nsr

Just spent there a few nights last week. The staff there was extremely friendly. One of them even showed me the new rooms they are offering as of next week (more modern and clean design).
Renovation had zero effect on us, in terms of noise. They have two main sections, south-wing and east-wing. We stayed at the south-wing (as the west-wing was under construction), and as of next week (as far as I was told) they will open the west-wing and close the south-wing for renovation.

We booked the King Executive Room just to secure lounge access but eventually got a regular King room (we checked-in very early and only regular rooms were available at the 5th floor). We were told that all rooms are identical so no big deal, and as Gold we eventually got both breakfast and lounge access (located next to the restaurant).

Breakfast was served at the restaurant only, and the lounge was open after breakfast, 11am to 11pm.

They have a few bikes you can take for free for the day (first come first serve). It made our visits to the city center fast and simple (weather was great during our entire stay).

On our last day, they upgraded us to a panoramic suite which was pretty nice.

Overall, nice hotel with very friendly staff and now with the new rooms, it's going to be even better.

bj27

Thanks for the review. Did you get a chance to try the EL breakfast and restaurant breakfast, and any comments to share? Will be staying here in a couple weeks.

I emailed the hotel and they said their King Guest Room Plus (which we booked) categories will be refurbished by the time we arrive, so just curious to how the breakfast offerings are.

teemuflyer

I was there in February, and breakfast was a typical buffet spread with eggs, meats, variety of cereals and fruits, from what I can recall..

bj27

Oops. Guess I didn't read thoroughly. My mistake. Thanks.

bj27

Just arrived yesterday at this property and the renovation is in full swing... The atrium and original restaurant are being completely gutted and it looks like 2/3s of the rooms are being renovated top to bottom as well.

The lobby is much smaller feeling since walls have been put up to shield guests from the construction but once you step into the glass elevators you can see everything. They only have one wing open right now, but everything has been redone.

It's quite nice actually--we got a King Guest Room Plus and it faces the harbour and is a decently sized room. Everything is very Scandinavian/standard-Hilton now, and I must emphasize that nearly everything in the room is brand new. New beds, new tables, new plugs, completely new bathroom, lots of wood-laminate common in Scandinavian design. When we walked in the room it immediately "smelled" brand new. ^

Bathroom is white and charcoal grey, and rooms are now grey and blues with bronze colored lamps. Very clean and modern design, and feels very Hilton. I will post pictures when I get a chance and am back state-side.

It looks like all the rooms they have available right now are renovated rooms, and as such they are "booked full" since 2/3s of the hotel is not available.

The EL is on the second floor, with water views and (demolished) atrium views. Offerings are okay--hot items were pork tenderloin last night, salmon (really good) tonight. Onion rings, sparse cheese plate, salad (lettuce last night, pasta salad tonight) with variety of other offerings (roasted red peppers, roasted zucchini, cold mushroom salad, beets, etc.). Not bad.

We actually made dinner from the EL offerings last night having traveled all day. Spirits selection is good--Finlandia, Bacardi, Bailey's, Hennessy.

Breakfast is okay--not great, but passable. I have nothing to compare the EL and breakfast offerings to since this is my first visit. The renovation doesn't bother us and is quite interesting to see, actually.

Will post pictures and a full-report when back from vacation.

robbeck1

Just did 3 nights, 14-17 August. Atrium totally gutted, front entrance too. Many rooms on virtually every floor also gutted, viewed from the glass elevators. Temp restaurant on 2nd floor had 3 diners including me Friday night; food OK. Only breakfast is here, about 1/2 - 2/3 Hilton usual standards. Temp EL on 2nd floor looks and acts very temp. No pool/gym until very late 2015 according to notice. Staff coping, but updated notices of what's available and what's not should be given at check-in and wasn't. Guest services book in the room is simply the old one. I stayed at the Hilton Millenium Seoul during renovations a few years ago and they did a much better job. Too many good (Scandic) options nearby to put up with this.

SPBanker

Just checked into Hilton Helsinki Strand for one night. We were upgraded to King Executive Room, and the renovated rooms look very nice.







As noted, Atrium is completely gutted, but one can already see the new color scheme.



Temporary EL looks OK, will report back about the offerings. In the afternoon coffee, soda and sparkling water on offer. Food 18:00-20:30, drinks 18:00-21.45.

teemuflyer

Just stayed here for 6 nights. Today, the new Lobby Bar should have opened. Looked very nice with Art Deco lamps and comfortable furnishings abound. The funny thing was that for at least 3 days when we took the elevator either up or down, we'd see the staff in training from above them.. They got a lot of sampling too, so I hope they enjoyed the "mandatory" training all day long!

The Sauna and pool were also already open, but not the permanent fitness center. That should be after Christmas.

We had a renovated (of course) Exec room on the 7th floor with the bed facing the sea view. Very nice waking up to that even if the sun wasn't up yet. Plenty of space and nice work desk area behind the bed for all the electronics etc.

The staff was extremely friendly and excited by the renovations being completed soon.

As a first world problem, my only complaint was the excessive use of onions, which I do not like at all, on most of the HH offering in the EL. Felt compelled to mention that to the nice EL manager.

Will definitely be back.

TravellerFrequently

I will be returning in a couple of months.

Any recent feedback on the pool (hopefully with sensible opening hours) and Executive Lounge please?

Q400

Hi TravellerFrequently,

I stayed during the NY and can confirm that the pool was open until 10pm. Happy hour is now only from 5pm-7pm (used to be 6pm-10pm) and closes 11pm.

Hope this helps,
Q400

pauleeepaul

Well that's a bummer.

TravellerFrequently

Thanks Q400.

Were you impressed with the renovation - rooms, lounge etc?

Agreed.

The previous arrangement was great!

FFlash

Well think positive Based on pictures in other thread it seems the lounge food&drinks are not much more than appetizers to get you in "upwards mood" after a work day and later you go for a dinner elsewhere

If the happy hours were later, then at least Finnish people would not go for dinner but instead stay two hands glued in the free disneyland destillery

pauleeepaul

With the relatively late closing hours I used to go out to dinner during the week and get back in time for a nightcap in the EL. IIRC they had an (inexpensive but not awful) port wine on offer.

For better or worse with the demise of the big N my days of being in Helsinki 8-9 times per year are over.

LassiJ

And although the sign in the lounge nowadays says "Open bar Mon - Sun 5pm until 9pm" it means only wine and beer is available until 9pm. The drinks can be ordered between 5 - 7pm.
http://1drv.ms/1mQtKhY

Copying my short "review" from an other thread from February:

"The Executive lounge is now back up at the 7th floor after the renovation which was completed this January.
Though there are still signs apologising the interior design is not yet ready so the furniture might still change there.

The evening hors d'oeuvre time of the lounge have now changed to one hour earlier starting at 5pm and while food and while the free ordering of drinks ends at 7pm the wines and beer with the soft drinks and snacks stay there until 9pm.
The limited selection of drinks and hard liquor have to be now ordered from the lounge attendant who is often away for a long time or busy and almost reluctant to bring any drinks although I only ordered one gt during the whole time being there.
As a very positive surprise the wine selection included sparkling wine.

Gold members were offered breakfast downstairs which has been very nicely renovated.

Some pictures:
http://1drv.ms/1mQtAqW
http://1drv.ms/1mQtEqC
http://1drv.ms/1mQtPCc
http://1drv.ms/21EllBr
http://1drv.ms/1mQv5p8
http://1drv.ms/1mQvcB5
http://1drv.ms/21ElKUu


Sauna and pool area at the 8th floor seems to be more or less as it was before the renovation. The fish tank "in" the pool is nice:
http://1drv.ms/1mQujIy "