Scandic in Sweden and Finland this summer

[WillTravel]

I read about this deal at Flyertalk.

From 6/18 - 8/22, you can get cheap rooms at Scandic hotels in Sweden and Finland.

Scandic is a 3* or 4* hotel chain under the Hilton brand.

The price in Sweden is 450 SEK (about $59 USD).

The price in Finland is 55 Euros (about $66 USD).

Breakfast is included and you get Hilton points. (Scandinavian breakfasts are almost always fabulous, and this will give you a huge savings on your daily food bill.)

Book by 4/18 using the code SHSEA at http://www.scandic-hotels.se . These are cancellable up to 24 hours in advance.

http://www.scandic-hotels.se/dispatch?Show...rm&oid=11200310

This is really a wonderful deal - definitely cheaper than a hostel, for example.

[DeltaPurser]

This is a GREAT deal!!! Thanks for passing on the info WillTravel.

If any of you are thinking about visiting Stockholm this summer, book Scandic Sergel Plaza Hotel... The location can't be beat! You're right by Sergels Torg (the main square) and the main shopping Street (Drottninggatan), and within walking distance to Old Town (Gamla Stan) and the Royal Castle.

The rooms are not very large, but modern and comfortable, and the breakfast buffet is out of this world... everything you can imagine. They even serve a Japanese breakfast!

We used this hotel for our layovers in Stockholm, and it's a place I'm happy to recommend... especially at this rate!

DeltaPurser :)

[iahphx]

That does seem like a very good rate. Luxury hotels in Scandanavia in summer are often an incredible deal, and I would urge anyone travelling there at that time of the year to research their options carefully. BTW, I was told the reason the rates are so low during summer was because there is very little business travel then.

I remember my own summer trip to Norway and Sweeden a few years ago and staying in the region's top hotels for very modest rates. It was a good thing, too, because otherwise Scandanavia is quite expensive. It was actually a strange experience feeling both rich and poor at the same time!

[thereuare]

Are there as many Saabs there as i imagine?

I own a classic Saab which i enjoy working on and i joke to Mrs. Thereuare that one day we will visit her birthplace (the Saab's... not my wife's)

[DeltaPurser]

Having lived in Sweden most of my life, I'd say about 40-50% of the cars on the roads in Sweden are Volvos, and another 10-15% are made up of Saabs. It's kinda' funny when you think about it: They are both "luxury" cars here in the States but are driven by "everybody" over there... (90% of cabs in Sweden are Volvos!)

Then again, same thing applies to Mercedes in Germany... They are EVERYWHERE!!! Little known fact(?): People who work for Daimler-Chrysler in Stuttgart get 21% off the price of a new car!!! So many of them buy them and resell them a year later and actually end up making money on the deal.

Go figure!

DeltaPurser :)

[WillTravel]

The page to look at in English for the special offers is here:

Hotels.com/SiteHomePage"]http://www.scandic-Hotels.com/SiteHomePage

This has both Easter offers (several countries in Europe) and the summer offers.

I tried to remember what cars I saw last year in Sweden, but I have no recollection at all. Then again, cars all look the same to me anywhere. I have to pay close attention that I don't pick out the wrong minivan in the parking lot :).

I have read about tourists going to the Saab factory.

Scandinavia is not so expensive if you get a good accommodation deal, and then don't eat in restaurants, or rent cars, or go to clubs, or go shopping, or buy cigarettes, gasoline, or alcohol. In every case I found the City Pass to be a good deal, as it covered local public transportation plus tourist attractions.

[iahphx]

Scandinavia is not so expensive if you get a good accommodation deal, and then don't eat in restaurants, or rent cars, or go to clubs, or go shopping, or buy cigarettes, gasoline, or alcohol.

Boy, that's certainly true. I'm not a huge drinker, but I enjoy a bottle of wine with dinner or a beer in a pub. In Scandinavia, I'm a teetotaler, since it seemed like a beer averaged about 8 bucks and a mediocre bottle of wine could be $50. I do remember this small Homehotel chain offering FREE beer during certain hours, and it felt almost illegal to be able to drink one!

But other than good summer hotel deals, the region is overpriced. If you want to get "off the beaten path" in Europe, I think Eastern Europe is much better. There's more to see, it's more "unusual" (although not difficult for travellers), and the low prices enable you to enjoy experiences that would be outrageously expensive in a place like Scandinavia.