Forenom Hostel Helsinki Pitajanmaki

The location is pretty good, with great public transport for reaching Helsinki city centre, Espoo or Vantaa. I lived in this hostel for about 6 months. Rooms are around 10 m2, whether single or double, and each has a TV, coffee maker, kettle, fridge and basic dishes. They're usually quiet, depending on your neighbours. The kitchen and bathroom are shared. Kitchens have a toaster, microwave, and stove with oven, and there's laundry equipment, including washing machines and a tumble dryer. Basic cleaning gear is available too. But pans and kettles are sometimes missing, or you have to find them in a kitchen on another floor. The common spaces cover everyday needs without being fancy. The premises feel a bit worn and could be cleaner, and the toilets and showers aren't very welcoming. There's no reception, so plan to handle things online and in advance, or call a rather expensive number and wait several minutes for advice. It's a reasonable choice if you want a normal place to sleep and care more about the location than the rooms or facilities. Updating and cleaning the place better would make it more welcoming and cosy.

I stayed here for a year, and it really has my heart. I didn't want to leave, but had to for my own reasons. The hostel is peaceful and quiet, and the room I had was very big, the largest in the hostel. If you're coming to Helsinki without relatives, friends or family, I'd recommend staying here. You get privacy and peace without having to talk to anyone. The location is great, with easy access to buses, trams and trains. The train station is an 8 min walk, and you can get to helsinki, leepavara, pasila, or anywhere from this prime spot. The toilet is always clean, and the kitchen and toilet have what you need, including utensils, soap, dishwasher, tissues and sponge. The furnished room comes with a personal refrigerator, lamp, kettle, plate, spoon, bowl, trash plastics, knife, can opener, potato peeler and scissors. If you're new and don't have anything, all this is provided in the room as part of the price, with no extra charges. There's a lounge underground where you can relax, party or study. Smoking inside the building isn't allowed, which is good. Don't worry about people drinking and smoking outside, they keep to themselves, so just mind your own things. People who leave the kitchen dirty after using it aren't the hostel's fault. The staff who clean everything are friendly, and if you have an issue you can visit the forenom office in the K lounge, where they'll help kindly and warmly. This is my genuine review, based on my real experience.

The rooms are nice and clean, and the neighbourhood is quiet. Public transport and supermarkets are close by. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the place works well for a long stay. Excellent service.

It's a decent hostel, with all the essentials, clean and comfortable rooms that look like the website photos. Lidl and McDonald's are both about 5 minutes away. The entrance area is used for smoking, so it's messy and has drunk people around, which makes it unpleasant to use. There was no reception staff, and the freezer didn't seem to be working, since it wasn't cold enough inside.