Page 27 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Great Places to Stay in Europe

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S WE D E N 27
27

FOOD AND DRINK BEDROOMS AND
BATHROOMS
OAR AND BERRIES are the
Btraditional staples of F YOU WANT twin
Swedish food, the former Ibeds, ask for
roasted or made into sausages, them specifically
the latter, hjortron (cloud-(( when booking. The
berry), served with fresh Swedish have a
cream or ice cream. Meatballs tradition of being
with gravy and cranberry health and environ-
sauce, and gravad lax – raw ment conscious
salmon marinated with dill so some hotels,
and served with mustard including larger The Grand Hotell, Marstrand, page 33
dressing – are also delicious. chains, are
The standard of food in the switching to anti-allergenic the nearest 10Kr, or you can
hotels listed here is generally bedding and biodegradeable leave a tip of around 10 per
very high, and will include cleaning products. As well as cent if you want to.
game in season, along with sparkling bathrooms, many
international dishes. places will have a sauna Telephoning As well as the
The only drawback is the (usually open usual call boxes there are
expense. You may find that to both sexes). Turist Telefon payphones in
after a few days of hotel summer in the major cities,
dining that stocking up for OTHER PRACTICAL offering half-price calls. To
a picnic lunch becomes a INFORMATION make a phone call within
necessity. Lunch at a rest- Sweden, dial the full number.
aurant is usually not as REAKFAST AT most hotels is To phone Sweden from the
expensive as dinner, espec- BBBlavish – a buffet with UK, dial the international
ially if you go for the set cheeses, including the sweet, code 00 46, then the phone
menu (dagens rätt).tt brown mesost, hams, yogurt, number, omitting the initial
Another economical option muesli, an array of rye and zero; from the US, dial 011 46.
is the smörgåsbord served at ‘black’ breads, crispbreads
lunchtime in restaurants or and fruit. The standard of Public holidays 1 January;
hotels – a mouthwatering housekeeping is outstanding: 6 January; Good Friday and
all-you-can-eat collation of everything is immaculately Easter Monday; 1 May;
herring, cooked meats, hard- clean, and it works. During Ascension Day; Whit Monday;
boiled eggs, potato, salads, the summer business shut- Midsummer’s Day;
desserts and fruit. down hotel prices drop 1 November; 24, 25 and 26
Alcohol is also notoriously considerably. Year-round, December.
expensive in Sweden. The luxury hotels become much
beer served in bars is classed more affordable at the USEFUL WORDS
according to strength. Class weekend, when substantial
III or starköl is the strongest, discounts (often 40–50 per Breakfast Frukost
weaker is class II or folköl, cent on the usual room rate) Lunch Lunch
and the class 1 beer, lättöl, come into effect. Ask what Dinner/supper Middag/ supé
is virtually alcohol-free – the ‘special prices’ are. Free room? Ledigt rum?
and great for drivers. There How much? Vad kostar?
is zero tolerance of drink- Language Swedes are true Single room Enkelrum
driving in this country and polyglots and often sound like Double room Dubbelrum
a few glasses of wine with native speakers of whichever
dinner followed by a brandy language they are using – SWEDEN PRICE BANDS
could take you over the including English.
limit to drive, even the WEDISHHOTELS are classified
following morning. Outside Currency The Swedish Sby stars, from one to five,
bars and restaurants, class III krona, written ‘SEK’. but don’t be too swayed by
beers can only be bought this. Our price bands are
from government liquor Shops Open 9am–6pm Mon– simpler, and as elsewhere in
stores – whose Swedish Fri, and 9am–1pm Sat the guide refer to the price of
name is Systembolaget. (department stores till 4pm). a standard double room in
Akvavit, a herb-flavoured Large shops in the cities are high season (but don’t forget
spirit, is traditionally served sometimes open until 8 or to ask about discounts, which
ice-cold with beer chasers – 10pm and on Sunday. can be substantial). Breakfast is
a potent combination. usually included in the room
Swedes eat lunch from Tipping Hotel room rates and rate; prices include all taxes.
11am onwards (generally restaurant menu prices are
finishing by 2pm). Dinner inclusive of service charges. k under 900Kr
starts from around 6pm and Tipping isn’t expected, but if kk 900Kr–1,200Kr
restaurants close from bills come to an odd amount kkk 1,200Kr–1,600Kr
around 11pm to midnight. they are often rounded up to kkkk over 1,600Kr