Park Hotel
The privately-owned Park Hotel in Turku is a charming looking property, in a famous Art Nouveau building which was originally constructed in the year 1902. The hotel is peacefully located beside the Puolalanpuisto Park, and is only a few minutes away from the main railway station and the market square. In 1984 this hotel underwent complete renovations especially in the interiors and it only retained its original façade giving the look of a private villa. The hotel is well-equipped and a perfect stay for both business and leisure travellers.
Guests to the Park Hotel in Turku are welcomed at the reception by the Hotel Mascot - an African Grey Parrot Jaakko, who became famous in newspaper articles and television programmes over the years.
The cosy looking homely property has a total of 21 rooms including one suite room. All 21 rooms are individually designed and each has a unique ambiance of its own. The rooms are air-conditioned, well-equipped with high quality furnishings and also include rooms for non-smoking guests.
Conference facilities are available for groups of different sizes, and the hotel will make all the necessary arrangements to meet the needs of their corporate clients. The necessary audiovisual equipment is available as well. The in-house restaurant is available on a request basis, thus you got to make sure that you make your reservation and order for the meal of your choice. A sauna building is available separately - next to the hotel which can take in 1-25 persons. A booking is required, and visitors need to check this out with the front desk.
Being located next to a park, the hotel and its surroundings has a pleasant, quite and soothing ambiance, which is ideal for relaxation. During the summer an outdoor terrace is laid out where visitors can enjoy snacks and drinks. The well-trained team of friendly staff is always ready to assist visitors with their needs and the front desk operates for 24 hours.
This article will not be complete, unless a bit of history on the Park Hotel is not touched on before its closure. This private villa was originally owned by British born John Edward Eager who had a stable for two horses next to the house, with a hen-house upstairs and even a rabbit hutch in the building. Thereafter the ownership of the property went through many hands.
In 1982 the house was purchased by Heikki Salmela, the founder and owner of the Hesburger fast food chain, and it was Salmela's idea to change the building into its present position - the Park Hotel. It is now owned by Eva and Zbigniew Dziedzic and their son Saul Paavola who manage the hotel from 1988.
The stable building is the present day sauna, and is loved by everyone who uses it, the former henhouse upstairs is a place for relaxation after a sauna, and also serves as a meeting place for small groups. The hotel is so unique that it was selected as a location for a movie called "Jään Kääntöpiiri" (Tropic of Ice), and it has also been a scene for many fashion and advertising shots.
Reading a small spec of its past history, the Park Hotel seems to have been a happy home, with lots of happy people around, so like all the many old houses is there a "happy house spirit" of the past that lingers in Park Hotel? That will be fun to find out!!!
For more information, see Park Hotel's website.
