Scandic Europa, Gothenburg

On the edge of the Nordstan shopping centre and across the road from the train and bus stations, Scandic Europa is a convenient base for exploring.

Get beyond the garish lobby, where the floor is striped orange and white, and the rooms are pretty cheery. The cheapest ones are done up in a simple but fresh style with flashes of black, purple and green.

Larger rooms sleeping up to four people (on two twin beds and a sofa bed) are also available, making this hotel a great choice for families on short-term visits to Sweden. There’s even a small play area for toddlers.

A good tip is to ask for a room on the corner of the building; they’re generally bigger than rooms along the corridor and have a small living area attached, but don’t cost any extra.

There’s a gym within the Scandic Europa, as well as a small indoor pool. You can also hire bikes and helmets if you want to explore the city on two wheels. It wasn’t quite finished when we visited the hotel, but a new restaurant and bar area should have opened on the ground floor by the time you read this.

As with all Scandic hotels, it’s worth booking online to get a better rate.