Hotel Kakola — Hotel in Turku sub-region

We spent two nights at this hotel, in a Standard King room (223), which turned out to be closer to Superior of most chain hotels.

The bed and pillows were as soft as a cloud, but comfy. Ample pillows and more available upon request.

We asked for a bathtub and balcony and were pleasantly surprised to get both, even though the hotel warned us not to expect it.

The room and bathroom were impressively clean, with not a single errant hair or questionable stain. The lighting system deserves a shout-out: it’s the sort of system that makes you feel sophisticated for knowing how to use it. I appreciated the dimming feature in both the room and in the bathroom.

The soda machine in the room was a nice touch, though having no fridge hindered the glory a bit since it warmed up.

Finding the controls of the A/C (a black screen on the A/C side of the bed) and the towel radiator (a button below the screen in the radiator) was just about having the courage to feel your way around things and pushing buttons.

The hotel itself is beautiful, which is the sort of vague praise that feels hollow until you see it – think tasteful decor, understated elegance, and architecture that doesn’t scream Instagram glory but instead quietly commands respect, perhaps because of the original concept of having been a county jail.

Breakfast was generous without being overwhelming, and the local coffee was so good we contemplated smuggling some of it out.

Now, for the two quirks:

There was no fridge in the room. Our soda water had to endure room temperature indignity for the entire stay. Kind of took off some off the banger solution of having a soda maker in the room.

The trash situation is... avant-garde. The bin had no lining and was not emptied by housekeeping, which turned a romantic hotel room into a banana-peel scented haven. A single bag of crisps filled the tiny recyclables compartment.

The staff were consistently polite and friendly, with none of the forced smiles or chipper attitudes that always feel a bit suspicious.

Would I stay here again? Yes, though next time I’d bring a biowaste bag from home so I can keep the odors of banana...

Crazy concept. Not entirely sure if successful..

[UPDATE]: I appreciate the swift feedback from the general manager. So in all fairness, let me elaborate a bit on my review.

We deliberately ordered the "prison cell experience", which was my initial criticism. In itself it wasn't "too adventurous", and we didn't change rooms. But the cells though.. There's a toilet placed half a meter from the bunk (!) beds. So not a chance of privacy, of course. We didn't use it. This is by design, and I understand that. There are toilets in the hallways, so this wasn't a problem at all, merely a strange design choice, to say the least. The space is extremely limited; no place to place a suitcase or even hang a coat anywhere. A tiny table and two tiny stools were the only furniture.

The cell was unfortunately quite cold during the night (we were there in January). We tried to adjust it via the thermostat, but it didn't seem to have any effect. But the linens were very fluffy and warm, so not a major issue.

Overall we got excellent, friendly and professional service during our visit. The facilities are very clean and fresh. We spend some time in the lobby, since the cell itself (for obvious reasons) isn't a place you'd want to (or even can, because of the limited space), spend any leisure time. The staff did a guided tour of the prison on the second day, which was very interesting.

Anyways. After a full day at Hotel Kakola I've adjusted my review and have added an extra star. My final verdict is still this: The cell experience might not be for everyone. Not because it's too "adventurous" or "too wild" (it felt very safe and friendly), but simply because it's somewhat uncomfortable and for anyone who's into a more comfortable and conventional hotel stay, I'd go for the...

We stayed at the annex during the summer. The room was small but cozy and had only one roof window that let in some light, but not much could be viewed from it.

Plus Big bathroom, nice shower and shower gels.

Coffee machine and water carbonator in the room.

Usb and wall sockets next to bed.

Pretty diverse breakfast and good time-span for the breakfast some food allergy choises that were clearly marked.

Minus Lighting and air condition system was hard to understand. Room was very hot and a bit humid. It was hard to get the temperature down. I suspect the heat from the lower levels travels up into the annex and is not handeled correctly. The air condition did not make the temperature or humidity go down even on max setting, it just made more noise. Impossible to have it on when sleeping.

Not many options were left at the breakfast when we arrived an hour before its closing and it did not seem to be refilled. At least on the weekdays. On the week-end it seemed to be supplied a bit better.

Parking is a bit expensive. You get a 5€ discount by staying at the hotel, but still 15€ per day. The rooms are a bit pricy so I would prefer the parking to be included...