Hi there! Pickle Deli Square is a collection of my experiences living, eating, and traveling the world. Currently an expat based in Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.
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An eerie stay with no human contact whatsoever - guests, staff, or otherwise.
Magnificent views from the hotel's rooftop terrace were the hotel's best asset.
From a generous offer for breakfast upon check-in, to a sweet parting gift, Hotel Il Convento set the standard for the small, independent hotels that abound in Italy.
There have been a lot of innovations in hotels in the last couple of decades, from big things like making lobby spaces more multifunctional - integrating lounge space, restaurant space, and check-in space for example - to simpler things like getting rid of highly decorative wallpaper and heavy drapes for a cleaner look.
In fact, last year I stayed at the Moxy Milan Malpensa hotel for a night during Design Week, and absolutely loved it. A new brand from Marriott, Moxy hotels try to give you just what you need, no more, no less. So arriving on a late flight, I was glad there were local food and drink options right in the lobby/check-in-desk/bar. The room was small but I didn't lack for any more space, being just a short layover. The bathroom was great. I really feel like they studied travel habits well and designed the hotel around the experience.
What hotel hasn't apparently changed in the decades? The Marriott Milan.
I'd stayed in a few Scandic hotels in my previous travels through Sweden - once each in Stockholm, Linköping, and Gothenburg. They were all pretty nice, clean hotels, approximately the standard of a Hilton Garden Inn perhaps.
So I was curious what kind of hotel "Haymarket by Scandic" would be. Usually when someone puts a new name, followed by the world "by" and then the original brand name, it means that the new concept departs from the original brand in some way.
And the Haymarket certainly does! In fact, I'm not really sure what the "by Scandic" buys it from a branding perspective. The Haymarket is a hip, stylish hotel built in a former department store, and carries a 1920s glamour theme consistently throughout the experience from the logo typography down to the last details of even the bathroom mirror and coat rack.
