One of Stockholm’s most treasured Art Nouveau buildings is reborn. In its most recent incarnation, the former Ateneum girl’s school has been transformed into the Miss Clara, a first class property from Sweden’s dynamic Nobis Group. Built in 1910, the building has been lovingly restored under the direction of Gert Wingårdh of architecture firm Wingårdhs with a palpable sense of heritage at its core.

All 92 rooms follow the Swedish architect’s unique concept of an outward-facing property, where the windows facing Sveavägen boulevard are treated as ‘center stage’. Here guests can expect a chic intermingling of marble bathrooms, retractable workspaces and contemporary riffs on the property’s Art Nouveau history via furniture pieces and installations. At street-level, a vibrant restaurant and bar thrive on the urban buzz of the evolving Stockholm district, welcoming guests and savvy-locals alike. Conversely, the well-equipped gym, sauna and relaxation lounge easily absorb the bustle of the neighbourhood outside, making this chic bolthole a choice venue for both business and pleasure.

Interior design: MODERN DAY ART NOUVEAU. Inspired by the building’s origins, Wingårdhs’ interiors sympathetically hark back to the Art Nouveau movement, with subtle hints of femininity in a nod to the property’s past as a girls’ school. Swedish materials, such as limestone, oak and natural leather, have been used liberally alongside parquet flooring and arched windows. Specially crafted pieces include in-room storage units that stretch the length of the window wall and incorporate pull-out work desks and luggage storage.

Alessandro Catenacci is the driving force behind many of Stockholm’s top restaurants, nightclubs and hotels. His Italian name may reveal his Roman origins, but a distinctly Scandinavian sense of luxury is obvious in everything Catenacci does. Most of all he hopes to offer guests places where they can feel as comfortable and humbly self-assured as he is. “I sometimes look at myself in the mirror and think, ‘Am I really good at anything, or was it just luck’?”

https://www.designhotels.com/hotels/sweden/stockholm/miss-clara