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Birger Jarl

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Where? In Stockholm's Little Asia district - a smart area awash with Eastern eateries.

Is the hotel ethnic, too? On the contrary - the Birger Jarl is a showcase for contemporary Swedish design: 12 of its 235 rooms have been decorated by prominent local designers, and the lobby doubles as an exhibition space for artists and craftsmen.

Wooden trolls are not a feature, then? Rooms created by the designer dozen include the sea-themed Jonas Bohlin suite; the Svenskt Tenn suite, which features a riot of folksy patterns; and the Miss Dottie suite, which is splattered with multi-coloured spots.

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What are the standard rooms like? Still pretty stylish. Some have wall-to-wall carpeting and an archipelago landscape painted on one of the walls, while others are utterly minimalist save for the fern-green and arctic-white colour scheme.

Ikea with a twist? Indeed. Blond-wood furniture is a strong feature, while Swedish poems printed on to fabric panels provide a decorative complement.

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Who goes there? Musos such as Moby, who appreciate the glass-fronted mini-bar, Bang & Olufsen stereo system and television that revolves away from you after it's been switched off.

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