Scandic Aulanko

Dinner portions were so small that I had to order more food, and I ended up wishing I’d stayed home. The rooms were cold, the TV had fewer channels than usual, and the sauna lights didn’t work properly.

Staying here feels like a trip back to the 1980s. The rooms look as if they were redone around 1985, and the furniture and walls are banged up, though you can still glimpse the place’s former glory. The last time I saw anything like it was in photos of my parents when I was about three. It’s a time machine. Highly recommended.

The breakfast was uncomfortable because sparrows flew around the restaurant, landed on tables, ate from the buffet, and even left droppings on the furniture. Several guests mentioned it to staff, but they seemed unaware of the hygiene issue. The birds appeared very familiar with the place, so this didn’t seem like a one-off. We were at Scandic Aulanko for the Wanaja Festival and had booked Superior room 401 with a sauna. The shower only gave us cold or barely warm water. Maintenance came to look and acknowledged the problem, saying they’d try to get a plumber, but nothing was fixed and nobody updated us. At checkout, they simply apologized. There was no goodwill gesture or compensation, which felt dismissive given the inconvenience. The room was dated and had no air conditioning, surprising for a Superior room. The weather wasn’t too hot while we were there, but on warmer days that could have been a major problem. The hotel’s scenic location gives it potential, but our stay left us disappointed. Maintenance and hygiene need serious attention, and better follow-up and service recovery could have salvaged the visit.

We love the spa here: warm water, a fast waterslide, a small outdoor pool, places to relax outside, and a little pool bar. The surrounding nature is beautiful, the staff have always been friendly, and breakfast is standard Finnish fare. We’ve stayed many times, so here’s how the rooms compare. Standard rooms are usually spacious and cheap, but dated, with views toward the parking or golf area rather than the lake. They come with bathrobes. Standard rooms with balconies are my preference, and may have a little lake view; they’re usually on lower floors. Superior rooms are higher up with better lake views and coffee and tea, though they’re still dated. Standard Plus rooms are refreshed, on higher floors, with fantastic views. Our balcony room was spacious but dated, fine for a couple of days. The two single beds were comfortable, and there was a free bathrobe but no slippers. Being so close to the spa was perfect. The balcony looked toward the sunset and golf course, which was beautiful, though we couldn’t see the lake. We love this hotel despite the older standard rooms.