Merikasarminkatu 1 A, Helsinki, Finland | (888) 252-0567
Former prison converted
into modern hotel with charming rooms
Free hot and cold
breakfast including fruits, meats, cheeses, and Karelian pies
Pub on-site with board
games and two plasma TVs
Rustic Scandinavian restaurant
with a seasonal patio and children’s playroom
24-hour fitness center
Free sauna use on weekend mornings
Free Wi-Fi
Pet-friendly for a fee
A bit far from city center
without many restaurants and shops nearby
Room windows are small
Fee for parking
For guests who want to experience what it’s like to spend a night in the slammer without ever having to break the law, the upscale Hotel Katajanokka offers a unique experience. The building formerly housed a prison, but now offers 106 modern, charming rooms with stylish bathrooms and stocked minibars. It's a bit far from the city center, though there's a streetcar stop just outside. The hotel offers a free breakfast buffet, a Scandinavian restaurant and pub (with patio seating in the summer), and a 24-hour fitness center.
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Scene
Historic brick prison-turned modern hotel
With the earliest parts of the building dating back to 1837, the building now housing the Hotel Katajanokka formerly served as a county prison and pre-trial detention center. The prison was closed in 2002, and re-opened as the current hotel in 2007. Brick walls surround the sturdy building, and inside the modern lobby, prison-themed souvenirs are for sale, including iconic black-and-white striped inmate replica shirts. Guests get more of the incarcerated experience in the Jailbird restaurant on-site, with few windows, brick walls, metal-grated ceilings, and meals served on metal plates. Unlike most working prisons, there’s a pub in the cellar serving up beer and wine, but the bars on the windows provide a clever jailhouse touch.
Location
Residential neighborhood about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown
Hotel Katajanokka is located in a quiet, residential neighborhood southeast of the city. There’s a streetcar stop just outside the hotel, and the restaurants and shops of downtown can be reached within 15 to 20 minutes via public transportation. The airport is just under a half hour drive, and it’s a five- to 10-minute walk to Katajanokan Terminal, which has regular ferry connection to Stockholm and Tallinn.
Rooms
Prison-cell converted rooms with modern furnishings
As one might suspect of prison-cell converted spaces, some of the rooms at Hotel Katajanokka are smallish with small windows. However, modern furnishings, like chic patterned wallpaper and trendy lamps with gray drum shades, dilute any semblance of punishment. Some rooms have wooden floors while others have colorful striped carpeting, and all rooms have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and coffee/tea facilities. Bathrooms have black-and-gray tile schemes, rain showerheads in shower/tub combos, pedestal sinks, and makeup mirrors. A Junior Suite with a private sauna is available.
Features
Free breakfast with hot items, restaurant and bar, and 24-hour fitness center
The
hotel provides a free breakfast including fruits, meats, cheeses, and Karelian
pies. There’s a Scandinavian restaurant on-site with a children’s playroom
and a seasonal outdoor terrace with live music. Beer, wine, and board games are
available in the bar. There’s a small 24-hour fitness center in a basement-like
room with a few machines and hand weights. The hotel imposes a fee for parking and pets. Bicycles are available for rent, and
the hotel can arrange for guests to have walking tours. Five spaces are
available for private events. There's a traditional Finnish sauna, which guests can use for free on weekend mornings, or book ahead for use at other times.
