We recently took a multigenerational family trip to Helsinki, Finland — 9 days of exploring this beautiful Nordic city with our daughter and grandparents!
For our first night in Helsinki, we stayed at Scandic Helsinki Hub, a modern hotel right in the city center. What surprised us most was the incredibly high ceilings — Helsinki hotel rooms tend to be on the smaller side, but the tall ceilings made the space feel really open and airy.
The room was spotlessly clean, the breakfast buffet was great, and the location was super convenient. Here’s our honest review!
Scandic Helsinki Hub
From Helsinki-Vantaa Airport: Take the I or P line train to Helsinki Central Station — it’s about 30 minutes. Trains run every 10–20 minutes, so just hop on whichever arrives first. The station is directly under the airport terminal, connected by escalator and elevator.
From Helsinki Central Station: It’s about a 10-minute walk, but tram is the easiest option. Take tram line 3 from the stop in front of the station and get off at Erottaja — only about 4 minutes. The hotel is right there. Look for the red “Scandic” flags!
From Kamppi Station: About a 5-minute walk.
Check-In
Our flight landed at Helsinki Airport at 5:55 AM, so we headed to the hotel first thing to drop off our luggage.
We had requested early check-in in advance, and they kindly let us check in around 3:00 PM instead of the standard 4:00 PM. Note that early check-in may come with an extra charge, and it’s not always guaranteed.
The lobby was beautifully designed — stylish interiors with plenty of sofas. In one corner, there was a small shop area selling ice cream, coffee, bottled drinks, and even toothbrushes. Handy if you’ve forgotten something!
One thing we loved about Helsinki — it’s incredibly dog-friendly. There was even a dog lounging on one of the lobby sofas! Such a warm, welcoming vibe.
You can store luggage before check-in and after check-out. There’s a luggage room next to the front desk — you borrow a key card and store your bags yourself. Security cameras are inside, which is reassuring, but we’d still recommend using a padlock on any soft bags just to be safe.
Our Stay in a Superior Room
We stayed in a Superior Room with a king bed. Since there were three of us, they had also set up a sofa bed.
The most impressive thing? The ceilings were incredibly high! The room itself wasn’t huge — Superior Rooms range from 22–40m², and ours felt like about 30m² — but the high ceilings made it feel really spacious and open.
Everything was very clean and nicely designed. Our room had a building view, so the view wasn’t anything special — but the grandparents’ room had a park view, so it seems to vary by room.
One fun detail: the open closet had magnetic clothing rods that you could reposition at different heights. Great for kids who want to hang their own things at a reachable height!
The bedside outlets included USB-C and USB-A ports — so convenient for charging phones and devices.
Bathroom & Amenities
The bathroom has a shower only (no bathtub). It was clean, with good water pressure, temperature, and drainage. The shower area was spacious enough for me and my daughter to shower together comfortably, and it had a proper door.
Amenities are minimal — wall-mounted shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner. No cotton pads or other extras, so bring your own if you need them.
In the room, there were complimentary tea bags and instant coffee. Snacks from the minibar were paid.
Breakfast Buffet
We headed down to the breakfast restaurant the next morning. You give your room number at the entrance, and then it’s open seating — no assigned tables.
We arrived around 6:40 AM and it was nice and quiet — only about 10 people. We even spotted one Japanese group!
The spread included salads, breads (mostly pastries — including cinnamon rolls!), and a great variety of cheeses. For kids, there were sausages and plain meatballs (no sauce).
The cinnamon rolls were good — a flavor that Japanese palates would appreciate — though a bit on the firm side.
One thing that impressed us at this hotel (and throughout Helsinki) was how many places clearly label gluten-free and lactose-free options. I’m not allergic to wheat, but I try to choose gluten-free when I can, so this was really appreciated. (That said — I definitely ate my fair share of cinnamon rolls on this trip…!)
There was also a lovely fresh berry sauce — tart and sweet with no added sugar. Very Finnish!
Near the entrance, there’s a small kids’ corner with a play kitchen and toys. It’s not big, but enough to keep little ones entertained while parents finish eating.
Breakfast hours: Mon–Fri 6:30–10:00 / Sat–Sun 7:30–12:00
Sauna, Gym & Co-Working Space
Scandic Helsinki Hub has a sauna, gym, and a co-working space near the restaurant area.
We didn’t get to try the sauna or gym, but we noticed the co-working space on the way to breakfast — a few people were working there in the morning.
It seems to be open 24 hours. My husband went there to work at night, but it was completely empty — he said it felt a bit awkward being the only one there. Then again, this is Finland — people finish work early and don’t work at night!
Nearby Cafes & Shops
Fazer Cafe & Ekberg 1852
Two of Helsinki’s most famous cafes — Fazer Cafe and Ekberg 1852 — are both within easy walking distance from the hotel.
Since our check-in day was also our arrival day, we dropped our bags at the hotel and went looking for breakfast. Ekberg’s eat-in area was tiny and full, so we headed to Fazer Cafe instead. We ordered cinnamon rolls and pistachio twists — it was less crowded than Ekberg, and they had high chairs for kids. The staff were lovely!
Fazer Cafe’s cinnamon rolls are big and quite sweet, but as our first cinnamon roll in Finland, it tasted incredible.
We went back to Ekberg the next day to buy cinnamon rolls. They had a beautiful selection — not just pastries but also rye bread and other artisan loaves, plus sandwiches and salads. Perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ekberg’s cinnamon rolls had a lighter dough, less sweet than Fazer’s, with what tasted like a blueberry jam filling. Delicious!
K-Supermarket Kamppi
Kamppi Shopping Center is about an 8-minute walk from the hotel, and it has a K-Supermarket with a great deli section, salad bar, and fresh bread.
The 4th floor has a MUJI store and even a MUJI Cafe! The cafe makes their own gelato, which was really good. They also serve cakes and set meals — at lunchtime, there was a long queue of locals ordering teishoku (Japanese set meals). It made us so happy to see!
Eating out in Helsinki can be expensive, but grocery prices are fairly reasonable. If you’re staying for a week or more, we’d recommend booking an apartment and cooking some meals — or grabbing deli items from K-Supermarket to eat in your room.
The refrigerated pizzas from K-Supermarket were surprisingly delicious, by the way!
Our daughter became obsessed with Finnish cucumbers and ate them constantly throughout the trip…
Old Church Park Playground
Right in front of the hotel is Old Church Park (Vanha kirkkopuisto), and in one corner there’s a small playground with swings, a sandbox, and a slide.
It’s best suited for younger kids — preschool age at most. Our 6-year-old found it a bit too easy, so we ended up playing hide-and-seek in the park instead.
On weekday mornings, local kindergarten kids come to play here, so it can get busy early.
One thing to note: the park is next to a church and there are some old gravestones in the area. Just something to be mindful of when kids are running around.
Final Thoughts
Scandic Helsinki Hub
The central location means you’re within walking distance of great cafes, shops, and a playground — perfect for families. If you’re looking for a comfortable, no-fuss hotel in central Helsinki, we’d definitely recommend it!
Practical Info
Hotel Scandic Helsinki Hub Check-in / Check-out 16:00 / 12:00 Address Annankatu 18, FI-00120 Helsinki, Finland Access From Airport: Train (I or P line) to Helsinki Central Station, about 30 minutes. Trains every 10–20 min.From Helsinki Central Station: 10-min walk, or tram line 3 to Erottaja (4 min).From Kamppi Station: 5-min walk.
