Crowne Plaza Helsinki Hesperia (Master Thread)
#47
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ohio
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 396
I just stayed here a couple weeks ago.
Just booked a regular room, it was a sweet dilemma stay actually.
I am platinum and was given a club room at check in.
Very pleased with that, loved the lounge. It was an excellent stay.
Hotel is about a 15min walk to the main area though.
I actually stayed at the Holiday Inn right there at the train station also
and I loved that hotel as well. If it just had a lounge that
hotel would be perfect. Honestly if you don't think you will use
the lounge much I would stay at the HI. Location is amazing.
And you would think being by all those trains and bus's it would
be noisy but it was soooo quiet, I slept wonderful. I did
miss the lounge at the CP though
Overall you cant go wrong with either hotel. Just 1 is closer and 1 has a lounge. Helsinki a great city as well.
Just booked a regular room, it was a sweet dilemma stay actually.
I am platinum and was given a club room at check in.
Very pleased with that, loved the lounge. It was an excellent stay.
Hotel is about a 15min walk to the main area though.
I actually stayed at the Holiday Inn right there at the train station also
and I loved that hotel as well. If it just had a lounge that
hotel would be perfect. Honestly if you don't think you will use
the lounge much I would stay at the HI. Location is amazing.
And you would think being by all those trains and bus's it would
be noisy but it was soooo quiet, I slept wonderful. I did
miss the lounge at the CP though
Overall you cant go wrong with either hotel. Just 1 is closer and 1 has a lounge. Helsinki a great city as well.
#48
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tonbridge
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 2,034
I'm staying at the CP at the end of the month. I only booked a standard room as there was a 2-4-1 available, couldn't pass that up. Hopefully I'll get upgraded with lounge access, fingers crossed!
Darkhunter, I assume you were given lounge access as a free upgrade? That is nice, many properties will just upgrade the room without the lounge.
Darkhunter, I assume you were given lounge access as a free upgrade? That is nice, many properties will just upgrade the room without the lounge.
#51
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,041
how does this hote compare(location and otherwise) with HI HELSINKI CITY CENTRE (same 2-4-1 price but you can book an Exec Room so need hoping for an upgrade)
Furthermore, HELSINKI - WEST RUOHOLAHTI is cheaper but seems to be in the outskirts although it is supposed to be near Ruoholahti metro station
how near?
Furthermore, HELSINKI - WEST RUOHOLAHTI is cheaper but seems to be in the outskirts although it is supposed to be near Ruoholahti metro station
how near?
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
IIRC Helsinki used to have two ICs back in the early 90s. Always wondered how a city this small could sustain two high-end ICs. So are any of these current CPs or HIs former ICs? This is another of the few European cities that I still must get to in the next few years...
#54
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 2,395
Do not stay at HEL west Ruoholahti. Location is bad, unless you happen to have business in the area, there´s nothing nice about the area.
There used to be 2 ICs. One is nowadays Scandic Continental and it´s right next to CP HEL. The other one is now called Hilton Strand.
There used to be 2 ICs. One is nowadays Scandic Continental and it´s right next to CP HEL. The other one is now called Hilton Strand.
#55
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ohio
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 396
Darkhunter, I assume you were given lounge access as a free upgrade? That is nice, many properties will just upgrade the room without the lounge.[/QUOTE]
Yeah I was told at check-in that i got lounge and breakfast was free at the lounge or I could pay for a larger one at the restaurant.
thing was though, the hotel did not seem that crowded.
The lounge was just open (no card to open door or anything like that) and there was no one just standing there to check your card or anything.
You could just walk right in. So as long as you got the club floor you had lounge access. Now I cant say if this is always the case but it was for my stay.
Oh but you have to use your card in the elevator to go up to the club floor, so its not like anyone staying on the lower floors could just walk right in.
Yeah I was told at check-in that i got lounge and breakfast was free at the lounge or I could pay for a larger one at the restaurant.
thing was though, the hotel did not seem that crowded.
The lounge was just open (no card to open door or anything like that) and there was no one just standing there to check your card or anything.
You could just walk right in. So as long as you got the club floor you had lounge access. Now I cant say if this is always the case but it was for my stay.
Oh but you have to use your card in the elevator to go up to the club floor, so its not like anyone staying on the lower floors could just walk right in.
#56
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ohio
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 396
how does this hote compare(location and otherwise) with HI HELSINKI CITY CENTRE (same 2-4-1 price but you can book an Exec Room so need hoping for an upgrade)
Furthermore, HELSINKI - WEST RUOHOLAHTI is cheaper but seems to be in the outskirts although it is supposed to be near Ruoholahti metro station
how near?
Furthermore, HELSINKI - WEST RUOHOLAHTI is cheaper but seems to be in the outskirts although it is supposed to be near Ruoholahti metro station
how near?
If you are tired and don't want to do a bunch of walking this is the place to stay cause the location is fantastic. And its quiet too despite being above the train and bus stations.
I did the CP at the start of the trip and loved it because I loved having the lounge. Saved money on food and drink. But at the end of my trip as I was passing back through helsinki I was tired and took the HI because I did not want to have to walk much. The casino was near, etc. The only thing it lacked was a lounge. So it depends on what you want on your stay.
Location vs Lounge though of course getting the upgrade to lounge would be ymmv I suppose.
#58
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
Thanks for the comments regarding the CP.
It is my first visit to the city and really looking forward to it!
I will add some comments about the CP when I get back.
It is my first visit to the city and really looking forward to it!
I will add some comments about the CP when I get back.
#59
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
Had a good weekend in Helsinki.
Check in was a little slow, but the lady was a trainee. No upgrade from the Club Junior Suite that I had paid for although larger suites were available . I was not happy and pressed, to no avail. No effort made to do anything else. I might raise with the PriorityClub.
The Club Junior suite was not large, but pleasant enough on the 9th floor and near the Club Lounge. Whilst in no way as good as an ICH Club Lounge, it was pleasant enough with nibbles in the evening (6-8pm)and wine/beer seemingly available all day. Sparse breakfast - fruit, pasteries, cereal, yogurt and cold meat/cheese.
Restaurant was good - nice food (Finnish and Mediterranean). Some dishes were about EUR3 or so cheaper if you showed your Priority Club card.
Impressive gym and nice sized pool.
15 minutes walk to the city centre. Holiday Inn better located but did not look quite as smart.
I would return despite the lack of upgrade.
Check in was a little slow, but the lady was a trainee. No upgrade from the Club Junior Suite that I had paid for although larger suites were available . I was not happy and pressed, to no avail. No effort made to do anything else. I might raise with the PriorityClub.
The Club Junior suite was not large, but pleasant enough on the 9th floor and near the Club Lounge. Whilst in no way as good as an ICH Club Lounge, it was pleasant enough with nibbles in the evening (6-8pm)and wine/beer seemingly available all day. Sparse breakfast - fruit, pasteries, cereal, yogurt and cold meat/cheese.
Restaurant was good - nice food (Finnish and Mediterranean). Some dishes were about EUR3 or so cheaper if you showed your Priority Club card.
Impressive gym and nice sized pool.
15 minutes walk to the city centre. Holiday Inn better located but did not look quite as smart.
I would return despite the lack of upgrade.
#60
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Programs: AA Plat/2MM, PCR Plat/Amb
Posts: 468
I just stayed here a couple weeks ago.
Just booked a regular room, it was a sweet dilemma stay actually.
I am platinum and was given a club room at check in.
Very pleased with that, loved the lounge. It was an excellent stay.
Hotel is about a 15min walk to the main area though.
I actually stayed at the Holiday Inn right there at the train station also
and I loved that hotel as well. If it just had a lounge that
hotel would be perfect. Honestly if you don't think you will use
the lounge much I would stay at the HI. Location is amazing.
And you would think being by all those trains and bus's it would
be noisy but it was soooo quiet, I slept wonderful. I did
miss the lounge at the CP though
Overall you cant go wrong with either hotel. Just 1 is closer and 1 has a lounge. Helsinki a great city as well.
Just booked a regular room, it was a sweet dilemma stay actually.
I am platinum and was given a club room at check in.
Very pleased with that, loved the lounge. It was an excellent stay.
Hotel is about a 15min walk to the main area though.
I actually stayed at the Holiday Inn right there at the train station also
and I loved that hotel as well. If it just had a lounge that
hotel would be perfect. Honestly if you don't think you will use
the lounge much I would stay at the HI. Location is amazing.
And you would think being by all those trains and bus's it would
be noisy but it was soooo quiet, I slept wonderful. I did
miss the lounge at the CP though
Overall you cant go wrong with either hotel. Just 1 is closer and 1 has a lounge. Helsinki a great city as well.