Hostel Cheap Sleep (Helsinki)
Assuming you enter Finland through Helsinki, Cheap Sleep can be where you spend the first night in the country. It is part of the Hostelling International network and is probably the cheapest hostel in Finland, with prices starting from EUR 20 per night in a 24-bed dorm. The number 24 here might scare off people, but unlike in several hostels, you get a better space for the price. Also, it usually fills slower than the lower-capacity rooms. The dorms have bunk beds with personal lockers, reading lights, and plug points close to the bed. In most of the rooms, each set of bunk beds is separated by partition walls for privacy. If you are into cooking your own meals while travelling, they have a well-equipped common kitchen. Alternatively, you can always grab a snack from the 24-hour grocery store located on the ground floor of the same building or the restaurants nearby during their opening hours. The hostel also offers ample common areas to sit and relax. You can browse through the books available on the common bookshelf or enjoy a session of board gaming. They also host board and arcade gaming nights as part of their weekly activities which also include a movie night and a party night. If I remember correctly, I also saw a couple of massage chairs in one of the corners of the hostel. This might be something you would like to try after a day of exploring the Finnish capital. The bus and tram stops are located within 100 m of the hostel. The bus route 600, which runs between Helsinki Central railway station and Vantaa Airport throughout the day, passes through this stop. Thus making this hostel a perfect base to start and end your Finnish adventures.
Hostel Cafe Koti (Rovaniemi)
The Finnish word ‘Koti’ translates to ‘home’ in English. I suggest making Hostel Cafe Koti your home during your visit to the ‘Official Hometown of Santa Claus’. But beware, Rovaniemi has two faces — it is a tranquil retreat during the summer solstice but a bustling tourist town in winter. The Santa Claus village and the northern lights are a major tourist magnet of this town, located close to the Arctic Circle. Thus, it is advisable to book early to secure a cheap stay in this town. The Rovaniemi railway station and the bus station are located less than 2 km away from the hostel. The local bus number 8 might be the best option to reach the hostel from either place if you hate walking. The bus connects the railway station to the Santa Claus Village and has a stop near Koskikatu, which is the most important shopping street in Rovaniemi. The hostel is just a few hundred metres from this bus stop. The price of a dorm bed in this hostel starts at EUR 30 but can double during peak season. The dorms are composed of bunk beds with access to personal lockers, reading lights and electric sockets. Here you would be sharing the room with nine other persons; however, there are curtains between each set of bunk beds for privacy. The hostel has a common kitchen and TV lounge for use by the guests. There is also a sauna, but it may be accessible only during specific hours. As the name suggests, the hostel operates a cafe on its premises, offering buffet breakfast and lunch. If you are staying at the hostel, you can enjoy a hearty breakfast at the cafe at a discounted rate before heading out to explore the most popular destination in Finnish Lapland.
Read more about Rovaniemi in my other blog post: Rovaniemi — The hometown of Santa Claus
Hostel Ahopää (Kiilopää)
This was a real hidden gem I discovered during my 2021 winter trip to Lapland. Kiilopää is located 200 km north of Rovaniemi and 15 km before the more touristy ski resort of Saariselkä. The hostel is part of the Hostelling International network and is one of the northernmost hostels in Finland, easily accessible by public transport. Two buses from Rovaniemi on their way further north in Lapland take a detour from the highway to make a stop at the Kiilopää Fell Centre. Hostel Ahopää is conveniently located at one of the entrance points to the Urho Kekkonen National Park, making it an ideal base camp for wilderness adventures throughout the year. If you are familiar with Finnish folklore, you might have heard of Korvatunturi — a fell along the Finnish-Russian border where Santa is believed to have his secret workshop. Korvatunturi is part of the Urho Kekkonen National Park and is on the opposite side of where Ahopää is located. So if you happen to get lost while exploring this vast wilderness area, you might end up meeting the real Joulupukki himself. The hostel has dorms that can accommodate up to eight people and is priced at EUR 30 per bed. Here, you would be sleeping on cosy wooden bunk beds housed in a traditional wooden building. The dorm building has a common kitchen and a few toilets, but no showers. The shower is located in the main building, which also houses the Fell Centre reception and restaurant. The area has no grocery store, and the nearest one is located at Saariselkä. However, the Fell Centre has an equipment rental shop on its premises that can satisfy your hunger for adventure. You can easily rent the necessary equipment, including fat bikes, skis, and snowshoes and set out on an adventure of your own along the vast marked trails and routes or go on a guided excursion. Also, while you are here, try their smoke sauna followed by a dip in the Kiilopuro River (especially in winter). It is recommended as one of the five must-experience saunas in Finland due to the scenic landscape that surrounds it.
For more pictures from these hostel cities, visit my Instagram or 500px.com page.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The content is based on my personal experiences in staying in these hostels, although not on a single trip.
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