Allow me to introduce you to a unique hotel in Helsinki, Finland, The Glo Art Hotel. The hotel has a castle-like façade, yet has super modern rooms and lovely free perks like wifi and a great breakfast buffet. Read on for a full review, including an in-depth video, on my stay.
I stayed at The Glo Art Hotel in January 2020, before COVID-19 changed the way we travel. This review will reflect my pre COVID-19 travel experience.
The Location
The hotel is located centrally in downtown Helsinki. There are many great restaurants within a 10-15 minute walk, plus all of the top attractions are accessible within a 30-minute walk or less. Helsinki is small and I am the type of traveler who loves to walk everywhere when possible. However, if you are less able, taxis are easy to come by in Helsinki, with several app-based options, including Uber, or you can simply have your hotel call you one.
The Arrival
Upon arrival, I was super impressed by the historic façade of this hotel. The property is a former castle, built in 1903. The check-in was pleasant, with the front desk attendants explaining various hotel amenities and where to find breakfast in the morning.
The Room
The hotel is spread across two buildings and my room was in the second building. I was also the very furthest room from the elevator in the second building, resulting in a several minute walk to get to the main building. While this was not a big deal due to traveling light, if you are less able, you should inquire about this at the time of booking.
The rooms are simple, modern and clean. For a regular room, the bed is on the small size (a full-sized bed), but it is perfectly fine for one. The bed was comfortable, however, I found the pillows to be very flat for my taste, and I like a thin pillow! The room is also on the small size, but again, this was not a issue for me as I was traveling solo. However, if you are traveling as a couple, you may want to opt for a larger room, as the room size means there will be less space for luggage storage, as well as places to hang clothing, etc.
The bathroom is also as expected. Water pressure in the shower is good, although I had a wonky issue with my shower head which resulted in being sprayed in the face despite the shower head facing away from me. Not the most pleasant surprise! However, I did find the size of the bathroom to be good, with some extra places to stash cosmetics, plus plug sockets for the hair dryer, which is always good to see, especially in Europe.
The Breakfast
Breakfast came included with my room rate and I would highly recommend it. The breakfast buffet is expansive, with something for everyone. I loved the freshly baked bread, which was warm. I also enjoyed eggs, bacon and pastries, but there were plenty of healthier options as well, such as fish, fruit, yogurt, and cereal. There was also an entire gluten-free station.
The room where breakfast is served is also lovely. It’s located in the basement, but is wonderfully lit and truly makes you feel like you are dining in a historic castle.
I cheekily filmed the breakfast room in my YouTube video, you can check it out at just after 13:10 in the video: https://youtu.be/u1f1q73meVc
Safety/Security
I had no issues with safety/security while at this hotel. Helsinki is a very safe city overall, but I would add that the hotel rooms come with a safe and the various entrances/exits to the different buildings all require use of your hotel key card.
Final Verdict: Would I Stay Here Again?
In short, yes. I stayed at this hotel for work, which is who paid for the stay. However, depending on the type of trip, I see Glo Art Hotel as a good option in the future if on a solo trip. With breakfast included in my room rate, it had a lot of “bang for your buck” appeal. The central, walkable location was a good perk as well. The staff were also incredibly friendly and helpful, going out of their way to offer me food to go for my early morning flight, plus arrange taxis.
For more information on the hotel: https://www.booking.com/hotel/fi/glo-hotel-art.en.html?aid=7991514&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
For more of my travel blogs and hotel room reviews, click here.
If you want to see an in-depth look at this hotel, a friendly reminder to watch my YouTube video on my stay!