TRIP REPORT: Holiday Inn, Helsinki Airport – Taking the Long Way to Singapore

The Holiday Inn, Helsinki Airport
Taking the long way (and back) to Singapore

Time for another night stop, this time at a Holiday Inn near Helsinki Vantaa Airport. Is it worth staying near the airport, or is a city stay more appropriate? 

In this adventure

• I needed a break
• 02:40 on the coach? Nothing changes, with Heathrow Terminal 5 and British Airways South Lounge
• BA776 London Heathrow to Stockholm Arlanda (Club Europe)
• An afternoon in Stockholm featuring ABBA The Museum 
• Off to Stockholm Bromma, AY840 Stockholm Bromma to Helsinki Vantaa with NoRRA (Economy Class)
• A Rapid Helsinki Transit and The Finnair Lounge
• AY099 Helsinki Vantaa to Hong Kong International with Finnair (Business Class)
• Transiting Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific’s The Pier Lounge
• CX715 (AY5855) Hong Kong International to Singapore Changi Terminal 4 with Cathay Pacific (Business Class)
• Into Singapore, IBIS Budget Crystal
• The Mercure Hotel, Bugis
• Boating around the Singapore River
• Exploring Hawker Markets and random fooding around Singapore
• The Best Camera is the One You Have With You – Exploring The Gardens by the Bay
• Up to the Marina Bay Sands Skypark…
• …and the fallout of a stolen and returned iPhone
• Back to Changi Airport the Pokemon Centre at the Jewel and Terminal 4
• 3K513 (AY6379) Singapore Changi to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (Jetstar Asia Economy Class)
• One night in Bangkok and the Avagard Capsule Hotel, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
• An early morning at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and The Miracle Lounge, D Pier
• AY142 Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Helsinki Vantaa with Finnair in Business Class
• Out of Vantaa Airport and into Helsinki… and a little beyond
• Holiday Inn, Helsinki Airport
• Early morning at Helsinki Vantaa Airport and The Finnair Schengen Lounge
• AY841 Helsinki Vantaa to Stockholm Bromma with NoRRA (Economy Class)
• The slow return to Arlanda Airport (with a military band)
• D84459 Stockholm Arlanda to London Gatwick with Norweigan Air Shuttle
• How to get home… coach or train?
• Sometimes, Simple Isn’t Needed… Or Wanted

Arriving back at Helsinki Airport, I headed back into the terminal area, then followed the signs for buses, where both local and regional buses depart – as well as parking and airport shuttles.

Pro tip – turn right past the supermarket at Helsinki Airport – you’ll find the buses that way. With an “every 15-minute” service, a bus arrived soon enough to take me to my home for the night – the Holiday Inn Vantaa Airport.

The hotel itself is in the Aviotropolis area of Vantaa, so there are some things in the legion. For me – I needed a shower and a bed.

Arriving at the hotel, I was greeted for check-in. I was also upgraded to a larger room – which for a prepaid rate I was on – I was more than happy with.

An upsell was attempted for breakfast at the property. I declined, as I would need to be out of the hotel around 5 am to meet the 7:55 flight.

Given that I have experienced long queues at Helsinki Airport in the past, this was not negotiable.

With keycards issued, I headed upstairs. Whilst the property seemed a little older, it had been looked after with care.

Posted on the lift. A Damn good idea.

Sadly, the upgraded rooms were at the end of a long corridor. After walking so much the past few days, I suspect you can imagine it was the thing I wanted to see at that exact moment in time.

Do. Not. Want. 

Executive, you say… 

Going into the room, it felt a little odd – like two rooms had been mashed together. On the left where I came in, was a makeup and dressing up area, akin to the mirrors with lights in them.

Safe, towels … and what’s that thing? 

A stocked Mini Bar. Rare to see in a hotel these days… 

Finland does what Germany can’t. 

On the right, was the bathroom which had… you guessed it – another shower. I would have downgraded in a second if the room had a bathtub in it. Again, all the amenities are bulk-style amenities.

Going into the room itself, there was a massive open space with a couple of chairs, a TV that swivels on a pole from the ceiling, and of course, the bed.

Ceiling-suspended TV on a spinnable pole. That’s new.

Side chairs and table. The bag is completely normal. 

Water (Still and Sparkling) and a bar of chocolate.

After having a bit of a restorative shower and time to cool down (although being in the Nordics felt like I was in perma-aircon already after being in Asia for six days)

The bed itself… was very soft. That has its pluses and minus – for me, mostly minus – as I tend to sink in these sorts of beds rather hard.

And sink I did. Then I remembered the joy of data backup and started to ensure all the data from the trip was backed up (with a lot of data removed still, thanks to the chaos on the last few days of the trip in Singapore).

By the bed was a drink-making station. This being a Holiday Inn, it’s a ketttle. I’ve got no problem with that. Kettles work.

With everything secure as much as I could, I fell asleep as a 4 am alarm was in my future.

And you bet I missed that by a clear half hour. However, I spent the next 30 minutes getting ready and repacking.

I did not want to get out of this, even though it was soft as hell. 

With the bags secured, it was time to head on out.

Heading downstairs, I knew I missed the 5 am bus – so I was targeting the 5:15 service to the airport. If I was correct, it would give me time to get through security, have breakfast at the lounge and hike to the gate.

That’s an interesting guilting tactic to ensure you only consume what you need. 

As I checked out, I noticed something to guilt people to only take food they needed. An interesting tactic, to say the least.

I headed out a little early to get some fresh cool air and waited for the bus outside.

Overall

With an upgrade as well as a reasonable stay – I’m not arguing considering I spent £77.34 (with a healthy lump of cashback too). The hotel has a good few things going for it – with a free shuttle and decent connectivity to the airport, along with good facilities for those who need to rest for the night before a trip.

I just wish my room had a bathtub… and firmer beds

Next

Time to head off to Helsinki Vantaa Airport and explore the new Finnair Schengen Lounge.

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