Citybox Helsinki marks its entry into the Finnish hotel market with a grand opening.

On February 9th, Citybox unveiled its latest addition, Citybox Helsinki. With self-check-in, Scandinavian design, and modern solutions, the Norwegian hotel chain entered the Finnish hotel market.

"We are very pleased to open our first hotel in Helsinki, and we hope this will be one of many! Citybox Helsinki is a fantastic hotel, offering everything our guests could wish for either in the building itself or within a short walking distance," says Eivind Hjulstad, CEO of Citybox.

"The opening of Citybox Helsinki is a milestone for us in our efforts to establish hotels in all the Nordic capitals. After Citybox Stockholm, opening before the summer, we are only missing Copenhagen," adds Eivind.

The opening celebration took place on Thursday, February 8th, with over 200 guests in attendance. The hotel has already received impressive guest feedback, scoring 9.2 out of 10 on booking.com after the opening weekend.

"The feedback has exceeded all expectations, and we had high expectations to begin with. It is clear that there is a demand in the Finnish hotel market for a concept like ours, offering affordable accommodation without compromising on quality," says Eivind.

Located in the popular Hakaniemi area, Citybox Helsinki offers easy access to Helsinki's city center, with a subway station literally right below the hotel. The hotel features a total of 178 rooms, including various double rooms, family rooms, and two junior suites. In addition to the well-known Citybox facilities, such as a guest kitchen, shared TV lounge, and a laundromat where guests can do their laundry, there are also meeting room facilities.

The building is expected to achieve LEED Platinum certification, also known as the highest environmental certification for new builds.

"The building is perfectly dimensioned to provide efficient, spacious hotel rooms. What sets this hotel apart is the environmental dimension that the owner has implemented. The design of the building fits perfectly into the historic parts of Kallio and Hakaniemi," says Hjulstad.

The hotel agreement was signed in 2020 between Citybox and YLVA, owned by the Finnish student union.

"We signed the hotel agreement in 2020, and the project has lasted for four years. It has been a long construction period, partly because the hotel was signed in the midst of the pandemic but mainly because a metro was built 20 meters underground beneath the hotel, and there were three construction phases. Next to the hotel, an office building was completed in the fall, and behind the hotel, an apartment building is being completed," explains Eivind.