Hotel Kakola

The Hotel Kakola is a unique property. It's one of the most unusual hotels we have stayed in because up until just a few years ago it had been a prison! They certainly did a fabulous remodeling to make it into a lovely hotel. The gals at the reception were very friendly and helpful. Henna went above and beyond spending time with us to give us ideas for touring the area. We enjoyed both the outdoor terrace and the buffet breakfast. It's a bit eerie to see handcuffs on the backs of the chairs in the lobby bar but it's all part of the effect of the prison! Our room was very spacious and lovely! I would highly recommend the Hotel Kakola for your stay in Turku, Finland!

Everything was fantastic except we were offered no options when we questioned the lack of bar fridge and our dinner ingredients for the next cabin booking spoiled. Hotel was great otherwise & breakfast & dinner & the lounge burgers were all great! Staff were amazing!!

This is an incredibly nice hotel. The staff were kind and helpful, the room is very comfortable and clean, the food was good, and you get a discounted rate at a lovely spa a short walk away. My only complaint is that, as an American who lives in a country with a prison industrial system, I was hoping this prison-turned-hotel would be focused more on "Isn't it wonderful our crime rate is so low in Finland that we close prisons rather than open more? Look how we reused the space to provide a comfortable space for travelers to sleep and a nice cafe where people can enjoy meals together". The decor is lots of barbed wire and handcuffs attached to furniture and a giant mural of the prisoners in the restaurant. They make it nearly impossible to not think about the people who were once held there. I wish, much like the way a lot of old churches have been turned into secular community spaces, that this old prison felt more interested in a brighter future rather than clinging to a dark past.

We loved our stay in this exciting hotel. The atmosphere echoed a bit about its past as a prison. The room was spacious, quiet, clean and the bed was fabulously comfortable. The breakfast was most enjoyable with plenty of choice in food. Good strong coffee as well. The staff at the reception were friendly and very helpful as were the staff where ever we met them. Good location on a hill with a free funicular taking you up and down if too tired to walk was great. A short walking distance from the city centre and the river. I will recommend this hotel if you want a beautiful friendly place to stay in Turku.