Finland Helsinki Holiday Inn City West

[Romelle]

I thought I'd review this hotel while I was still at it, and using a feature I was delighted to find offered - free internet machines! In the Business Center. Clean, fast, wonderful machines. A great perk!!

The room is very nice too. Big comfortable king bed, choice of various pillows, drapes that really close (especially good right now since there is almost zero night). No nonsense about a mini-bar with charges ending up on your bill for things you didn't take. Just a very frank empty refrigerator in which I can keep my milk and yogurt and fresh cherries and chocolate and ... Without having to move all those little over-priced bottles and bags of stuff I know I won't use, but the move triggering some alarm and causing those charges.

Tea and coffee maker and supplies. Good reading lights. CNN, CNBC and a British station. Oh, yeah, some sports channels and probably some other things of interest to others. Anyway, lots of channels and some of them are English.

Dark wood floors, tile entryway, spacious shower, good water pressure, truly cold water to drink and hot for bathing, etc. Attractive art work. Spotlessly clean.

The place might seem a little remote and isolated at first, but both a Metro stop and a tram stop are just over a block away straight out the front door. For 2 Euros one can ride public transportation here for an hour. From this hotel, it is only two stops to the very core of Helsinki, and the running time is only 5 minutes. On the other hand, it is a good character-building hike. The tram arcs roughly north and east to the general area of the Olympic stadium, and continues on from there or you can transfer to a number of other trams to go elsewhere. The overall public transportation here is excellent - clean, fast, regular, etc. Good coverage of the entire area. There are buses too, but I haven't tried them.

A couple very nice grocery stores between the tram/Metro and the hotel and some other shopping opportunies. Just down the block is a Hesburger, Finland's rough equivalent to McD (but I think much better). Further past the tram/metro stops is a nice neighborhood with some interesting and attractive restaurants.

Breakfast is not included at the Priceline rate, but that mostly just saves me from over-eating so could be considered a benefit.

The front desk treated me cheerfully and kindly, speaking English as soon as I greeted them with a "Helllo".

Romelle