Even though I only have 24 hours in Helsinki, fortunately, that short time included a 1-night stay in the city. Scandic Grand Marina was where we spend our first and only night in Helsinki. I rarely approve hotels selected by a group travel company, because they usually not that good. Just “meh” standard. But on rare occasion, some of the hotels are truly that good and this is one of them!
Warehouse Chic
We arrived late at night after a long-haul flight with Qatar (the flight-time story coming soon!). At first, I was kinda skeptical about this hotel because how quiet the street was. It seems like it was located far far away from the city center but I was totally wrong. It takes less than 15 minutes from Senate Square which is unbelievably near!
First things that caught my eyes was building. It was originally a warehouse that they refurbished into a hotel. So from the outside, it still has the iconic brick wall and arched industrial windows. I personally loved the industrial mood (hence the narcissistic portrait). The brick wall ticked the essential requirement of an “Instagrammable” background. 😜
Other than that, the interior is modern and sleek that shows from the moment we walked in into the lobby area. Since we are a group, it took longer for them to check us in. But the lobby provides enough sitting place which also a cozy area for hanging around or just to sit.
The Room
The room itself was quite spacious with a high ceiling, courtesy of the original warehouse design. But other than, everything was pretty simple. The bed was alright, nothing special. I do like the pop of red sofa that spice up otherwise could be a boring room. They also have a desk in the room whom a business traveler might appreciate.
Talking about the bathroom, it was clean and nicely lighted. No more doing your makeup in dimmed light, ladies! All the basic toiletries were provided. The water heater was working as well which is necessary for Finland, I might say. Nothing to complain about the room or the bathroom from my end.
Big Breakfast!
Now it was time for the most important meal of the day, breakfast. This hotel provides wide selections of things to choose from. By wide, I mean GREAT selections of foods. The breakfast took place at their restaurant, just across the reception area. There were plenty of tables so no need to worry about not getting a table or to have to wait for turns because who like wait for their breakfast??
Taste-wise it was okay. I did not think it was the best cooks, but the number of choices definitely beat that. Who can remember the taste of their salad when you have eaten at least 3 types of salad not counting the dressing? The beverages area was also pretty impressive with a massive selection of tea only.
Their breakfast/restaurant area was also pretty comfy and again, looks great in pictures. Or at least on my Instagram feeds. Good food and good place, thumbs up from me.
Pros & Cons
Now below are the list of pros and cons of staying at this hotel. But this is coming from me who only had a 1-night stay at this hotel. Maybe if I stayed longer the list could have been different, that could possibly happen.
Pros
Spacious. From the high ceiling to the spacious place, you got all the extra spaces that you need. I think we all can appreciate the extra space needed to spread out our suitcases inside the room, am I right?
Location. The location was also strategically located, just a walk away from the main tourist’s destinations. 12 mins walking to the Senate Square and less than 10 mins to the Market Square.
Peaceful atmosphere. I literally quote that from their website which proven to be true. Even the street in front of the hotel was quiet, or should I say dead at night.
Picturesque place. Okay, this point might not be relevant to everybody but everyone can agree by having a nice looking place to stay will helps with your mood. And if you are a photo enthusiast like me then you will appreciate this even more. Nuff said about this.
Cons
Not having the easiest access. The only con that I can think of is probably even tho the location is near the center but it still is not in the center which could be a slight problem if you are the type who likes to go around and grab something (to eat) in the middle of the night. And also if you are party animals, didn’t see any party scene around here.
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Conclusion
To be honest, I couldn’t really think much of the cons of this hotel. It could be due to the short stay but I genuinely think this hotel ticked all the basic things that I need. The location could have been closer but with the price this hotel offers than I think it is reasonable. But for some people, having a quiet place is better so at the end it was down to personal preferences.
I have a pleasant stay in Scandic Grand Marina and also in Helsinki even tho we only have 24 hours here. Much things to see, so little time! But nonetheless, I was beyond excited to share more of the trip with you guys. So stay tuned for more and don’t miss the 24 hours in Helsinki Travel Journal! Until then, hei hei!
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