Laura Tarkka is a well-known name within the Finnish business sector and her most recent position is CEO of Finland's largest electronics chain, Gigantti. Prior to this, she worked for several years in the hospitality industry as CEO of Kämp Collection Hotels and held management positions within the Fazer Group.
Finland is officially the happiest place to live in the world. That’s according to the World Happiness Report, which has seen the Nordic country top the list for a sixth year in a row. The report cited nature and community as two of the biggest reasons that keep Finns smiling.
In its latest analysis of the Finnish hotel market, hotel real estate expert Christie & Co shed light on how Finland as a whole, its capital region and key provincial markets have fared in 2022 compared to 2019.
Today, Scandic Helsinki Hub opened its doors in the Finnish capital. Located in downtown Helsinki, the hotel is housed in an impressive 1920s printing house that has been transformed into a large 352-room hotel. Along with unique loft-style rooms, the hotel features inspiring event, meeting and coworking spaces along with a trattoria and bars.
With a name and ethos that reflect Finland's unique history and traditions, Runo Hotel Porvoo is a newly opened city escape. The word runo itself, which translates to "poem," sets the tone for the property, with a cozy, calming, and poetic ambiance established through Studio Joanna Laajisto's exceptional design. An emphasis is placed on neutral colors and natural materials, exemplified everywhere from the guestrooms to the traditional Finnish sauna to the communal Living Room furnished with bespoke contemporary furniture and artworks by young regional artists. Located in the city of Porvoo, only a short distance from Helsinki, Runo Hotel is a place where Finnish traditions meld seamlessly with modernity.
In 2017, Scandic signed an agreement with property owner LähiTapiola to operate a hotel in the iconic Hamburger Börs building in downtown Turku, Finland. And after a comprehensive two-year restauration, Scandic Hamburger Börs has finally opened its doors and the first guests have already checked in to many of its 272 hotel rooms. The hotel is located just opposite Market Square in central Turku and it will now continue its tradition of providing unforgettable hotel and dining experiences as it has since 1894.
April 15 marks the day when Scandic Grand Central Helsinki opens its doors after two years of a meticulous restoration process. Scandic Grand Central Helsinki offers a global, unique hotel experience in the stunning historic Art Nouveau building, formerly known as the head office of Finland´s railway company, designed by Eliel Saarinen.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement with Primehotels Oy for the first Hyatt property in Finland. Expected to open in 2022, the 224-room Grand Hansa Hotel will become the first The Unbound Collection by Hyatt property in the Nordics as the brand enjoys continued momentum across Europe.
We're all about sustainable travel and being eco-friendly at Lonely Planet, so we're intrigued by a new resort in Finland where the price you pay is determined by the carbon footprint of your stay. We're all about sustainable travel and being eco-friendly at Lonely Planet, so we're intrigued by a new resort in Finland where the price you pay is determined by the carbon footprint of your stay.
Scandic has signed a lease agreement for a new meeting and conference hotel in Helsinki. The hotel, Scandic Avenue, will have 350 rooms and will be located near the Old Church Park in the heart of the city. It is scheduled to open in 2022.
Scandic's fifth signature hotel, Marski by Scandic, is now open in the heart of Helsinki. The refurbished hotel has 363 rooms as well as meeting and event spaces, a restaurant, bar and café and a wellness center. Originally opened in 1962, the classic hotel was renovated to become a Scandic signature hotel that stands firmly on its roots of Finnfulness - the open mindedness, urban lifestyle and love of nature that personifies modern Finns.
Scandic has signed a long-term lease agreement with Finnish private equity fund CapMan to take over a 178-room hotel in Helsinki. In conjunction with this, the parties have also agreed to extend leases for an additional four hotels with a total of 979 rooms.
Seeing the Northern Lights is an unforgettable experience, but standing outside in the cold waiting for them to appear is pretty tedious. So, what if you could enjoy the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of your bed? And what if your bed could be moved, depending on where the Aurora was strongest? That's the concept behind a new, slightly bizarre, portable cabin-on-a-sled created by luxury adventure company Off the Map Travel .At the beginning of each Aurora season, Off the Map guides will drag the three cabins to the best destinations to spot the lights. Guests arrive, are guided to their quarters and then left to enjoy the wilderness, Arctic beauty and, with luck, Aurora above.
Did you watch hit movie "Wonder Woman" and daydream about escaping to her home, the female-only island of Themyscira?
While winter has well and truly come to Westeros, it has also arrived in Lapland, in the form of a themed hotel dedicated to popular TV series Game of Thrones.
'Game of Thrones' may return in 2019 but the winter is already here for the fans of the HBO epic fantasy drama who can now have a freezing experience in a new hotel that has opened in Finland, inspired by the show.
On June 21, 2017, Scandic announced the acquisition of Restel's hotel operations in Finland. On December 5, the transaction was approved by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority subject to the divestment of one hotel in Lahti, one in Pori and one in Kuopio. Additionally, Scandic has committed not to participate in certain announced hotel projects in Lappeenranta and Vantaa.
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority has approved Scandic's acquisition of Restel's hotel operations, subject to the divestment of three hotels. It is expected that the acquisition will close before the end of the year.
Scandic Hotels, the largest hotel company in the Nordic countries, has signed an agreement with property owner LocalTapiola Life to operate a hotel in the iconic Hamburger Börs building in central Turku .
The first quarter of 2018 will see the opening of Hotel St. George, a property that is setting the bar for a new generation of hoteliers and grand hotels of the future. Dating back to the 1840s, and once home to the Finnish Literature Society and the printing house for the first Finnish national newspaper, the building that will house Helsinki"s most hotly anticipated hotel has played a crucial role in Finnish culture. Hotel St. George features 148 rooms and five suites, and an array of public spaces including a wine room, poetry room, and a winter garden. Restaurant Andrea, headed up by the dynamic duo Mehmet Gürs and Antto Melasniemi, will offer a mix of the best of Finnish and Turkish cuisine, and St. George Bakery & Bar will play host to a deli and coffee shop. Gracing the street level lobby, Tianwu, the giant silk and bamboo dragon kite by leading artist Ai Wei Wei will greet guests as they enter.