HOTELS
Sweden has a wide choice of high-standard hotels in all price categories. Most Swedish hotels include a lavish buffet breakfast in the room rate so they’re particularly good value for money. Most have special offers for families and offer reduced prices at weekends throughout the year and also on weekdays from mid-June to mid-August. Hotel cheques: If you’re planning a touring holiday, several chains offer hotel cheques which can be bought before you depart for Sweden and are available through various tour operators.
A comprehensive listing of hotels in West Sweden is available at Accomodation
B&B AND FARMHOUSE HOLIDAYS
Bed-and-breakfast and farmhouse holidays are increasingly popular in Sweden. Farmhouse accommodation is usually on a bed-and-breakfast or self-catering basis. In the countryside “Rum” signs indicate that accommodation is available in a private room. Breakfast is not normally included in the price. Rooms can be booked through local tourist information offices.
YOUTH AND FAMILY HOSTELS
Sweden’s youth and family hostels, known as “vandrarhem”, offer excellent facilities for an inexpensive holiday and are located all over the country, including the mountain regions. All ages are welcome. More than 300 are operated by the Swedish
Touring Club (STF),
Membership:
Adults: (from 26 years), SEK 285
Youth: (15-25 years) SEK110
Children: (5-14 years) SEK 25
Children: (0-4 years) free of charge
Family: SEK410.
Membership of an organisation affiliated to the International Youth Hostel Federation is not compulsory but provides concessionary rates.
SVIF is a smaller grouping of 160 independent hostels in Sweden which have no membership requirement.
SELF-CATERING
Apartments: Contact local tourist offices if you want to rent private apartments or rooms. Private rooms can be rented through Gothenburg Tourist Office and also through the following companies:
Svenska Turistlägenheter: Tel +46 31 401 911, fax: +46 31 703 7670
www.svturist.se
CAMPING, CARAVANNING AND COTTAGES
Sweden has some of the finest campsites in Europe, usually located in picturesque surroundings. Camping cabins and cottages, caravans and motor homes can also be rented. Campsites in Westsweden, see Accomodation
Camping Cards:
To stay at a Swedish campsite you have to have Camping Card Scandinavia, which offers a number of additional benefits/special offers and is also valid in Denmark, Finland and Norway and 16 more European countries. It provides fast check-in and check-out, comprehensive accident insurance for the whole family while staying at the site, special offers for travel, zoos and funfairs, excursions etc. It also serves as a credit card for payment of your campsite charges. The card is free but you have to obtain a valid stamp. A valid year sticker can be bought at the first campsite you visit. A temporary card can be issued if you have not applied for a card in advance. You can order the card via
www.camping.se or by coupon in the
Camping cheques:
Valid for camping fees but not additional services, e.g. electricity supply. One cheque is valid for one night’s stay. Can only be bought outside Sweden, when buying your ferry ticket. Available through DFDS Seaways in the UK (tel: 0870-533 3000). Important safety note: Only propane gas (e.g. Primus) is normally obtainable in Sweden. Equipment designed to burn butane must not be filled with propane; this is not only illegal but also highly dangerous. Propane and the associated cooking, heating or lighting equipment is inexpensive and widely available in Sweden at more than 2,000 Primus dealers. In Scandinavia there is an exchange system for propane gas. Some petrol stations also stock butane.
Camping brochure:
A camping brochure with details of all sites, cottages, Camping Card Scandinavia and its special offers, plus a detailed motoring and camping map is available free of charge from
www.camping.se and
www.stuga.nu
