| |
|
|
| |
Home
>
World
> Europe
> Finland
|
Accommodation
Further details on accommodation and grades of accommodation are given in the publications available from the Finnish Tourist Board.
HOTELS: There is usually a sauna and often a swimming pool in Finnish hotels and motels. The price level varies from district to district, being higher in Helsinki and some areas of Lapland. Many hotels and motels usually include breakfast in their rates. The service fee is usually included in the bill. This is 15 per cent of the room rate; for meals and drinks it is 14 per cent on weekdays and 15 per cent on Friday evenings, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and the eve of holidays.
Advance reservations are advisable in the summer months. Details of hotels are listed in the brochures available from Finnish Tourist Board offices. Accommodation at reduced rates is often possible, especially for groups and during weekends. Reductions are also possible for guests participating in special schemes run by hotel chains throughout Scandinavia. Information can also be obtained from the Finnish Hotel and Restaurant Association, Merimiehenkatu 29, 00150 Helsinki (tel: (9) 622 0200; fax: (9) 6220 2090; e-mail: shr@shr.fi; website: www.shr.fi). Summer hotels: During summer (1 June to 31 August), when the universities are closed, the student accommodation becomes available to tourists. Rooms are modern and clean and become the ‘summer hotels’ of Finland. They are located around the country in major cities. The price level of ‘summer hotels’ is less than that of regular hotels.
BED & BREAKFAST: There are approximately 100 bed & breakfast host families in Finland. Accommodation ranges from rooms in main buildings to cottages and outbuildings. Children aged under four years are free of charge; those aged up to 11 years pay half the price. A list of B&Bs can be supplied by the Finnish Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses section). See also the brochure Finland Country Holidays – Bed & Breakfast, published by Lomarengas, who can also take bookings (tel: (9) 5766 3350; fax: (9) 5766 3355; e-mail: sales@lomarengas.fi; website: www.lomarengas.fi). The brochure also includes information on farm holidays.
FARMHOUSE HOLIDAYS: More than 500 farmhouses take guests on a bed & breakfast and full- or half-board basis. They are in rural settings and almost always close to water. The guest rooms may be without modern conveniences, but are clean and there is usually a bathroom in the house. Some farms also have individual cottages for full-board guests, or apartments with kitchen, fridge and electric stove for those wishing to cater for themselves. The guests can join the farm family for meals, take a sauna twice a week, row, fish, walk in the forests or join in the work of the farm. Full-board rates include two hot meals, coffee twice a day and a sauna twice a week (children 50-75 per cent reduction). The majority of farms are in central and eastern Finland, some on the coast and in the Åland Islands. Grading: Farmhouses are graded on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.
SELF-CATERING: There are over 200 Holiday Villages in Finland, many in the luxury class with all modern conveniences. These villages consist of self-contained first-class bungalows by a lake and offer varied leisure activities, such as fishing, rowing, hiking and swimming. The best villages are open all year round and can be used as a base for winter holidays and skiing. Some of the villages also have hotels and restaurants. Those in the top-price bracket have several rooms, TV and all modern conveniences.
There are also approximately 5000 individually-owned holiday cottages for hire, ranging from the humblest fishing hut on the coast or in the archipelago to the luxury villas of the inland lakes. They are all furnished and have cooking utensils, crockery and bed linen as well as fuel for heating, cooking and lighting and in many cases a sauna and a boat. Most cottages inland are near a farm where the tourist can buy food. Reductions are available out of season. Enquire at tourist offices for details. Grading: Classification is from 1 to 5 stars.
YOUTH HOSTELS: There are about 100 youth hostels in Finland. Many of them are only open in the summer from 10 June to 15 August, and about 50 of them are also open in winter. Some of the hostels are in empty educational establishments, with accommodation and fairly large rooms, but a lot of them also offer ‘family rooms’. The hostels do not in general provide food, but coffee and refreshments are available at most and some have self-service kitchens. There are no age restrictions and motorists may use the hostels. Sheets can be hired. For more information, contact The Finnish Youth Hostel Association, Yrjönkatu 38B-15, 00100 Helsinki (tel: (9) 565 7150; fax: (9) 565 71510; e-mail: info@srm.inet.fi; website: www.srmnet.org). Grading: Youth hostels are classified into four categories according to their facilities.
CAMPING/CARAVANNING: There are about 350 campsites in Finland. The majority have cooking facilities, kiosks and canteens where food, cigarettes and sweets can be bought. Campsites are generally along waterways, within easy reach of the main roads and towns. Camping anywhere other than in official campsites is forbidden without special permission from the landowner. The camping season starts in late May or early June and ends in late August or early September. In southern Finland, it is possible to sleep under canvas for about three months and in the north for about two months. Most campsites have indoor accommodation, camping cottages, and holiday cottages suitable for family accommodation. Prices depend on the classification of the campsite and are charged for a family, ie two adults, children, car, tent and trailer. The charge includes basic facilities, such as cooking, washing, etc. If a camper has an international camping card (FICC), a national camping card is not required. Further details can be obtained from: the Finnish Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses section); or from Camping in Finland (website: www.camping.fi).
Grading: Sites are classified into five grades.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
|
|
|
|
|
