Hotels
Where to stay in Gothenburg: the areas and the best central hotels
You can walk most of Gothenburg, and the trams cover the rest. Even so, the area decides whether you wake up to wooden houses in Haga or with a roller coaster outside the window.
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Here are the areas, who they suit and the hotels we would choose in each.
In short
On a first visit to Gothenburg, stay by Centralstationen or inside Vallgraven, where the shops and canals are. With children, pick Korsvägen by Liseberg, and for cafés and bars, Haga and Linnéstaden are the best fit. Our first choice is Clarion Hotel Post, in the old 1925 post office.
Top picks
Best for a first visit:Clarion Hotel Post, by Centralstationen.
Best for families:Liseberg Grand Curiosa, at the entrance to Liseberg.
Best for couples:Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant, on a side street off Avenyn.
Best for design:Clarion Hotel Draken, the tallest hotel in the city, at Järntorget.
Best for value:Hotel Heden, a few minutes from Liseberg and Avenyn.
The areas at a glance
Centralstationen and Nordstan:for arriving by train and walking everywhere.
Haga and Linnéstaden:for fika and small bars.
Korsvägen and Liseberg:for families and concertgoers.
Lindholmen:across the river, for peace and quiet and a view.
Inside Vallgraven:the centre between the canals, with shops and restaurants.
Avenyn:the main street, for dinner and a late night.
By Centralstationen
The train from Oslo takes three and a half to four hours and stops right in the middle of the city. Stay here and you are at the hotel before you have found the map. Nordstan, the shopping centre with close to 200 shops, is next door.
The downside is that the area is busier than it is pleasant in the evening. The restaurants and bars are further south, towards Avenyn.
Clarion Hotel Post
The pool and bar sit on the roof of the old 1925 post office.
Clarion Hotel Post
The 1925 post office has become a design hotel with an outdoor rooftop pool and a spa. VRÅ is known for seafood and oysters, and Norda serves brunch at weekends. It is our favourite in Gothenburg, and weekends with a concert or trade fair fill up quickly.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Clarion Hotel Post
Hotel Eggers
The bar at the historic Hotel Eggers.
Hotel Eggers
Eggers opened in 1859 and is one of the oldest hotels in Sweden. The white brick building stands right across the street from the station. Inside, chandeliers hang from the ceilings, and the hotel is known for its afternoon tea. It suits couples who prefer history to a rooftop pool.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Hotel Eggers
Haga and Linnéstaden
Haga was laid out in the 1600s as the city's first suburb. Today Haga Nygata is a car free street with small shops and Café Husaren, known for cinnamon buns so big that most people share them. Linnégatan carries on with cafés and vintage shops.
The area lies southwest of Vallgraven, and the tram stops at Hagakyrkan and Järntorget. Here you stay among the locals rather than the tourists.
Draken
Draken at Järntorget is the tallest hotel in the city, with a rooftop bar at the top.
Clarion Hotel Draken
Draken opened in October 2023 at Järntorget and is the tallest hotel in the city, at over 100 metres. The same building houses the classic Draken cinema and Folkets Hus, and the hotel has two restaurants and four bars, one of them on the roof. Haga is next door, and from the rooftop bar you can see the whole city.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Clarion Hotel Draken
Korsvägen and Liseberg
Korsvägen is the tram hub by Liseberg. From here it is a short walk to Liseberg and the Universeum science centre, and Ullevi is not far either. That makes the area the first choice for families and for anyone going to a concert.
One caveat: the Oceana water park at Liseberg caught fire during construction in 2024 and is scheduled to open in 2027. Check its status before you promise the children a water park.
Liseberg
Liseberg Grand Curiosa sits by the southern entrance to Liseberg.
Liseberg Grand Curiosa
Liseberg's own hotel opened in 2023 by the southern entrance to the park and has around 450 rooms. Children can slide down to the lobby, and the family rooms have a separate children's nook with bunk beds and a curtain.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Liseberg Grand Curiosa
Gothia Towers
The three towers at Korsvägen have around 1,200 rooms and stand right across the street from Liseberg, with a tram stop outside. The hotel has a spa and pool, and from the sky bar you look straight down on the park. Gothia Towers is also the city's big conference hotel, so weekdays can be busy with trade fair guests.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Gothia Towers
Hotel Heden
Heden is the more affordable option, by Heden park, a few minutes' walk from both Liseberg and Avenyn. The hotel is simple, with a gym and breakfast. It suits you if you spend the day in the park and only need a bed at night.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Hotel Heden
Lindholmen
Lindholmen lies on the other side of the Göta älv river, just over a kilometre from the centre. The area is newer and quieter than the centre, with views back across the river.
The Pier
The Pier is on Lindholmen, with views back across the river.
Clarion Hotel The Pier
The Pier has three bars and its own yoga studio. The restaurant Fei is run by chef Guowei Zhou and serves Chinese food from several regions. The rooms have views. A good choice if you want quiet evenings and do not mind crossing the river to the centre.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Clarion Hotel The Pier
Inside Vallgraven
Vallgraven is the old moat that frames the city centre. Inside it are the canals, Stora Saluhallen food hall on Kungstorget and the shopping streets around Magasinsgatan. This is where to stay if you want the city right outside the door without the traffic by the station.
Hotel Pigalle
Pigalle has burgundy velvet and a roof terrace on the top floor.
Hotel Pigalle
Pigalle, at Södra Hamngatan 2, has 66 rooms in an old building, with burgundy velvet and interiors reminiscent of a French château. The top floor restaurant has a roof terrace, which is at its best in summer.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Hotel Pigalle
Hotel Flora
Flora sits on Grönsakstorget, close to the canal. The hotel has 70 rooms in a simple, minimalist style, and breakfast is served in the bar. The rooms facing the street are the best. Flora has no parking of its own, so it suits you best if you arrive without a car.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Hotel Flora
Avenyn
Kungsportsavenyn runs from the canal up to Götaplatsen. The street is lined with restaurants and bars, and this is where Gothenburg goes out on a Friday night. Stay on a side street if you want to sleep, not on Avenyn itself.
Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant
Dorsia is at Trädgårdsgatan 6, a side street off Avenyn. The hotel has 30 rooms and seven suites with theatrical interiors, plus a restaurant and spa. Falstaff named it the best boutique hotel in Sweden in its 2026 hotel guide for the Nordics. It suits a romantic weekend.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant
Tips before you book
Check the calendar:Big concerts and the Christmas season at Liseberg fill the city, so book early for those weekends.
Arriving by plane:Landvetter is around 20 kilometres east of the centre, and the airport bus runs into the city.
Arriving by car:Choose a hotel with parking, or use the car park at Nordstan, which is open around the clock.
Frequently asked questions about where to stay in Gothenburg
Which area is best for a first visit to Gothenburg?
Stay by Centralstationen or inside Vallgraven. You can then walk to the canals, the shops around Magasinsgatan and Avenyn, and the train home leaves right outside. Clarion Hotel Post and Hotel Eggers are by the station, while Hotel Pigalle and Hotel Flora are by the canal.
Where should you stay in Gothenburg with children?
Stay at Korsvägen. Liseberg and Universeum are a few minutes away. Liseberg Grand Curiosa has family rooms with bunk beds and a slide down to the lobby. Gothia Towers has the park across the street, and Hotel Heden is a more affordable option nearby.
Where should you stay for nightlife in Gothenburg?
Avenyn has the most restaurants and bars, and Dorsia is on a side street. If you prefer smaller places and bars where the locals go, choose Linnéstaden and Haga. Clarion Hotel Draken at Järntorget has a rooftop bar and sits between the two.
Where should you stay to get in quickly from Landvetter?
The airport bus runs from Landvetter, around 20 kilometres east of the city, into the centre. The hotels by Centralstationen are the easiest to reach, and both Clarion Hotel Post and Hotel Eggers are right by the station. From there you can carry on by tram or on foot to the rest of the city.
Is it a good idea to stay near Liseberg?
Yes, if the trip is about Liseberg, Ullevi or Universeum. Korsvägen has its own tram stops and is a short walk from Avenyn, and Liseberg Grand Curiosa and Gothia Towers are by the park. If you mostly want to shop or eat in the centre, it is better to stay inside Vallgraven or by Centralstationen.