It is said that the Comfort Hotel, in the middle of Kista, is a typical business hotel. But behind the unassuming facade hides so much more. The decor, the dimmed lighting, the neon art and the food – everything is made perfect for a hangout or AW with friends and colleagues.
“Comfort's DNA is to challenge the norm and be a bit of a rebel, just like Kista,” says Robin Azad, the Kista Comfort hotel director who has been with the hotel since it opened in 2018.
Robin is in the hotel's "barception" – that’s right, a fusion between bar and reception – when we arrive to interview him. It is Tuesday, just after 11 and perhaps the quietest time of the day, after the breakfast rush and check-outs.
We sit down with coffees on a comfortable sofa, a shelf filled with books, ornaments and what look like travel souvenirs behind us.
“Our barception with associated lounge area is so much more than just a check-in counter. Here you can buy something nice to eat, have a drink, meet new people or sit down to work. We want it to be discovered by more than business travelers,” says Robin and continues:
“With this fantastic location, a stone's throw from both the mall and Kistamässan, we have every opportunity to become an obvious place for AW and dinners. It’s a reason to stay after work. I have high hopes of being able to ‘ride on’ The Kloud investment and everything that will be done to activate Kista.”
Skip the unnecessary
Robin apologizes and hurries behind the counter, where a guest shows up with a clothes bag. The idea with the "Comfort concept" is to give the guest what they want but skip the unnecessary to keep prices down. There is no room service or minibar. And the laundry? You take care of that yourself in the laundry room which is just behind the barception.
“I have worked in the hotel industry for 10 years, in a variety of roles and must say that the concept is really smart and suits many. It has been an incredible process to finally have been involved in a hotel establishment from the beginning. And now that so much is going to happen in Kista, I think we will find new ways to develop.”
At present, there are 194 modern hotel rooms in the hotel, designed to suit both business travelers and tourists. There is also a restaurant with lounge, a fully equipped gym and a fully equipped podcast studio available to rent for only SEK 50/h. All rooms feature earthy-toned colors and have a private bathroom with shower, air conditioning, desk and TV with Google Chromecast.
A bit of a rebel
From the kitchen, wonderful scents are now beginning to waft out into the large room. It is coming from chef Giovanni, who is preparing lunch for a large conference party. And luckily, Caesar salad over to us editors.
Well, what a genius idea to top the dish with creamy balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions and microgreens. Why do you not serve lunch to the public?
“We have chosen to initially invest in the evening menu, because there are so many other lunch options here in Kista. Many guests go to Kista Galleria’s Foodcourt. If we are to serve lunch, it must be done in the right way. Comfort's DNA is to challenge the norm and be a bit of a rebel, just like Kista. Kista has been a challenger for a long time. It’s shaken up Greater Stockholm's shopping center operations and made a mark on the rest of the Nordic’s technology and innovation centers. In this way, Comfort and Kista belong together,” Robin concludes.
