A stay in Gothenburg gave me the time to test different hotels on the spot and we will start our tour with the Clarion Hotel Post.

For the record, here is the summary of this stay:

Booking

I made my reservation on the Nordic Choice Hotels app (not Choice Hotel! This is a different entity). Simply creating an account and joining the loyalty program already gives a 5% discount on public rates, proving once again that going through an OTA has no interest.

When I booked, the inventory offered by the hotel was very limited. Out of 500 rooms there are only 4 suites and all are already booked. In addition I suspect that some of the rooms are out of service due to COVD. Then all the “superior” rooms have twin beds so I fall back on a “Standard Double” which is finally only the 2nd level of room proposed by the hotel. For a hotel of this size it lacks a bit of choice and variety.

Location of the Clarion Hotel Post

Clarion Hotel Post is located in the center of Gothenburg, right in front of the train station and next to the pedestrian center of the city and its shops. Ideal therefore, especially for someone who is new to the city. In fact, contrary to a natural intuition, the best bars and restaurants are not necessarily in the area, but the advantage of Gothenburg is that unless you are one-legged, everything is accessible in less than 30 minutes of walking and the city is really very pleasant for that.

From the airport of Gothenburg Landvetter count 20 to 30 minutes by cab, quite reasonable.

Arrival at the hotel and check-in

My Uber drops me off in front of the hotel. It is an old post office as its name indicates and it gives a certain personality to the property.

I head to the check-in. In contrast to the exterior, the interior is resolutely modern, even hip, but with no lack of taste. You don’t feel like you’re in a W hotel, but almost. There are few people and I am quickly taken care of.

Friendly and efficient staff. They ask me if I want to pay for my room right away…uh no at check out thank you. It’s been a long time since anyone asked me that.

I collect my keys and head for my room.

General style of the Clarion Hotel Post

I had a rather dusty image of Clarion and I am very pleasantly surprised. Design and decoration are very premium.

The Lobby (shown here by day) overlooks the hotel’s various bars and restaurants.

The hotel is composed of two buildings. A historical, old one that you have seen and a more modern one behind.

The junction between the two is a success and retains the spirit of the original stone building while providing beautiful reception areas and giving a modern touch that is reminiscent of a workshop or a loft.

When you have a room that overlooks the interior of the structure and not the city on the other hand it is inevitably less cheerful.

It’s time to go to my room.

The Standard Double Room at Clarion Post Hotel

Being in the modern part of the building I will have to walk a little to reach the elevators and then again a little walk in the interminable corridors of the floors.

I finally arrive at my room. The tour will be completed very quickly.

The door opens on an airlock which distributes in front on the room, on the right on the bathroom.

Let’s start with the room.

The visit will be done quickly. The design is beautiful and warm. The size is a little bit small but for a standard room we won’t cry shame. On the other hand, two people must quickly step on each other’s toes.

The bedding is of good quality without being exceptional. On the other hand, the habit, very present in some European countries, of not putting only one comforter but two small comforters side by side, is very annoying. Whether you sleep alone or are two people, it is really uncomfortable.

The bathroom is modern and sleek with a good sized shower.

As for the view you have seen above it is not fancy

Some additional remarks:

COVID effect or not, the cleaning is only done on demand. I can’t understand the purpose of it.
No bathrobe in the closet. Oversight or service reserved for superior rooms? In both cases I don’t like it.
Many documents for the customer are not translated into English, and as everyone knows Swedish is a language that everyone knows.

My opinion is therefore rather mixed. The room is very pretty and you feel good. On the other hand, a few rough edges on the additional services (bathrobe, cleaning, bedding) tarnish the experience a bit.

Swimming pool, gym and spa.

The Clarion Hotel Post has a beautiful rooftop pool.

It is of course heated but unlike the locals I was not motivated enough to take the risk in the middle of November.

The hotel also has a gym which can be reached after a long walk through the corridors and up and down a few floors. In fact, it is poorly indicated.

On the other hand it is bright, pretty and rather well equipped.

The hotel was not very full during my stay but, knowing that it has 500 rooms and that the hotel allows “outsiders” to take a subscription to use this room without being a customer I am really afraid that it is too small in “normal” times.

The hotel also has a spa which has a good reputation but which I did not test.

Bars and restaurants

The Clarion Hotel Post has several bars and restaurants.

VRÅ which I have already talked about here and which I have tried. A table that I recommend!

Norda: international cuisine with local inspiration (unless it’s the other way around). I almost let myself be tempted but I changed my mind on the advice of “locals”.

The hotel also has a lively bar that I really enjoyed, so much so that I returned even when I was no longer staying there.

Obviously with the “COVID” measures it is not the same.

But in general the place is lively and friendly and the staff very kind. Some slowness in the service but since it is a remark that I will make almost systematically during my stay it must be me who had not yet settled on the Swedish rhythm of life.

Check Out

No mobile check out on the application, so you have to go to the desk, which I find to be a really useless waste of time.

Bottom line

The Clarion Hotel Post leaves a very positive impression if only for its design and its warm and lively atmosphere. Premium and hip but not too much, this is a hotel that exudes good taste.

Some points of detail come to tarnish the landscape, in particular at the level of the room and for lack of elements of comparison I do not know if I must put them on the account of deliberate choices or of an adaptation to the health context.

In short, a hotel that deserves to be seen again under more “normal” circumstances.