Built in connection with the Helsinki Airport terminal, Finland’s largest hotel complex has been completed and was handed over to the operator, Strawberry, in mid-May. The hotel will open its doors to customers on the first day of June. The new hotel complex strengthens the area’s position as a hub for international tourism and business.
Developed and owned by AVIA Real Estate, the hotel complex is part of a long-term effort to develop the airport city. The company’s CEO, Ilkka Pitkänen, says that the location of the hotel is unbeatable, and it serves not only travelers but also the businesses in Aviapolis.
– The hotel has direct indoor access to the terminal and the airport train station. The complex features 716 rooms and several restaurants, as well as numerous international-standard meeting and conference spaces, which are lacking in both Vantaa and the entire capital region. The cocktail bar on the 12th floor is predicted to become a new destination experience, attracting visitors from afar to enjoy unique views with a drink or meal.
Pitkänen is pleased that the major project has been completed.
– This is the second-largest investment in the area, right after the terminal. It has been truly exciting to drive forward such a significant scale hotel project. Along the way, there have been many successes, but also many challenges. The start of the project was delayed due to the coronavirus, and crises affecting the whole of Europe have also impacted our project.
Building the hotel right in the heart of a busy airport area presented its own challenges. Additionally, the hotel’s plot is located above a continuously operating train station on the Ring Rail Line. The project manager of the hotel project, Tuomas Taskula, mentions that the unique features and restrictions of working in the airport area have become well-known during the project.
– The building’s volume was maximized and, for instance, the ridge structure of the roof was designed to be sloping so that it follows the inclined flight obstacle limitation surface from the runway.
AVIA Real Estate and Skanska signed the construction contract for the hotel in June 2021, and the construction work began in October of the same year. The main designer of the project was the architectural firm SARC.
For more information:
AVIA Real Estate
Ilkka Pitkänen
Toimitusjohtaja
ilkka.pitkanen@aviarealestate.fi 040-6670906