The Hostelz.com Review
HI - Helsinki - Hostel Academica seems to be a student residence that converts to a hostel. Considering its price, it should (and does) offer more quality than regular hostels.
The Location
The location is not really central, but it's close to a tram and a metro stations, although in a quiet street. The directions given by the hostel's website are clear.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are comfortable, the matresses and the linen are in good state, there are wardrobes for storing things, and since no room is for more than three people, you can feel safe storing your things in them. All the rooms have equipment for cooking, such as an oven and a fridge, so you can save some money cooking yourself instead of eating in the expensive restaurants of Helsinki. Also, each room has its own bathroom, and there's space for placing shampoo and soap, clothes, and towels. The cleanliness of the place is good, and it'll be cleaned again in case you stay four or more days.
Common Spaces
Given that all the facilities you could need are in the room, you won't see people very often. There's a common room in the ground floor with TV, some books, and tables for seating and talking, but you won't see so many people around there. Wi-Fi is available only in this room, but it's not provided for free, so people don't have many reasons to go there. It's more of a high-level hostel, so you'll see older people and mature couples. It will be quiet most of the time, but there are pubs right in front of the entrance and in the same block, so there are other options.
Summary
The service is better than you'd expect from a hostel, so if you want to spend a little more for better accommodation, this place is recommended.
The Location
The location is not really central, but it's close to a tram and a metro stations, although in a quiet street. The directions given by the hostel's website are clear.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are comfortable, the matresses and the linen are in good state, there are wardrobes for storing things, and since no room is for more than three people, you can feel safe storing your things in them. All the rooms have equipment for cooking, such as an oven and a fridge, so you can save some money cooking yourself instead of eating in the expensive restaurants of Helsinki. Also, each room has its own bathroom, and there's space for placing shampoo and soap, clothes, and towels. The cleanliness of the place is good, and it'll be cleaned again in case you stay four or more days.
Common Spaces
Given that all the facilities you could need are in the room, you won't see people very often. There's a common room in the ground floor with TV, some books, and tables for seating and talking, but you won't see so many people around there. Wi-Fi is available only in this room, but it's not provided for free, so people don't have many reasons to go there. It's more of a high-level hostel, so you'll see older people and mature couples. It will be quiet most of the time, but there are pubs right in front of the entrance and in the same block, so there are other options.
Summary
The service is better than you'd expect from a hostel, so if you want to spend a little more for better accommodation, this place is recommended.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
June 2010
Their Description
HI - Helsinki - Hostel Academica Details
|
|
(To add or correct information for this listing, please use the Listing Update Form.)
Map Location/ContactHow is HI - Helsinki - Hostel Academica rated on other websites?
No reviews yet.
No reviews yet.
HI - Helsinki - Hostel Academica Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Value for money but if you expect Sauna, don't come We stayed for 3 nights and lived in 7 floor private room. The place was clean, the room was big with a nice kitchen. The staffs were very nice and helpful. The only problem was no wi-fi in the room and the common room's wifi were so weak that my mobile phone were not able to compete for internet services. The location was nice though difficult to find at the beginning. Major problem was the Sauna service, for female, we were asked to use it before 8:30am. It is ridiculous! How could people use it? — Delicia , Hong Kong (2011-07-29) Good This hostel was very clean with a cooker with oven and four hobs! Luxury! The down side was that whilst we were staying there they were doing building work just behind and it was very noisy. In our room there was no plates/saucepans provided (I think it's luck of the draw!) We went out and equipped our room for about 20 euros at a nearby 1 euro shop. Other than this I can't fault it. It is a stones throw from the beach too and the tram stops just round the back. It is also very secure here -- you wouldn't be able to break the doors down in a hurry! Very good. — Alison Brindley , UK (2007-09-12) Clean and Comfortable I think this hostel was great. so much better than the one we stayed in before (Satakuntatalo). We had a modern twin room, which was very clean, spacious, and nicely furnished. We had our own bathroom with a modern shower, a clean toilet, sink, big mirror, and so on. The kitchen was also great, it included a huge fridge, a sink, an oven, and numerous cupboards to store stuff. Plates, glasses and cups were included as well as spoons, knives, and forks. The cupboards were also very spacious, we had two shelves as well as a table for eating and two chairs. The beds were comfortable and the room was also air conditioned.
Usage of the sauna and the swimming pool is included in the price. At the gound floor there is a meeting room with computers, TV, another kitchen, and even stuff for ironing clothes. Very cosy place to meet other travelers. All in all I think this hostel is the best choice for staying at Helsinki. — Carina , Germany (2007-07-29) what can i say? My friend and I had a really good experience here. However, I understand that the private rooms and the dorm experiences are very different. i can only speak on the private rooms, of which we stayed in for six nights in late July. It is a fairly good location -- walkable distance from town, and fairly easy to find (once you get your head around Finnish street names). Whilst it seems to have more of a "youth hostel" kind of vibe than other places in europe that we stayed at (more young people), the hotel-ish nature of the private rooms (which i think make most of the accommodation) don't make for as much of a social place. The rooms are clean and beds are comfortable, with a stove and fridge for cooking, which is nice. however you'll need all your own cooking utensils and saucepans, so you are a bit limited. But at least you can hit supermarkets a bit more and save on food. The down side was certainly the bathroom -- not so much that it was small but rather that it smelt really bad. It was somewhat clean but still, could be better. But friendly, helpful staff was certainly a good thing -- as well as location makes for a decent stay. — scott (2006-09-18) We have stayed at this hostel for three nights, at the beggining of july. For me and my boyfriend has been the best hostel we have stayed in. We had a private room with bathroom, not a dorm. The room included linen, towel and breakfast for 32€ each, it's not cheap but for such a clean and confortable place in Helsinki I can say it's very fair. I dont know about the dorms but for a private room it's quite worthy. The staff was also quite helpful and the location was quite good, too. If you look for a twin room with private bathroom, I will strongly recommend you Academica. — Spanish visitors (2006-07-10) It was probably one of the most pathetic hostels I've stayed in.
Good points: the staff were very accommodating. Actually it's fairly far from the train station! About a 15-20 minute walk! It's still downtown in a way.
Bad points: it's a bit of a dorm-room dive. Not a social place. — Katie (2005-11-11) This place is not at all up to European standard of youth hostel. The website is not a fair representation of this youth hostel!!! The dorm rooms are filthy, and the shower, toilet and sink are in one cramped space—i.e., there's no shower stall. Gross. This place is a shame. Eighteen euros, and five more for linen? It's the worst hostel I've stayed in. Being near the train station is its only plus. But it's not a friendly place that you want to stay in, or feel welcomed to! It's a real let-down after a long trip to get to Helsinki!! I felt quite cheated to find the true condition of this hostel. — Anonymous (2004-09-03) YIKES!!! This hostel is a dive. It's very deceiving; the hostel looks great on the website. But unfortunately, the rooms shown are private or semi-private and NOT the dorms. This is the worst hostel I have ever stayed at. I am a frequent international traveler, staying at places in New York, Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, Paris, Germany, London, and all over Austria and Italy - to name just a few! I have always been pleased with the incredible service and welcome and security felt at all these places.
The Academica Hostel, however, is a disgrace--it's cold, unfriendly and dirty. The hostel is big--though not like a hotel!! Don't be mistaken! It is much more like a crappy, poorly-kept university dorm. I have never seen such pitiful dorm rooms. The bathroom has a shower which is basically in the same space as the sink and toilet - I mean, there is NO shower stall, just a grim shower curtain to barely throw around yourself, getting the whole floor around the sink and toilet wet. Come on, this is pathetic. This is a scary, and third world-ish place, way below European standards. I was shocked to see such poor standards.
It's not very friendly, either. I didn't get to have breakfast, which starts at 7--6 a.m. would be better. Just try to find breakfast in Helsinki! Forget it, even last-resort McDonald's doesn't have a full breakfast menu.
It was very disappointing after a long flight to go to such a miserable place. The price isn't great at 18 euros, plus 5 euros for linen--and no chance to have breakfast. The dorm kitchen was filthy, by the way. The stairwell is locked shut and you have to use the elevator--which is not very safe as well as a pain if you're just on the second floor. Not everyone gets a thrill out of elevator cramp and laziness.
I have had nice experiences at Helsinki youth hostels - alas, it was a while ago and I misplaced the name of the other nice hostel. I suppose this was a bit better than overnight at the airport, but that's debatable. What a shame. The only small star for this place is that there is a Finnair bus from the airport to the train station at only 4.90 euros, and a 55 or 55A bus which takes you to and from the youth hostel and train station for 2 euros each way.
I do not recommend this place, unless your other option is the street. If you have enough cash to pay for a single room at 50-plus euros, get to a hotel!!!! There are several small hotels and apartment hotels around this price! — Anonymous (2004-09-01) This is more a hotel than a hostel. This also means that it's not a very social place. They only have 1 key for the rooms, and the doors lock if you close them a bit firmly (close it gently, and it will stay unlocked for your roommates). There is a small TV room where you can meet other travellers (admission to which requires a roomkey). Breakfast is served in a nearby hotel and is quite nice (though at €6, a bit expensive). — Peter (2004-08-26)