Where is it?
Hilton Helsinki Vantaa Airport Hotel is located at the main international airport of Helsinki, the largest airport in Finland and the major gateway to the country. The hotel is currently the only hotel with direct access to the terminal, just 3-4 minutes walk from the arrivals hall.
When exiting the arrivals hall you turn right and follow the signs. The hotel is clearly signposted.
The arrival experience
I arrived quite late at the hotel, close to midnight after a late evening flight. The lobby was virtually empty and I was immediately checked in by an efficient but friendly man. I enquired about possible upgrades for me as Hilton HHonors Gold and was informed this had already been arranged.
The room
I had been assigned a room on the executive floor, the top floor. To my surprise it was not just an Executive room but an Executive Plus room…with a private sauna.
The Executive Plus room featured a large king-sized bed, a sofa, wardrobes, a 32-inch LCD TV, a hallway and bathroom. The interior was in light and brown wood with details in different shades of green. Finnish minimalistic design with few excesses. Another interesting detail was the bedside table, built inside the wall next to the bed.
There was also a work desk in the room and free internet was provided.
The bathroom had both shower and bathtub and of course, best of all, a private sauna.
The sauna was not very large with seating for no more than two, or possibly three people. But of course this was enough. Even though it was after midnight I decided to give the sauna a try, since it was there anyway and it felt like an excellent way to finish off a long day. Unfortunately it took a fair amount of time before it was warm enough for an enjoyable experience and it ended up being a late evening.
The room also had a decent view of the airport and the runway. There was not much traffic after midnight but a fair number of aircrafts took off outside the window in the morning. Fortunately the room was completely sound-proof from outside noise.
Food and drinks
The hotel offers a restaurant, Restaurant Gui, and a bar, Bar Gui. Both located on the ground floor in the lobby behind the reception. The bar is actually quite cosy with a fireplace and a Nordic feel to it. However with the late arrival there was no time or need to visit either during this visit.
Other facilities
Guests in executive rooms have access to the executive lounge on the sixth floor. The lounge had a rather hip interior with a Nordic design. Soft drinks, coffee and snacks were on offer however in the summer (when this visit took place) the breakfast was served in the lobby restaurant also for executive guests.
The hotel also offers a conference centre with 12 conference and meeting rooms, a small business centre and a fitness centre in the basement with gym and sauna.
Service
Friendly and efficient throughout the entire stay, nothing to complain about. The upgrade to an Executive Plus room was naturally much appreciated with the private sauna.
Breakfast
With no breakfast in the executive lounge I had breakfast in the Restaurant Gui on the ground floor. The restaurant had a similar design to the executive lounge with a modern Nordic interior. The breakfast was buffet style, not the largest of buffets compared to some other other Hilton hotels, but the food was fresh and all the standard breakfast items were there.
Final impression
A rather pleasant hotel. The location makes it very convenient for late arrivals and early departures and prices are very reasonable, especially during weekends. This was my fourth stay in the hotel and everything has always worked very well. The upgrade to an Executive Plus room with the sauna on this stay was of course a huge bonus.
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