Resort Katajanokka Helsinki assessment: Former jail turned luxurious lodge

What’s the Resort Katajanokka in Helsinki?

Helsinki’s Resort Katajanokka is a former jail transformed right into a 106-room luxurious Marriott property below the Tribute Portfolio. It’s positioned on Katajanokka Island, a 10-minute stroll from Helsinki’s central market. The previous jail cells have been transformed into trendy rooms with Nordic design and sauna entry.

In-built 1837, the lodge has a wealthy historical past and was often called Finland’s most infamous jail till its closure in 2002. There are various tales of overcrowding and dilapidated situations, with the transformed lodge rooms now designed to sleep one or two folks beforehand cramming as much as seven folks in a single cell.

Marriott has finished an excellent job at preserving the distinctive historic character of the jail while updating the interiors to the requirements of a four-star lodge. Clicking by way of the gallery under exhibits you the earlier than and after views.

The lodge determined to maintain one former customary and one group cell intact, which is actually haunting that individuals could be saved in a chilly basement within the throes of a Finnish winter.

These days, you will discover the unique red-brick boundary wall and the property itself to really feel cozy and approachable, with plush carpet all through and Nordic design parts resembling curved furnishings and uncovered lighting fixtures.

Methods to guide the Resort Katajanokka in Helsinki

Money charges, together with taxes and costs, have a tendency to sit down round 150 euros ($164) per night time. They’ll get right down to 130 euros ($142) for off-peak dates and attain 240 euros ($253) throughout busier intervals.

The room design is poor

Let’s begin with the positives. My room was extra spacious than I had anticipated. That is helped by the truth that the unique 164 cells have been transformed into 106 rooms.

In your room, you will discover a cozy king-sized mattress with 4 snug pillows and light-weight, breathable sheets. I did discover it shocking that there was just one cover reasonably than two separate ones, as you will discover in lots of northern European international locations. Nevertheless, it’s extra widespread to discover a two-duvet setup in Scandinavian international locations (Denmark, Sweden and Norway).

Now let’s get onto the less-than-ideal design options. The lounge under is uncomfortable and wastes house that could possibly be used for a extra purposeful bench, studying chair or space for storing. You will get a typical work desk, however the chair sacrifices consolation for design — it was uncomfortable to sit down right here for a number of hours while I used to be working.

Shifting into the lavatory, you will discover a bathe with weak water stress that leaks water onto the ground as a result of absence of a display masking greater than a 3rd of the shower-bathtub. The bathe merchandise (physique wash, shampoo and conditioner) are positioned on the other facet of the vainness, which is not sensible for utilizing these merchandise while you’re showering.

A small gripe, however just one tissue was left within the tissue field upon my arrival and no alternative field was available.

The water stress is so weak that the bidet doesn’t operate appropriately. And should you swipe to the ultimate photograph within the gallery under, you will see a number of wasted house within the lavatory.

Now to the component of my keep that precipitated probably the most friction — and is a typical criticism on aggregator assessment websites about this lodge: the shortage of airflow.

Clearly, this can be a former jail and, as such, has high-placed home windows with little air flow. Plus, it isn’t as widespread to have air-con in Europe (particularly northern international locations) in comparison with right here within the U.S. Nevertheless, for a four-star lodge, it’s poor to not have a method in place to make sure company’ consolation when sleeping at your property.

Upon arriving to my room, I began sweating as a result of lack of air-con or any ceiling or desk followers within the room. I referred to as the reception and the pleasant supervisor got here to manually open the excessive home windows. She stated this was a typical request, however I might’ve favored to have been proactively suggested about it at check-in. It is referred to as expectation administration.

The utmost daytime temperature through the 4 days I used to be in Helsinki was 77 levels Fahrenheit and it dropped to a minimal of 65 in a single day. I discovered it laborious to sleep every of the three nights I stayed right here, which might be the primary cause I might not suggest staying at this lodge.

Should you do find yourself staying right here in the summertime (and even in different seasons when it might nonetheless get stuffy inside), listed here are three tricks to quiet down your room:

• Ask the workers to open your home windows (however know that they typically shut with the wind and expose you to the sound of close by trams whereas sleeping).
• Request a small desk fan from reception (this did one thing however little or no to rectify the issue).
• Ask for a room dealing with east or north to keep away from the afternoon and night solar.

Or simply do not stay right here. There are better-value properties within the metropolis and you may all the time simply stroll in to tour the constructing and former cells as a day customer by yourself.

Rounding out the room, you will get a typical storage closet with one door that does not open totally as a result of the mattress is in the best way (who designed this lodge renovation?).

There’s additionally a minibar with prompt espresso and tea (I might count on an espresso machine in a four-star lodge, particularly one in coffee-obsessed Finland) and a few tender drinks, beer and wine for buy.

Scrumptious meals is the lodge’s foremost draw

“Probably the greatest breakfasts on the town” is what one native I began chatting with while visiting the town’s central market advised me. All the opposite locals I got here into contact with throughout my keep knew in regards to the jail/lodge’s historical past and had visited for a meal, too.

The breakfast spotlight within the lodge’s sole restaurant, Linnankellari, are the drinks, with probably the most tea varieties I’ve ever seen at a lodge and a self-serve espresso machine. (Do you know Finns devour probably the most espresso per capita of anybody on the planet, brewing over 26 kilos annually?)

Along with the common cold and hot choices you’d anticipate finding at any customary chain lodge worldwide (like scrambled eggs, toast, cheeses and oatmeal), you will additionally discover northern European parts like seeds, berries and darker breads like rye on provide, in addition to all kinds of choices for many who keep away from gluten and dairy.

Breakfast is served from 7-10 a.m. on weekdays and 8-11 a.m. on weekends. It prices adults 17 euros ($19) as a lodge visitor (25 euros/$27 as a customer) and 12 euros ($13) for youngsters aged 4-11, and is free for youngsters below 3.

Whereas breakfast is served at nighttime, dingy basement year-round (not the perfect place to begin your day, for my part), you possibly can make the most of the attractive terrace on heat summer time days and nights by having lunch or dinner on the market.

The situation is quiet

This lodge is positioned smack bang in the midst of Katajanokka Island, a quiet, largely residential space positioned east of the town middle. While there’s a (costly) grocery store a five-minute stroll away, there’s a full lack of eating places and outlets within the space.

As such, you will wish to enterprise out more often than not right here, with Senate Sq. and the Esplanade a 10-minute stroll away. You can too lease bikes from the lodge for five euros ($5.50) a day.

Katajanokka is a big cruise port, so you will deal with plenty of cruise passengers alongside the waterfront simply two blocks away from the lodge. Nevertheless, the upside is that it’s simple to get on a day cruise to Tallinn, Estonia (a very talked-about choice when visiting Helsinki) or take one of many ferries touring all through the town.

The spotlight by far for me was visiting the Allas Sea Pool on a shocking summer time’s day. It is a seven-minute stroll from the lodge and options two outside swimming pools and indoor saunas. Entry prices 18/22 euros ($20/24) for a weekday/weekend go to.

Trying out

Was it novel to remain in a former-prison-turned-luxury-hotel? 100% sure. Would I keep right here once more or suggest it to another person? No.

The Resort Katajanokka is an attention-grabbing relic from the previous to go to for a meal and wander across the former jail cells. However that is one thing you are able to do as a customer coming from different (better-value) lodging positioned nearer to downtown. As a visitor, I might’ve most well-liked to have simply visited for a drink or a meal reasonably than feeling considerably uncomfortable staying right here for 3 nights.