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In 1845 (during a period in history when Finland was an autonomous part of Russia) Tsar Nicholas I ordered a ranger’s lodge to be built, complete with room for travelers. Over the decades, the building was transformed into the internationally renowned Punkaharjun Valtionhotelli, the oldest state hotel in Finland. In 2016 the hotel underwent a complete renovation and the hotel’s story now continues under the name Hotel Punkaharju.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Trendy
Business
Languages Spoken
English, French, Finnish, German and 2 more
Location
Punkaharjun harjutie 596, Punkaharju 58450 Finland
Name/address in local language
Hotelli Punkaharju
4.1 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
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This pearl of Punkaharju is tastefully restored and decorated. Calm and cozy atmosphere in beautiful surroundings. Like an 19th century “kurort”. Restaurant lives up to standard, staff even remembered my food allergies the next day. The downside is small rooms (doublebed fills whole room not leaving even space for shelf or reading light), small inconveniences though, still worth a five star rating!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you are looking for a stay in beautiful historical surroundings, close to pure Finnish nature with forests and crisp lakes, this is the place. Such a great job done in restauring this place making it feel also fresh and modern. Surrounded by beautiful nature, forest and lakes. All topped by excellent, friendly service and good food.
Excellent place for nature lovers and those wanting to escape to relax and indulge thenselves.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I we went her for lunch. All the food was foraged from the surrounding woods and lake. Each dish was not only a work of art, but delicious. Many things I hadn't eaten before. All delicious. I would go again, but of course, depending upon the season, this talented chef would be using completely different products. This was one of the most interesting and wonderful lunches I have every eaten.
I do not know about the hotel accommodations. My friend, used to go there with her family when she was young.
After lunch, well served in a light-filled airy dining room, with a view of the lake and woods, we walked around the area, down to the lake, where a large boat had just docked. We found out we could have taken the boat(three hours) from Savonlinna, but we drove (half an hour) On our walk, we found many of the plants used in lunch.
A delightful few hours.
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Date of stay: July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We visited Hotel Punkaharju in August 2020 and as we had a dog with us, the only place available was a little cottage about 500 m from the hotel. We arrived 15:45 (check in time was 16:00), we had to wait 15 minutes before we could check in, they could not give the key to us, as there might still be cleaning personnel in the cottage. The cottage was small with no bathroom (we knew this), the bathroom was about 100 m away. There were bath ropes in the room, but both of them were women's size S (I got a funny picture of my husband in it). There was a reading light on one side of the bed, you could not read a book on both sides of the bed (no TV either). Dinner at the restaurant was good, but the breakfast was the worst hotel breakfast I've ever had. Tea and coffee was served, but there was only one type black tea available. Additionally there were only one type of bread, one cheese that stank so bad that you could not eat it, one type of meat (smoked lamb), one vegetable (tomato), porridge, one type of yogurt and one juice. Breakfast at home beats Punkaharju's breakfast any day. The scenery and nature is excellent in Punkaharju.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Almost everything failed during our lunch. Waiting time was 1,5 half hours (restaurant was not crowded), and finally the food was a big disappointment. The worst was risotto - homemade oath porage is much better. Positive issues: children food was good, and the staff expressed understanding on our dissatisfaction.
This was a big surprise - in summer 2021 we got excellent food and service. What has happened to this place over the last year...?
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Forest room was over prized and humble. it was crazy hot and there was none ventilator, you could not keep the window open because mosquito net was 'broken'. No running water. No wifi. Small fridge was very noisy. And only 4 hanger for the clothes. No wardrobe.There was cloustrophbic feeling. Forestroom is not hotel room and it is not camping area, the concept is odd. There should be running water inside the room and table in the outside near the forestroom. It was quite ok to walk to the common showers but outside toilet and sharing it with all, was not good idea, now in this covidtime. Every forest room should atleast have own outside toilet. One night there was group of people drinking and listening music outside VERY loud, 02:00 I did contact to duty person but she didn't do anything. Breakfast was humble. Restaurant's food was good, not excellent. Reception service was little bit like a internship. Nature in the area was beautiful, but there is a lot of work to do to get this concept to running and feeling of staying in the hotel and service should be better. And some kind of security cameras in the area should be obligatory. Main thing to service is that Cutomers are feeling safe and relaxed. I can't recommend this place.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife and I stayed here for 4 days over Midsummer, visiting from Helsinki. Let me say at the outset that we had a fantastic time in Punkaharju - the location, the views, swimming or paddle-boarding in the lake, were just amazing. You leave feeling refreshed, relaxed, closer to nature and ready to get back to normal life. I'd definitely come back for a long summer weekend.
The hotel itself is very good, all things considered, given its remoteness and uniqueness. A converted old lake mansion, it has so much character but that comes with limitations it seems. Our room was quaint and old fashioned (it was one of the larger suites overlooking the lake) but suffered from no A/C. We liked the toiletries a lot, but not so much the lack of room service / daily cleaning (due to corona) or the fact that we were only given a few hours warning that the hotel would be entirely unstaffed from 5pm on Sunday evening until the next morning!
I've reviewed the hotel restaurant separately - that was great, many happy hours spent there.
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Date of stay: June 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Food, atmosphere and service was excellent. Also rooms are just amazing! Most recommended!
Finnish national views around the little town called Punkaharju calms your mind and all the services this hotel is able to give you complies the most relaxing and refreshing holiday you can get. Just forget those beaches in southern europe, come and visit Saimaa!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed in a Forest Cabin in summer peak season and it was lovely, don't know what the hotel rooms are like but at least the cabins are very nice and quiet. Morning sauna was definately a wonderful bonus! Breakfast and dinner were one of the best we've ever seen with local produce and Finnish/Scandinavian style, far-away brought foreign stuff has been skipped which is excellent! At last something original. Staff is very friendly and helpful, bartenders and waiters very nice and easy-going. Everything is quite pricy but not more than in Helsinki, and what would you expect from a really chic place with excellent food? The area is perfect for hiking and day trips (at least in summer) to museums, art exhibitions farm visit, waffle café, mushroom picking etc. The forest cabins can also be a smooth way of trying out the Finnish "mökki"-experience, with facilities close by in case it starts to feel too rural :)
Metsähuone toimi todella hyvin ainakin kesällä, tänne ehdottomasti uudestaan!
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Date of stay: July 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Forest Cabins are very nice & peaceful
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is overhyped due to its celebrity owner but nothing really works here. The rooms are small and not well equipped (no kettle, basic cosmetic needs or welcome marks in the room). No one offered to give a helping hand with our luggage. We had made a table reservation but it didn't exist at the time we arrived to the restaurant. We had to wait for one hour to get seated. The place lacks finishing touch and furnitures are purchased from Ikea. Staff doesn't even greet at the breakfast. No value for money!
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Date of stay: July 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Punkaharju area.
PRICE RANGE
$278 - $341 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
FinlandSouthern SavoniaPunkaharju
NUMBER OF ROOMS
20
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