Playful and colorful hotel in downtown Helsinki

HOBO / Helsinki / Finland

Since Ace hotels started their journey back in XX and by that disrupted the hotel industry, there has been a significant change in the urban hotel landscape. Ace showed that you can, even though you are part of a chain, create interesting, unique, urban hotels that are everything but generic (I have written a post about this that here). As a consequence it is easier and easier to find hotels with something to say as other chains dare to push the agenda away from the norm. One of the latest additions to this bouquet is the Hobo chain and this hotel, the Hobo Helsinki.

Hobo is a sub chain to Nordic Hotels & Resorts which is one of the legs of the Strawberry Hotel Group, owned by the Norwegian entrepreneur Petter Stordalen (a company I actually used to work for some years ago). Hobo Helsinki, which opened in 2024, is only the second outpost of this growing chain. The first one opened in Stockholm in 2017 and there is another one on the way in Oslo and later the plan is to open a Hobo in Copenhagen as well.

The Hobo Helsinki is located in the Kluuvikatu area, right in the middle of the Finnish capital. This 183-key hotel is the result of a 2 year renovation where Berlin design firm Studio Aisslinger was brought on to create something exciting that connected to the city. And they managed to live up to the expectations of that brief. The result is a colorful, playful hotel with character where the agenda has been pushed just to the right level.

Our room was colorful with bursts of colors like blue lamps, a green textile backdrop for the bed, an exposed brick wall and both slippers and coffee mugs adorned with smileys. I like that the same bricks that we had in our room, were used in the reception area. The same goes for the checkered tiles that were the same in the bar as our bathroom. A clever way to create a red thread in the design scheme.

This blue is a signature color that pops up here and there in the hotel.

These bricks are also a signature feature that is used in the design for the reception as well as for a hanger wall in the room.

The bar right next to the reception. Also here is a design feature that appeared in our room, the tile combination.

Our bed with a rusty red textile backdrop.

These signature blue slippers are waiting for you on the bed.

The same bricks from the reception have been used to create a kind of hooks- and hanger wall.

If you want to be active there is a ping pong table next to the reception…

…and downstairs in the basement there is a fully equipped gym.

Breakfast is served in a bright, colorful space.

The breakfast buffet at HOBO has a great selection.

Always fun to try some local stuff. This is a kind of porridge made with berry juice.

And when talking about local treats, this is a Karelian pirogi. There is a food market a couple of blocks from the hotel where we had an afternoon snack in the sun.

Thers is so much interesting architecture in Helsinki so it is a treat just strolling around looking at buildings.

A favorite little shop that we have visited every time we’ve been to Helsinki. It is called Common and sells all things Japanese.

If you need to stop for something to eat or nibble on, Levain has several outposts across town.

One restaurant we went to and liked was Bistro Gina, a 5 min walk from the hotel.

Dessert time. The affogato was just as delicious as it looks.

Heading back “home” to the hotel, ready to call it a day.

RG inside info

Date of RG stay:

May 2025

This place is perfect if you…

…are coming to Helsinki and you are looking for a vibrant, colorful hotel in downtown within walking distance from all the action. If you appreciate the likes of Mama Shelter, Hoxton and 25hours hotels, you will enjoy staying at Hobo Helsinki.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the playful tone in the design. It shows up in both the smiley adorned slippers and coffee mugs. But it is not too much. It is playful but there is still a seriousness in the tone. Maybe that is what happens when there is a German design firm creating a hotel in Finland.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to book breakfast with your stay. The hotel breakfast at the Hobo is really great. And if you do there are two local items that must be sampled, the Karelian pirogi and lappapuuro, a kind of Finnish porridge. This combo will load you with a good amount of energy so you’ll be ready to explore the streets of Helsinki.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Mama Shelter / Rome, Italy

Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush / London, UK

25hours Hotel Hafencity / Hamburg, Germany