Hostel Harriet

Even calling this a hotel feels like a stretch, and calling it a hostel would be generous. The room was bare, and there was no toilet or shower inside it, just shared facilities in the corridor. The shared toilets were so cramped it was hard to use them comfortably. The place wasn't very clean overall, either. We were three people but got only one key, and reception wasn't staffed all the time. The staff there didn't speak Finnish. I paid over 100 euros a night for this. Easily the worst hotel stay I've had.

Bed bugs! I only ended up here because I reached Turku late, had made a mistake with my original booking, and couldn't check in there until the following day. Harriet deserves credit for taking me in on about an hour's notice, and the man at reception was really helpful and accommodating. I didn't mind the dated shared showers, having stayed in plenty of hostels before. But I woke up covered in bites. Once I got home, I had everything incinerated before bringing it into my house.

Take this warning seriously. People have reported poor service, ongoing hygiene problems, bed bugs and mange outbreaks, and bodily fluids on walls and sheets. The staff are also said to be treated badly. This place is infectiously bad, and not just by Finnish standards. Don't tell yourself that bad in Finland can't be that bad. Even if this is the last place available, I'd avoid it. In summer, sleeping outside wouldn't be a problem, and at other times you can surely find another hotel. The reviewer says all Harriet brand accommodations in the Turku region are run by the same problematic person, who was at the time accused of tax fraud according to the Turun Sanomat news paper. They say to avoid the other Harriet brand places too. They also say some good reviews on certain websites are strongly suspected to be bought.

By the end of the night, my mental state was about the only thing in worse shape than the room. The photos don't match it. The beds were covered in stains, and the TV power cable had been cut and taped up as a supposed safety measure. I was shocked. The room cost far too much for what it was, so I slept on the floor, where I felt there was less chance of bed bugs and crabs. They took our bedding away when we arrived, and honestly the room looked a bit better without it. This place seems more suited to hourly rentals, maybe with a package from the strip club across the road. I wouldn't bring kids here unless you want to show them where they don't want to end up. I'd be more likely to give this place five stars than get a refund. Save your money and your sanity.