Scandic Grand Central Helsinki opens its doors in April. Hotel is located in the stunning historic building designed by Eliel Saarinen at the Central Railway Station, where old-fashioned charm meets modern style in an inspirational way. The unique hotel offers first-class experiences in the best location in the centre of Helsinki. The stylish interior and the classic style of the beautiful Art Nouveau building, combined with the hotel’s relaxed atmosphere, guarantee a great stay.

The hotel has 491 air-conditioned stylish rooms. The wide room selection offers a first-class hotel experience and peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city. The 373 rooms in the original part of the hotel building are charming, with wide windowsills, paned windows and thick walls. The 118 modern rooms in the new part are light, bright and spacious, with high ceilings: the window extends from the ceiling to the floor, offering full height city views.

The spacious conference and event facilities with 12 meeting rooms provide a unique setting for both small team meetings and large gatherings. Hotel’s thrilling banquet hall The Grand Ballroom for up to 500 is great for dinners or cocktail receptions.

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The sauna culture in Finland has been inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The sauna culture is the first Finnish element on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Unesco announced the status in December 2020. Unesco highlights the intangible but very real spirit of Finnish sauna culture. Finnish people associate the sauna with relaxation, conversation, health and connecting with nature.

Depending on the source of your stats, between 60 and 90 percent of Finnish people have a sauna at least once a week. The accessibility of saunas in Finns’ everyday lives is visible in the sheer number of saunas: there are 3.3 million of them in Finland, which has a population of 5.5 million.
“Sauna is such a big part of Finnish people’s lives, both in everyday life and at festive moments,” Leena Marsio, a senior advisor at the Finnish Heritage Agency says. Many people in Finland consider saunas more essential to life than folks in other countries would probably imagine. “A Finn sleeps, drinks, eats, and goes to the sauna,” says Marsio. “There are saunas elsewhere in the world, but nowhere is there such a sauna-crazy people as the Finns.”

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Lapland Safaris reacted quickly to the international travel restrictions imposed just before the late winter travel season. The biggest activity event organiser in the Nordic countries provides a selection of popular destinations in Lapland and weekly safari programmes, of which the most popular ones were developed into online stream broadcasts. The online excursions, starting in week 9, offer the participants an opportunity to talk with the guide through a chat service.

The first programmes available for the customers are: 1) Visit to the husky kennel and husky safari 2) Visit to a reindeer farm, introduction to Sami life and reindeer safari 3) Snowmobile safari and ice fishing on the Ounasjoki river 4) Visit to the Santa Claus office guided by an elf and meeting with Santa Claus.

The online stream safari lasts 20–40 minutes, depending on the programme. During the safari, customers can ask the guide, the husky musher or the hostess of the reindeer farm questions through the chat service. And just like on regular safaris, there are no stupid questions.

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The new boutique hotel on Turku’s famous Kakolanmäki Hill provides unique experiences, glimpses into the past and uncompromising elegance. Opened in Turku in September 2020, Hotel Kakola marks a new brighter chapter in the history of the county prison dating back to 1890. Up until 2007, the cross-shaped building’s cells housed prisoners on remand and other detainees, and one of the wings was sectioned off to serve as a women’s facility. The central prison next door was reserved for the country’s most notorious criminals.

All in all, Hotel Kakola features 148 rooms, among the most unusual of which is the premium suite being built in a sailing boat in the hotel’s yard. Built in the former prison cafeteria, Restaurant Ruben has a simple philosophy: they offer pure, seasonal and locally sourced quality food with a regional twist. The summer terrace Riviera is located in the inner courtyard next to Ruben. It was named after the Kakola stone quarry’s spring, which the prisoners used to cool off on hot summer days. Ruben can hold about 150 persons and the Pavillion banquet and conference hall next door is also for 150 persons. The Pavillion can be rented separately and partitioned into group spaces and booths.

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If you wish to learn more about Finland as a destination for business events, please tune in for MICEboard Stream TV Webinar about Finland. Ines Antti-Poika from Finland Convention Bureau will share information, ideas and tips for your future events in Finland.

Finland offers a variety of high quality venues: everything from a conference center for 10,000 people to an intimate log cabin for 20. Finland is known as a land of countless lakes, forests, fells and archipelago – it is one of the most extensive and unspoiled natural environments in Europe, which offers great opportunities for activities. It is also a land of contrasts: the Midnight Sun in the summer and the Polar Night and the Northern Lights in the winter. Join the webinar and hear what else Finland can offer to your events.

MICEboard Stream TV Webinar about Finland
Watch the webinar recording here.
Please start watching from 4:30 when the actual presentation starts, so you can skip the introduction in German.

New Hotel Matts and restaurant Freja in Espoo are now open. The hotel charms with Scandinavian style and great location. The hotel offers 192 rooms and 77 apartments. There are room options for a single traveler and to larger groups. Adjoining Combi rooms and bigger apartments are perfect for families. The suites meet the most demanding quality criteria and have a bedroom, a living room and a sauna. The apartments are available from February 19th, 2021. Hotel rooms are available later in spring.

The hotel’s restaurant Freja offers taste sensations made from fresh ingredients and the rooftop saunas offer a perfect relaxation after a busy day. The hotel is situated in the middle of active Espoo in capital region and is easily reached from airport and Helsinki: the last station of the metro’s western line brings you to the doorstep of Hotel Matts. The surrounding area of the hotel offers versatile activities and services to people of all ages.

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Finland Convention Bureau provides complimentary information, consultation and assistance to all event organizers and meeting planners.

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