Story

Is Hobo a boutique hotel in Brunkebergstorg in central Stockholm, with unique design and a vibrant social scene? Yes, it is. But it’s also far more than that.

Hobo is our idea of community. A place where we live, work, create, learn and have fun together. We believe that traveling should be more than just a place to stay. It should be an immersive experience; something that connects you with the city and its culture, its local community. At Hobo, this philosophy has been our guiding light since day 1. This hotel was founded with the goal of being a home for the young at heart and the constantly curious. A conceptual hotel that retains its authenticity and remembers the importance of genuine hospitality.

Growing originally like a living creature, the Hobo of today has evolved into a hotel and creative melting-pot. Here, you’ll find 201 hotel rooms for every taste, plus a restaurant, a bar, the event space 5EMMAN, the renowned restaurant/bar/club/local hang TAK, our pop-up area SPACEby, and much, much more. And – soon you’ll find a Hobo in Helsinki, Oslo, and Copenhagen as well.

In the 1800s, the square of Brunkebergstorg was a busy retail center filled with boutiques, restaurants and entertainment venues. Fast forward a decade or two, and Brunkebergstorg had fallen out of vogue. This was the perfect setting for newcomer Hobo. 

The Hobo Hotel concept was founded in 2017, when we opened our first site: Hobo Stockholm. The home to this first iteration, Brunkebergstorg in Stockholm, was part of a completely new block, constructed in the heart of the city. A dormant, forgotten part of the city was transformed into a vibrant square.

Since the start, one thing has been certain about our concept: it is ever-evolving, mirroring and growing together with its city. When standing at a crossroad, Hobo picks the unexpected route. This will never change.

The name was inspired by the traveling lifestyle of 1930s USA. The word “hobo” has been used since the 1930s to describe a person who enjoys traveling. The lifestyle involved an active choice to travel from town to town to find work; hobos had no fixed address. Instead, they preferred to travel, discover new places and to work wherever they arrived. Hobos followed strict rules, such as directing their own lives, respecting the locals, respecting the environment of the towns they traveled to – and, if you couldn’t find a job, you created one using your own talents.

For us, “hobo” means a thoughtful, socially-aware and curious person. Someone who sees themselves as a world-citizen. Though we’ve taken our name from history, we strive to be progressive, and are always mindful of the future being our greatest inspiration.

Intentions don’t matter – actions do. At Hobo, we prioritize both people and planet through our dedicated sustainability program WeCare. We take responsibility for our actions, both inside and outside our doors, by giving back to our community and society. This gives everyone in our building, regardless of their position, the opportunity to make a difference. That can include working with our hydroponic plant system, promoting the sustainable food in the restaurant and our cleaning system where we only clean upon request. All of this contributes to the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral company. 

→ Lonely Christmas Tree

→ National Pride activations

→ Collabs with smaller, local brands and artists

→ A wide diversity in our teams

→ Cleaning on request

→ Reducing food waste

→ Vegetarian menus

→ Hi-tech gardening

→ A wide range of natural wine

→ Local brewery collaborations

→ Second hand markets