Ruissalo Spa

The pools could be warmer. Two of the three felt a little cold, and only one had really warm water, which we didn’t like much. Otherwise, the place felt welcoming. The hotel’s location and staff were magical, and our room was very comfortable, especially the bed sheets. It’s pet friendly, and at Ruissalo Spa Hotel they’d left our dog treats, a sheet and a drinking bowl. That made it feel like they really care about the people and pets who choose to stay there.

The setting is beautiful if you’re into nature and the sea, and our two-bedroom superior room had plenty of space, a nice couch and a balcony. I can see this spa hotel working well for families. Still, it feels like its best days were about 30 years ago, and at 210 € per night including parking I expected much more. The rooms are dated. There’s no smart TV with 4k resolution or Netflix, and using the remote is awkward since you have to point it right at the corner of the TV. Sound insulation is mediocre too. I woke up when kids ran along the corridor. Breakfast was average, nothing special. No espresso, cappuccino or dark filter coffee, just medium roast. At the spa they were nearly out of soap, and the first locker I tried was broken.

The location is excellent, and breakfast was good. The spa was okay too. Sleeping was the hard part: on hot summer days, there are no fans and no air conditioning in the building, so the heat made it difficult. The hotel badly needs updating. Our sofa bed was broken and had to be replaced. We arrived at 10pm and had told them ahead of time that we wanted to go straight to bed, but that didn’t happen. The bath was terrible.

The nearest store is a 15min drive away. I also couldn’t relax in the spa, which was full of older people doing water aerobics. The breakfast buffet was terrible, and when I ate at the restaurant, the steak was as tough as rubber. I’m not really sure what else to say. The hotel’s guests seemed to average 70++.