Nice hotel in Helsinki for nice price?

On 9 Oct 2003 08:50:41 GMT, Heikki Kantola wrote:

bigbrian informed
rec.travel.europe with the following:
In a slightly related issue, I'll be passing through Helsinki airport
the week before Christmas and unfortunately have about 8 hours (8.30
am to 17.00 pm) between my incoming domestic flight from Lapland, and
my onward connection to London. Is there anything I can do,
particularly either at the airport, or nearby, to keep a 7 year old
child entertained for that long?

At the Helsinki-Vantaa airport the most interesting things to do are
probably shopping and watching the airplanes. So given that you that
much time it should be no problem to get out of the airport. If you
want to stay closer to the airport, I think Heureka Science Center¹ in
Tikkurila could be a decent place for a visit. The only problem with
that might be the fact that they open only at 10 o'clock. Further away
in the actual City of Helsinki (Tikkurila and Helsinki-Vantaa airport
at Seutula are located in City of Vantaa), I think the Korkeasaari
Zoo² would be one of the most obvious places to take a child. The Zoo
also opens at 10, but that should not be a problem as with public
transportation it easily takes at least hour to get there. Assuming the
travel date happens to be a weekday, unfortunately this time of year
the public transportation don't go very near the Zoo, the closest bus
stops and Kulosaari metro station are about 2 km away.

Thanks for that. We'll be there on a Monday (the Monday before
Christmas), I think I might have a problem with the luggage unless I
can leave it somewhere at the airport

Brian



¹ URL:http://www.heureka.fi/
² URL:http://www.hel.fi/zoo/index_eng.html

If you insist to know, it was Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, which if my
memory serves correctly had quite nice facities and at least it still
has the very central location opposite of Helsinki main railway station.

Is that westerly of the train station across the plaza and across
from the post office? Then it has a very good location indeed,
being only a few steps from the Metro, the trains, the airport
shuttle run by Finnair, and all the tram lines that pass by on
Mannerheimtie and by the railroad station.

Yes, it has just about the best location possible for central access.
The Finnair airport bus pulls up on the hotel side of the train station
(at least it did a few years ago). The Hotel Vaakuna shares the
building with the Sokos department store. The hotel was built for
the 1952 Olympics and has some interesting building details. But,
it still is not cheap, as a single fare approached 100 USD. But I
think that is normal for expensive Finland.


Casey

Not near the airport. But you might take the Finnair shuttle to
downtown Helskinki and then go underground to all the shops, or
even find your way over to the harbor head where the outdoor
market operates year-round.

Great idea, as the Finnair bus drops you off a few steps from the
proper tram line (sorry, someone else will have to name the line)
to take you right to the market. You can have a fresh fish sand-
wich at one of the many vendors there while looking at the
harbor. Souvenirs are available at the market as well.


Casey

wrote in
:

Thanks for that. We'll be there on a Monday (the Monday before
Christmas), I think I might have a problem with the luggage unless I
can leave it somewhere at the airport

Brian

You'll should be able to leave your luggage at the airport. That information
is available on the airport's web site: www.helsinki-vantaa.fi - In english
- Index - Storage, luggage.

Yours,

-Tero-

On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:43:11 GMT, "Casey"
wrote:

Not near the airport. But you might take the Finnair shuttle to
downtown Helskinki and then go underground to all the shops, or
even find your way over to the harbor head where the outdoor
market operates year-round.

Great idea, as the Finnair bus drops you off a few steps from the
proper tram line (sorry, someone else will have to name the line)
to take you right to the market.

The only tram from the train station to the market is the 3T,
which takes a rather roundabout way to get there, although it's
also kind of interesting. For a more direct trip one needs to
stroll over to Mannerheimtie and take the 3B. It's also not far
to simply walk.

You can have a fresh fish sand-
wich at one of the many vendors there while looking at the
harbor. Souvenirs are available at the market as well.

Tradition has it that one must have a cup of coffee and a
lihapirakka.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:36:30 GMT, "Casey"
wrote:

If you insist to know, it was Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, which if my
memory serves correctly had quite nice facities and at least it still
has the very central location opposite of Helsinki main railway station.

Is that westerly of the train station across the plaza and across
from the post office? Then it has a very good location indeed,
being only a few steps from the Metro, the trains, the airport
shuttle run by Finnair, and all the tram lines that pass by on
Mannerheimtie and by the railroad station.

Yes, it has just about the best location possible for central access.
The Finnair airport bus pulls up on the hotel side of the train station
(at least it did a few years ago).

That entire plaza has been rebuilt in the last few years.

The Hotel Vaakuna shares the
building with the Sokos department store. The hotel was built for
the 1952 Olympics and has some interesting building details. But,
it still is not cheap, as a single fare approached 100 USD. But I
think that is normal for expensive Finland.

It's very hard to find decent lodging in Helsinki for less than
USD 100. There is, though, Eurohostel, http://www.eurohostel.fi


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Yes, it has just about the best location possible for central
access. The Finnair airport bus pulls up on the hotel side of
the train station (at least it did a few years ago).

That entire plaza has been rebuilt in the last few years.

When I was last in Helsinki, in 2000, the streets around the train
station were all ripped up. I wondered what they were doing.
So where does the bus drop people off now?


Casey

Great idea, as the Finnair bus drops you off a few steps from
the proper tram line (sorry, someone else will have to name
the line) to take you right to the market.

The only tram from the train station to the market is the 3T,
which takes a rather roundabout way to get there, although it's
also kind of interesting. For a more direct trip one needs to
stroll over to Mannerheimtie and take the 3B. It's also not far
to simply walk.

I think I was confusing the 3T tram with the one that goes from
the train station to Stockmann department store, where it turns
down Aleksanterinkatu street. If you got off the tram right after
seeing Senate Square with the Lutheran Cathedral (hard to miss),
and walked a block directly opposite the cathedral, you'd be at
the market. Come to think of it, the tram I'm thinking about
probably runs in front of (west of) the Sokos store, going south
at that point.


Casey

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 03:49:42 GMT, "Casey"
wrote:

Yes, it has just about the best location possible for central
access. The Finnair airport bus pulls up on the hotel side of
the train station (at least it did a few years ago).

That entire plaza has been rebuilt in the last few years.

When I was last in Helsinki, in 2000, the streets around the train
station were all ripped up. I wondered what they were doing.
So where does the bus drop people off now?

Same place really, next to the little Finnair building.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Casey informed
rec.travel.europe with the following:
Yes, it has just about the best location possible for central
access. The Finnair airport bus pulls up on the hotel side of
the train station (at least it did a few years ago).

That entire plaza has been rebuilt in the last few years.

When I was last in Helsinki, in 2000, the streets around the train
station were all ripped up. I wondered what they were doing.

The Elielinaukio bus terminal and Holiday Inn hotel adjacent to the
railway station I think.

So where does the bus drop people off now?

If you mean the Finnair's airport bus, it stops in that aforementioned
square right next to the railway station.

And if you want currently experience ripped up streets and temporary
bus stop locations, please check the Kamppi area as the backyard of
the bus station has turned into huge building site. You can find more
information on this project (including a web camera observing the
construction progress) from URL:http://www.kampinkeskus.fi/english/.

--
Heikki "Hezu" Kantola,
Lähettämällä mainoksia tai muuta asiatonta sähköpostia yllä olevaan
osoitteeseen sitoudut maksamaan oikolukupalvelusta EUR100 alkavalta
tunnilta.