Katajanokanlaituri 7, Helsinki, Finland | (251) 219-4428
Located one block away from the waterfront and the port
Bright and cheerful guest rooms with wooden floors
On-site restaurant and bar with harbor views plus free breakfast
Fitness center, saunas, and beauty and hair salon
16 flexible meeting and conference rooms
24-hour shop located in the lobby
Children's play area
On-site underground parking (for a fee)
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Pets welcome
Advertised as upscale, rooms lack four-pearl polish
No swimming pool or spa
Limited storage space in some guest rooms
No treadmills in the fitness center
Breakfast service can get crowded
The Scandic Grand Marina is a huge, upper-middle-range hotel with 470 rooms housed in an imposing seven-story red brick building that was built as a warehouse in the 1920s. Located just a block away from the waterfront and Viking Line port, it's popular with tour groups as well as business travelers. The comfortable guest rooms have cheerful decor, with large windows and brightly upholstered furniture, but they fall short of upscale. A generous breakfast buffet is included in room rates, as is access to the sauna and fitness center. Downsides include limited storage space in lower category rooms and no pool or spa facilities. Travelers may also want to consider the upscale Hotel Katajanokka, housed in a former prison that's been converted into a modern hotel.
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Scene
Set in a historical building dating back to the 1920s
Housed in an imposing red-brick building dating back to 1927, the Scandic Grand Marina was originally used as a warehouse for the shipping industry before being converted into a hotel in 1992. The expansive lobby is certainly impressive in size, but it has a generic look and lacks notable decor details or the sense of arrival that one might expect of an upscale hotel, as the hotel is advertised. One corner is occupied by the 24-hour shop, and a carpeted area is arranged with a few contemporary-style sofas. Many of the guests staying here are business travelers attending meetings and events at the hotel's on-site conference facilities, though it also gets some tour groups.
Location
Close to Helsinki city center and the ferry port
Scandic Grand Marina is located a block away from the seafront and within walking distance of the Viking Line cruise ship terminal. There are many other hotels located in the same area, as well as a few restaurants, cafes, and bars. Tourist attractions such as Uspenski Cathedral and the Presidential Palace are walking distance away.- Five-minute walk to Viking Line Port Terminal
Rooms
Bright and cheerful rooms with wooden floors, but decor falls short of upscale
Guest rooms at Scandic Grand Marina are bright and cheery, with blond wood flooring, large sash windows, and colorfully upholstered furniture. Sofas in a teal-colored velour or tan-colored armchairs provide cozy seating. But decor lacks the unified look of an upscale hotel (as they're advertised) with a clash of patterns like stripes, plaid, and diamond-print all fighting for dominance. And some furnishings, like the flimsy nightstands, look a bit cheap. Another downside is the lack of storage space in the lower category rooms, with only small wardrobes provided and an insufficient number of hangers. All rooms have air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs with movie channels, minibars, and coffee- and tea-making facilities. Bathrooms are well-equipped with spacious walk-in showers or shower/tub combos, towel heating racks, magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, and toiletries. The Economy Rooms are a tight squeeze at 172 square feet, especially compared to the 215-square-foot Standard Rooms. Family Standard and Superior Rooms cover 323 square feet of floor space, and include single sofa beds. Superior Extra Rooms have double sofa beds and include a few extras like bathrobes, FACE Stockholm toiletries, and trouser presses. The Junior Suites have a separate living space, and the top floor Presidential Suite features saunas.
Features
Free breakfast buffet, on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, saunas, and lots of conference space
Another place where Scandic Grand Marina falls short is on its on-site features. Unlike similar properties, it has no swimming pool or spa. The most notable amenity is the expansive breakfast buffet (included in room rates) with a wide selection of both hot and cold breakfast foods. It's served in the on-site restaurant -- Makasiini -- and guests sometimes have to wait for a table. Dinner is also served here, and the attached bar is open in the afternoons and evenings and offers scenic views over the harbor.The on-site fitness center has low-ceilings and feels confined and cramped, but has a good selection of fitness and weight equipment, including stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, a rowing machine, weight machines, and free weights -- but no treadmills. The hotel also has separate saunas for men and women.Business features include 16 flexible meeting and conference rooms that can accommodate up to 1,500 people, with the largest meeting room having space for 600. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. Other on-site services include a beauty and hair salon, a children's play area, and a 24-hour shop. Free bicycles are available for guests, and the hotel has an on-site underground parking lot (for a fee). Pets are welcome.
