What Is Strawberry Hotels?

Scandinavia has a way of getting under your skin.

Maybe it’s the light — that long golden summer light that barely sets, or the deep blue winter darkness lit up by the Northern Lights. Maybe it’s the cities, which manage to feel both ancient and effortlessly modern at the same time. Maybe it’s just that once you’ve had a proper Norwegian breakfast or walked Stockholm’s old town on a quiet morning, the place stays with you.

Whatever draws you there, figuring out where to stay is one of the first things you’ll need to sort out. And across the Nordics, one name comes up more than any other: Strawberry Hotels.

With over 250 properties across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic states, Strawberry is hard to avoid — and once you understand what they offer, you’ll stop trying to.

Strawberry Hotels property in Scandinavia — one of 250+ hotels across the Nordics and Baltic states

What Is Strawberry Hotels?

Strawberry — formerly known as Nordic Choice Hotels — has been one of the dominant hotel groups in Scandinavia since 1990. The rebrand in 2023 brought a new name but the same network: a collection of hotels that spans budget-friendly city stays all the way through to some of the most distinctive boutique properties in the region.

The group operates under several brand names, each with a different character:

Comfort Hotel is the everyday option — clean, well-located, straightforward. Good value in expensive cities like Oslo and Stockholm where accommodation costs add up quickly.

Quality Hotel sits in the midrange. Solid rooms, good breakfast, reliable service. The kind of hotel that doesn’t surprise you but doesn’t disappoint you either — which, when you’re traveling, is often exactly what you want.

Clarion Hotel is the more premium tier. Design-led properties, often in striking buildings, with a focus on food and atmosphere. Several Clarion hotels have become destinations in their own right.

Then there are the independent hotels — over 40 of them — that sit outside the standard brand framework entirely. These are the standouts: THE THIEF in Oslo, Amerikalinjen, Hotel Kämp in Helsinki, Hotel St. George. The kind of places that make it into travel magazines and stay in your memory long after the trip.

Where You’ll Find Them

The Strawberry network covers the destinations most travelers to the Nordics actually visit — which is one of the things that makes them genuinely useful rather than just a big name with limited reach.

Norway

Oslo is well covered, with properties ranging from comfortable budget options near the central station to design hotels in the waterfront district. Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger are all represented too — useful if you’re combining a city stay with a fjord trip or a road trip through the western coast.

Sweden

Stockholm has a strong Strawberry presence, including several properties in the city center and on Södermalm. Gothenburg and Malmö both have options too, making it easy to book across multiple Swedish cities on a single platform without juggling different hotel groups.

Denmark & Finland

Copenhagen and Helsinki are both covered, with some of the most acclaimed independent hotels in the network located in these two cities. Hotel Kämp in Helsinki in particular is worth knowing about — a grand 19th century property that has hosted everyone from Finnish presidents to Jean Sibelius.

The Baltics

Lithuania is also part of the network, which is handy for travelers combining Scandinavia with a Baltic extension. Vilnius is one of Europe’s most underrated city breaks, and having a familiar hotel group there removes one barrier to adding it to an itinerary.

Stylish interior of a Strawberry Hotels Clarion property — design-led hotels across Scandinavia

250+ hotels across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Baltics

The Strawberry Membership — Worth Signing Up For

Strawberry runs a loyalty program through their app, and if you’re planning more than one trip to the Nordics — or even just one longer trip with multiple stops — it’s worth joining before you book.

Members earn points on stays that can be redeemed against future bookings. The more you stay, the more the benefits stack up: room upgrades, late checkout, exclusive rates. For frequent visitors to Scandinavia, it adds up to meaningful savings over time.

The app also handles booking, check-in, and room access at a growing number of properties — which, for anyone who’s arrived at a hotel late at night and just wants to get to the room without going through a check-in desk, is a genuinely useful feature.

Membership is free. There’s no reason not to sign up when you make your first booking.

A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Book

Scandinavia is expensive. This is not a secret, but it’s worth factoring into your accommodation budget. One of the practical advantages of booking within the Strawberry network is that Comfort Hotel properties in particular offer genuinely competitive rates for cities where mid-range accommodation can otherwise be surprisingly costly.

Breakfast is worth paying attention to. Scandinavian hotel breakfasts are often genuinely good — proper spreads with local products, not an afterthought. Several Strawberry properties include breakfast in the rate, and it’s worth checking this when comparing prices.

Location matters a lot in Nordic cities. Oslo and Stockholm in particular are walkable once you’re in the right area, but getting between neighborhoods without a car can be time-consuming. Properties in the city center or near central train stations save you a lot of time and often make the trip feel more relaxed.

Finally, if you’re visiting in winter and hoping to see the Northern Lights, the Strawberry network extends into northern Norway — which means you can book a familiar, reliable hotel group even in destinations like Tromsø, which is one of the best places in Europe to catch them.

One Less Thing to Figure Out

Planning a trip to Scandinavia involves enough moving parts — flights, trains, ferries, which fjord to prioritize, whether Oslo or Stockholm should come first — without having to research a different hotel group for every city on your itinerary.

Strawberry’s reach across the Nordics means you can sort your accommodation in one place, earn points across every stay, and know roughly what to expect regardless of which city you’re in. For a region where good logistics make a real difference to how much you enjoy the trip, that consistency is worth something.

Whether you’re heading to Oslo for a long weekend, doing a multi-city Scandinavia loop, or chasing the Northern Lights in the far north — Strawberry Hotels is worth your first look.

✔ 250+ hotels across the Nordics ✔ Free membership & rewards ✔ Comfort, Quality, Clarion & boutique options

Quick Questions About Strawberry Hotels

What countries does Strawberry Hotels operate in?

Strawberry Hotels has properties in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Lithuania. The network covers most major cities across these countries, as well as a number of regional destinations — particularly in Norway, where properties extend into fjord regions and northern areas like Troms.

What is the difference between Comfort, Quality, and Clarion hotels?

Comfort Hotel is the budget-friendly tier — clean, well-located, and good value. Quality Hotel is the midrange option with reliable service and typically a good breakfast. Clarion is the more design-focused premium tier, often in architecturally interesting buildings with a stronger emphasis on food and atmosphere. Strawberry also has 40+ independent boutique hotels that sit outside these tiers entirely.

Is the Strawberry loyalty program free to join?

Yes — Strawberry membership is free. You earn points on every stay that can be redeemed against future bookings, and higher membership tiers unlock benefits like room upgrades and late checkout. Signing up through the Strawberry app before your first booking is the easiest way to get started.

Can I book Strawberry Hotels if I’m traveling from outside Scandinavia?

Yes. Strawberry Hotels can be booked by anyone regardless of where you’re traveling from. The website and app are available in English, and bookings can be made in multiple currencies. Many international travelers visiting Scandinavia book directly through Strawberry or via their affiliate partners.