a Hotel That Does Everything Right

The transformation of Helsinki's once industrial Konepaja district is drawing visitors to this new cultural hub, with hip bars and restaurants - and where the historic Folks Hotel is going full steam ahead.

Where is it?

Konepaja is often described as Helsinki's center of 'urban culture', but that doesn't do justice to the architecture and historic feel of this former industrial zone, famous for building trains in the early 20th century. The district is a striking mix of red brick factory buildings, modern apartments, trendy eateries and cozy coffee shops.

The Puu-Vallila area is on your doorstep; a series of charming streets, lined with quaint little wooden houses built in 1913 for workers, in a garden city-style neighborhood where locals walk their dogs and all traffic is drowned out by birdsong. The bohemian Kallio district is easily reachable on foot, while Helsinki Central Station is a 20-minute tram ride away and there is a simple bus to the airport, although a taxi is even easier.

Style

Built in 1901, the Folks Hotel is the oldest building in the area and was once home to the Pasila Train Factory, which built locomotives for the state railways. The owners have taken care to respect that history, preserving a large ceiling mural painted by railroad workers and stopping the factory clock at the exact time the last worker left the building in the early 1990s.

But it's the modern touches that keep you from feeling like you're sleeping in a museum: the clever neon-lit train tracks running across the brick exterior, quirky antiques and minimalist work by local artists, like former ice hockey player Ville Leino. A touch of the original exposed brick is updated through a clever use of color: slate, rich blue-green, orange, bright yellow. And of course the sauna. The atmosphere is characterful, cozy and authentic, no doubt helped by the fact that the hotel - which opened in October 2020 - has independent Finnish owners, rather than pretending to be all those things while being part of a giant international group. The service is friendly, helpful and very hospitable.

Which room?

The 146 rooms are more than a nod to the Ace hotel chain: the kind of sleek industrial chic aimed at aging hipsters looking to explore emerging areas. If that sounds cynical, it's not: this aging hipster loved the huge factory windows overlooking the adjacent industrial buildings, the wooden floors, the small Smeg fridge and the hygge-worthy soft furnishings.

My boutique room was in the hotel's historic building, opposite the main reception and with that impressive mural of the workers. Despite the industrial past, there was a sense of comfort - with a Tempur bed, soft gray tones, terracotta and white, ceramic murals by Finnish artist Laura Itkonen above the bed and of course a bathrobe and slippers - essential for a visit to the sauna. The hotel also offers rooms for solo travelers - which are becoming increasingly popular in Scandinavia's cities - as well as for couples and families, with bunk beds.

Eat Drink

Eating and drinking is an egalitarian affair at the Folks Hotel. Some rooms have a small kitchen and there is also a large communal kitchen in the main building, with even more Smeg appliances and even equipment if you feel like baking something sweet (well, the Finns like their rice pudding with fruit, to not to mention the national obsession with licorice). There are oils, herbs and guests often purchase common ingredients for use by others once their stay is over - no wonder Finland has been voted the world's happiest country for seven years in a row.

Tapa-style snacks and drinks are available in the lobby bar, at the main reception, and there is a gin and tonic hour most evenings. While in the summer months Bar Alexis opens on the roof, with a curated cocktail menu. But my advice is to go downstairs to the attractive Restaurant Albina, where you can dine from Tuesday to Saturday and where guests can have breakfast every morning. Trust me, even at 8am it feels like you're deep in the bowels of the building - in a good way; dimly lit, with flickering candles reflecting off the exposed white bricks and pipes. Pleasant groups of local friends enjoyed delicious bread, thick butter, pickles, fruity porridge and strong coffee (the only thing the Finns love more than licorice in my experience) together with the guests. It felt like I was invited to an intimate Scandi gathering, rather than a hotel breakfast buffet.

Facilities

Did I mention the sauna? There is also a huge steam room. I had them both to myself and enjoyed the delicious loyly (a Finnish term for the steam rising from the sauna heater) both before breakfast and after dinner - your sauna here isn't just once a day. Cosmetics in these communal areas are from Rituals. There is also a wellness center with a fitness room and a yoga room decorated with fairytale lights. It is also possible to book massages and personal training.

Extracurricular activities

If you visit the Folks Hotel in the summer you might not want to go anywhere: every June the owners organize a free music and food festival on the industrial estate right outside the building, which is becoming a local must.

The location is ideal for walking to the nearby Kallio district, which boasts a huge Art Nouveau church (and where, as a local resident told me, there are sometimes raves), as well as vintage shops, bakeries and picturesque squares where you can still can drink more coffee.

Helsinki Exhibition Center and the Olympic Park are just over a 15-minute walk from the hotel. But to really immerse yourself in the local culture, you can visit one of the many public saunas. Kotiharjun is the only neighborhood sauna that is still heated in a traditional way, with wood. Although Sompasauna is a hippie-esque, community-run waterfront sauna that has to be experienced to be believed - during the winter months I recommend diving into the hole cut out of the ice before heading to the nearby Helsinki Distilling Company walks, into another cool industrial complex of restaurants and bars, to warm up with a local whisky.

Best for...

Explore Helsinki off the beaten track and get a taste of local life.

Details

Rooms at the Folks Hotel Konepaja start at €220 per night, folkshotels.fi