Originally Posted by
jamesbrownontheroad
Helma in Mo i Rana and somewhere in northern Sweden. Maybe it was the one in Luleå or Umeå. Big metal trays of sauce-drenched food that had been cooked dry once and then reheated the following night.
The whole "free dinner" thing has a net negative attraction to the hotel concept. If it's free, it's clearly not being sold on quality. I'd rather have a cheaper room and the option to choose. About the only exception I'd probably make are hotels in those one-horse towns where the only alternative is a kebab or Tre Kronor pizza.
I haven’t been to Mo i Rana, but in Norway the ones in the north that I have been to in Harstad and Tromsø were very good.
In Sweden the only northerly Collection was in Arvidsjaur many moons ago which was a very posh hotel with a central cabin as reception and BBQ offering some evenings in the summer, but they did eventually took down the flag and went independent.
After that the only Collections been in Sundsvall and Umeå which probably is the one you’re referring to since that hotel in Umeå is usually very cheap in terms of pricing whenever I’ve noticed it.
The fact is that not all Strawberry properties are owned by Stordalen and as a result they just take the flag and have their own pricing and subsequently quality. For example, in Oslo Folketeateret or in Stavanger Sakagen Brygge have always been solid over the years but their nightly rate is usually around/over 2000kr per night and they’re usually fully booked.
I think in Finland/Sweden there’s not much case for Home hotels since food prices on the street are not astronomical, but in Norway a simple microwave meal in Rema1000 is over 60kr so a hotel buffet of any quality, considering the overnight price, is very much appreciated. But again I have always preferred to stay at a Clarion/Quality and use my Gold restaurant voucher 125kr/night than pay substantially more for hotel’s included dinner. Unless in some places where Collection made much more sense financially.