Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone Savonlinna

I only had 12 hours in the city for the opera, and the staff helped me make the most of them. When I said I was going to the show, the clerk checked me in quickly, pointed out the most direct route, and warned me about the security check. My train was at 5, so I couldn’t make breakfast, and she arranged a bag for me to take on my way out. I came for the opera, but I’d have stayed longer to enjoy the hotel if I could :)

I stayed several nights last spring, and the warm, friendly staff made a strong impression. The customer service was top notch, the breakfast was delicious, and the location and view from the room were great. The lobby is stylish and works nicely as a bar, and the rooms are very cozy. The beds were good, though the pillows varied by room, with some fine and others quite bad. The women's sauna bench could use a wider sitting area because the added back takes up space. A mirror in the dressing room would help, too. Still, the sauna area felt almost like a spa, and it’s great that guests can use the sauna. I heard the men's sauna is different, so it’d be nice if they switched them around on some days. You can also come just for the sauna, with a 5€ towel fee. I did that once, thanks! I already miss staying here 👌

There’s almost no parking at this hotel, and nearby spaces are scarce and very busy. There’s a parking hall 300m away, but if you’re disabled or can’t walk around, avoid this place. We weren’t expecting the parking problem, and when we tried to speak to the hotel, we couldn’t even stop at reception because stopping there is forbidden. The staff got rude very quickly. They said “everyone knows Savonlinna has very little parking,” but we’re from London and didn’t know. They told us to keep circling the block until a space opened up, paying by the minute for the next 24 hours. We refused because the area was completely packed. They also tried to make my husband drive a rental car he wasn’t licensed to drive, and leave me at reception even though I couldn’t walk because of my disability. They apparently thought that was fine. We returned to Helsinki, spent 8 hours in the car that day, and missed the opera. At first they refused a refund, despite my clear disability and what I felt was discrimination. After a long, strongly worded conversation, they agreed to refund the room price, and the money came back 48 hours later. Avoid this hotel. The service was overpriced, misleading, and rude. It feels like they can get away with it because there aren’t proper options nearby and people come for the opera. The area is badly organized, and people were mostly rude. It seems like too many wealthy visitors have made the Savonlinna area unpleasant.

We had a beautiful lake view, and the staff were so friendly that they even let us check in hours early. The free breakfast was delicious, and our dog got wonderful treatment, with free treats and a bed and food bowl for use at the hotel. I definitely recommend staying here when visiting savonlinna.