Roger

dant: Last time I stayed at the Scandic Copenhagen, it was the Copenhagen Sheraton (!)

AndrewM

Great news!
Any property in Stockholm comparable to the Sheraton in downtown??


AndrewM


[This message has been edited by AndrewM (edited 04-24-2001).]

gwade

What are peoples' general impressions of the Sandic chain? Are they nice hotels, with nice ammentities? Do they have luxury properties? What Hilton chain are they comparable to? I will be in Stockholm in June, and would love to get my Hilton points, so suggestions would be great!

JPH

Scandic chain is positioned in my finnish mind somewhere 'mid-class' to 'lower mid-class'. Scandic properties are quite diversified, some of their hotels are like Hampton Inns and Embassy Suites, some match Hiltons, but the service level is typically lower than in Hiltons. I am interested to see what happens to some wonderful hotels in Helsinki that are now partly 'degraded' with Scandic's lower service concept.

Re Stockholm I would recommend Continental or Sergel Plaza, they are quite near Hilton-level. Quite a many Stockholm's Scandics are outside the city.

JPH


[This message has been edited by JPH (edited 04-27-2001).]

whynotniwot

JPH,

Do you know anything about the Helsinki Scandic Simonkentta? I believe it is fairly new. I will be staying there for 7 days in a couple of weeks.

Thanks.

R2

Scandic Simonkentta in Helsinki was built less than a year ago so everything is new and clean. It is a modern hotel, a bit impersonal but really a good upper middle class hotel. I've only stayed there once, in a top floor mini suite with sauna and balcony, nice room, although a bit small for a suite.

IMHO, by far the best hotel in Helsinki is the Kamp, and you can often get really good value rates by phoning them directly. (I think they have a lot of difficulties getting enough customers with 'normal rates'.

JPH

You are right, the hotel is almost new and the rooms are 'scandinavian' styled (at least the one I have seen). The location is great, everything is within the walking distance, but the view from most rooms is towards the bus station where they are making some construction work at the moment.

I personally would prefer Scandic Marski, which went thru a major renevation last year and has even a better location than Simonkentta or Scandic Grand Marina, if you prefer more a kind of seaside setting a little bit outside the busiest center. If you take Grand Marina, ask for room from the highest floor with a seaside view, you can see the Helsinki harbour and watch the ferries leaving and arriving the harbour, it is always impressive to see how those big ferries manage to turn in such a small space.

BR
JPH

[This message has been edited by JPH (edited 05-03-2001).]

Jetboy

Ive stayed in Scandic simonkenttä, Scandic marski and Hotel Kämp(a luxury collection property), and i would recommend hotel Kämp.

Simonkenttä is very nice and fresh but still a bit impersonal, and the suite i had in marski...well...hardly was close to nice...

cheers jetboy

JPH

Kämp is Starwood property and as you said it is part of the Luxury Collection. It can be hardly compared with Simonkenttä since the price per night is double. I agree that Kämp is currently the best 'chain' hotel in Helsinki. Also the new Radisson SAS Plaza is OK. Did you stay in Marski during the last year or so, I really thought they renovated the hotel totally?

Unfortunately Helsinki is missing small 'boutique' hotels that large cities normally have. I think the only one that comes even close of not being 'impersonal' is Hotel Lord.

BR
JPH

Jetboy

I stayed in Marski early this year, and was not impressed with the 2 room "suite" with windows facing an inner courtyard..

cheers jetboy

El Cochinito

Last week I stayed for a few days at the Scandic Hotel Continental Helsinki in one of their upgraded Ambassador Rooms. The location was a bit out of the way but the trams stopped near the hotel. I had a nice enough room, but no view. No complaints.

whynotniwot

Thanks for all of the replies about the Simonketta. I don't have a choice on the hotel, my meetings are all taking place at this site. Is it easy to get to from the airport? One posting said it was across from the bus station. I thought there was a bus from the airport to the city center.

Also, what is the price difference between a regular room and a "suite with sauna"?

Thanks.

whynotniwot

Also, what does "scandanavian sytled" mean?

JPH

Well, very simplistic and minimalistic style without any 'extras', some refer to 'stylish design'. However it is not luxurious. I think there is one furniture chain that pretty much represents the 'scandinavian' style: IKEA.

BR
JPH

[This message has been edited by JPH (edited 05-07-2001).]

Roger

What's the present position? Is Scandic part of Hilton?

If so, when we can we reserve rooms? I just checked hilton.com looking for a Swedish hotel, and none is on the system.

Thanks.