Urkin Piilopirtti, Art and Nature Hotel — Hotel in Tampere sub-region

Very difficult to review this place as it is so different. If you are looking for a four or five star hotel like a Scania or Raddison this is not for you but if you can look past the shortcomings of the facilities you will really enjoy it. The surrounding Finnish countryside is fantastic and the lake is wonderful. To get up in the morning and take a swim in the lake is unforgettable and just for that alone I will return next year. The hotel has many artistic features with paintings,sculptures and other pieces of interest everywhere.The hotel part itself is very tired, though clean and the rooms are extremely small apart from the family rooms. The buffet breakfast is quite basic and not replenished often, when I was there people had to ask for more juice, more coffee and water. There was no evening service not even a vending machine though you could use the kitchen to make tea or coffee. The owner and his one assistant seemed very overworked and tired, though he was a very pleasant and interesting person.He also explained that they had some very exciting plans for future development.The place is good value however especially in Finland in July! I certainly will be back and I will try to book a larger room. If you are in this area I would say it's an experience you would be...

They say that if you don't like the climate in Finland, wait five minutes. The same is true of this hotel, although the "five minutes" is symbolic. You have to wait a bit more than that. I was preparing to give this hotel the worst review I have ever written, as the initial reception was gruff and unwelcoming, but you have to get to know the owner, who is an acquired taste. He is one of the most fascinating people I have ever met. He sponsors and promotes outdoor sculptures and that is his main interest. Get him to give you a tour and you'll never forget it. Once you have come to like him, you'll forgive the small rooms and lack of conventional comfort. The food is simple, but excellent, the saunas and lake...

In the first room bed linens weren't changed. I called the person who checked us in. He said he is very sorry, but can not help us with the bed linen, he has already gone off for his own "things". What?!?||I called the owner (who was on vacation out of country). He arranged us a new room.||First thing we had to do in the second room was sweeping the floors: at least 50 dead flies, bread crums, all kinds of dirt. Next two mornings there were flies flying in the room, had to kill ~10 both morning. In November in Finland? They grow somewhere in the room...||Expectations were not high, but this place was really a lot...