooms offer guests flexibility. Each room features a bespoke oak storage unit, stretching the length of the window wall, incorporating pull-out work desks and luggage storage, and serving additionally as a perch for street-gazing. Custom mounted additions to the beds provide a sitting option and the glass-enclosed marble and tile bathrooms can be left visible, or screened-off if desired.
Set against a crisp backdrop of white, headboards of traditional bentwood from Swedish manufacturer Gemla crown luxury beds by Stockholm-based Bed Factory, giving the streamlined and smoothly functioning rooms a nod to the Art Nouveau past. Further odes to traditional Swedish crafts are found throughout the hotel, from leather work by Tarnsjo – one of the few tanneries in Europe dyeing skins with environmentally gentle tree extracts instead of the typical chrome – to the fine details of intricately woven woodwork. With traces of the building’s roots remaining intact, the new hotel instills a subtle sense of deja vu – like it always looked this way.
Location
Running through the heart of Stockholm, from north to south, Sveavagen is the capital’s most cosmopolitan boulevard. Located just north of where Sveavagen intersects with Kungsgatan Avenue, the hotel is based in the center of one of the most expansive focal points in the evolution of a new and more charismatic Stockholm City district. This bustling locale serves business travelers well – conveniently located for both Stockholm Central and Ostra train stations – while leisure travelers are well-placed for the Royal Palace, Storkyrkan Cathedral and the Nobel Museum.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
