Planning a trip to Scandinavia comes with a lot of decisions. Where to stay, how to book, whether to commit to a membership programme, what the difference between their hotel brands actually is, and whether the all-inclusive formula is worth it. This article answers all of that so you can book with confidence and get the most out of every Strawberry stay.
What Is Strawberry, Exactly?
Strawberry is the largest hotel group in the Nordics, operating over 250 hotels across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and beyond. It’s not a single hotel brand it’s a family of four distinct brands, each designed for a different type of traveller and a different kind of trip.
What ties them together is a consistent set of values: quality, warmth, and a genuine commitment to making every stay feel worth it. Behind the scenes, the group is driven by three pillars People, Planet, and Profit which shape everything from how staff are treated to how sustainable the food sourcing is.
If you’ve ever booked a Comfort Hotel, a Quality Hotel, a Clarion Hotel, or stayed at a Strawberry Collection property, you’ve already experienced the group. If you haven’t yet, here’s what you need to know.
The Four Brands, Which One Is Right for You?
Comfort Hotel
The most accessible tier in the portfolio. Comfort Hotels are practical, well-located, and reliably good clean rooms, solid breakfasts, and easy access to city centres and transport hubs. They’re particularly popular with business travellers and budget-conscious tourists who want a trustworthy base without paying for extras they won’t use.
Best for: Solo travellers, business trips, city breaks on a budget, frequent travellers who prioritise location over luxury.
Quality Hotel
The group’s largest and most versatile brand, with properties ranging from airport hotels to city-centre landmarks. Quality Hotels are known for their inclusive, friendly atmosphere and strong conference and meetings facilities making them a popular choice for both leisure and corporate stays.
What sets Quality Hotel apart is consistency. Whether you’re booking in Oslo, Stockholm, or a smaller regional city, you know what you’re getting: comfortable rooms, good food, and service that doesn’t feel transactional. Best for: Families, groups, business travellers with meetings to attend, anyone who wants reliable quality across a wide range of destinations.
Clarion Hotel
Clarion sits at the upper end of the Strawberry portfolio contemporary, design-conscious hotels in premium city locations, with a strong focus on food, lifestyle, and memorable experiences.
Clarion properties often anchor themselves around excellent restaurants and bars that attract non-guests too, making them genuine destinations rather than just places to sleep. Clarion Hotel The Hub in Oslo, for example, is one of the most distinctive hotels in Scandinavia a towering landmark with a rooftop bar, a serious food programme, and a location that puts you within walking distance of everything the city has to offer. Best for: Style-conscious travellers, couples, foodie-focused breaks, city-centre stays where the hotel itself is part of the experience.
Independent Hotels & Strawberry Collection
This is where things get genuinely exciting. Strawberry’s independent hotels don’t fit neatly into any category they’re one-of-a-kind properties with their own history, design, and personality. The flagship example is Sommerro in Oslo, a restored Art Déco landmark that has become one of the most talked-about hotel openings in Europe in recent years. Rooftop pool. Multiple restaurants. A sauna. A level of design ambition that earns its own press coverage.
The Collection tier offers the highest level of service and the most distinctive settings in the portfolio boutique in spirit, but backed by Strawberry’s scale and operational reliability. Best for: Special occasions, honeymoons, milestone trips, travellers who want something they’ll still be talking about years later.
The So’Inclusive Formula, Is It Worth It?
Strawberry’s So’Inclusive all-in package covers accommodation, meals, drinks, and activities in a single upfront price. It’s available across many Strawberry Family properties and select hotels, and it’s particularly strong at mountain and coastal resort locations.
The honest answer to “is it worth it?” is: it depends how you travel. If you’re visiting a resort destination, travelling with children, or simply want to arrive knowing every cost is already settled, So’Inclusive is excellent value. You won’t find yourself calculating the cost of every drink or activity, which genuinely changes the feel of a holiday. Families especially tend to find that the predictability is as valuable as the savings.
If you’re staying in a city and plan to eat out at different restaurants, explore local food markets, and move around a lot, a standard rate might serve you better. Strawberry’s pricing is transparent, and the website makes it easy to compare both options before you commit.
The Membership Programme, More Valuable Than It Looks
Strawberry’s loyalty programme runs on a currency called Spenn. Every stay, every meal, and every spa visit earns Spenn, which can be used toward future hotel stays or redeemed on Superdeals exclusive offers where members often get up to double the value on their next booking. But the membership goes well beyond points accumulation. Here’s what makes it genuinely worth signing up for:
Free coffee at all Strawberry hotels, any time, as a member. Sounds small. Adds up fast.
Exclusive events concerts, cultural experiences, community dinners, and access to sold-out experiences that aren’t available to general guests. Strawberry Arena access members can book private suite experiences at the arena (formerly Norway’s national football stadium), watching matches from their own suite with food and drink included.
Early access to offers and new openings members are typically first in line for flash sales, seasonal promotions, and new hotel launches. Priority booking during peak periods, which matters enormously around holidays and major events when Strawberry’s most popular properties fill up quickly. The SIBJ+ membership costs nothing to join and the Strawberry Mastercard partnership allows members to earn Spenn on everyday spending, not just hotel stays.
How to Get the Best Value
A few practical tips for getting the most out of Strawberry:
Book direct. Strawberry’s website consistently offers lower rates than third-party platforms the brand is transparent about this and offers a price match if you find it cheaper elsewhere. Members save an additional average of 10% compared to booking through aggregators like Booking.com or Expedia.
Join the membership before you book your first stay. It’s free, and you’ll start earning Spenn from your very first night.
Look at the Superdeals section. These change regularly and can offer exceptional value sometimes up to double the value of your Spenn on specific properties and dates.
Consider midweek stays. Like most hotel groups, Strawberry’s leisure properties tend to be quieter and cheaper from Sunday to Thursday. The weekend premium is real, particularly at the most popular city locations.
Strawberry isn’t just the most convenient way to travel the Nordics; it’s the most rewarding. A membership that grows in value with every stay, four distinct brands for every kind of trip, and a set of values that make you feel good about where your money is going.
Explore the full collection at strawberryhotels.com.