The Overview

[Why we chose Hotel U14, Autograph Collection, dates stayed, room type, rate paid, and first impressions.]

The Seven Senses Review

👂 Cadence — Sound (Score: 9/10)

Our hotel room was 709 and had a view of the interior courtyard which was nothing spectacular. The room was fairly quiet however the SuperTerrasi was happening about 1 block from our hotel. We could hear the live bands and occasional cheering crowd from our hotel room but the concert only run from 7 pm to 9 pm and all noise level died down. There was no street noise, mechanical hum, or noise from nearby rooms at all.

✋ Unwind — Touch (Score: 7/10)

[Bed comfort, pillow quality, desk/chair ergonomics, shower pressure, towel softness.]

Our room featured a split king bed. Beds in Finland, because of the cold winters, feature split heavy comforters to sleep with and while they are probably great during the winter, during the warm summers, we found ourselves too hot to stay covered and too cold to be without the cover.

The desk was functional and chair was functional for sitting on for brief periods of time but would be uncomfortable for 8 hour digital nomads. It is not an ergonomic working chair.

The shower featured two shower heads, a traditional wand shower head and a vertical rain shower head. We preferred the rain shower as the traditional wand kept skewing with the water pressure and sprayed water between the door gap leaving the floor wet.

The bathroom did feature a wand bidet which was a welcome change to lack of bidets in most hotel rooms however the commode itself is too narrow to comfortably use the wand. A Japanese style bidet would be better suited for the tight environment.

👅 Palate — Taste (Score: 8/10)

[Breakfast quality, coffee, room service, lobby snacks, staff restaurant recommendations.]

The breakfast buffet (free for Marriott Platinum & above members) had generous variety and ample portions however note that it is a European country and cereals, breads, and pasties were more European style than American style. You won’t find Fruity Loops, Coco Puffs or other sugary brands here.

One multi-format coffee machine was down during our first day but up and running subsequent days.

The staff was generally helpful in getting you seated but the environment here is self-service and that includes fetching your own coffee, food and juices.

👃 Aroma — Smell (Score: 9/10)

[Room freshness, any mustiness? Lobby scent, hallway smell, cleaning product fragrance.]

The hotel had minimal lingering odors and ventilation and air flow was good throughout. The soap and shampoo in the shower had unique scents I had not encountered before and that was a new experience. No harsh cleaning odors after our room was refreshed daily.

👁 Vista — Sight (Score: 9/10)

[Room view, natural light, interior design, neighborhood aesthetics, walkability.]

The hotel is ideally situated close to many major tourist destination including churches, libraries, cathedrals, restaurants, grocery store, dry cleaner, and other shops. The interior lighting was adequate and our favorite feature were black out curtains that kept the midnight sun at bay during our summer stay.

🙏 Sanctuary — Spirit (Score: 9/10)

[Staff warmth, check-in smoothness, safety, how restorative and welcoming the stay felt. The intangibles.]

The staff was generally helpful and welcoming. We had requested a suite upgrade with our suite rewards but were told upgrade was not available. Check in was quick and efficient and the hotel and general area felt very safe. I spent a few hours on different days in the lobby working on my laptop without any issues. Wifi worked fine and the couches were a bit more comfortable than the non-ergonomic chair in the room.

I dinged one point off the score because I had booked two rooms and assumed breakfast would be included for both rooms. After some confusion on the issue, it did get sorted out.

🧭 Wander — Instinct (Score: 10/10)

[What did the location unlock? Unexpected discoveries nearby? Would you return? Did it feel right?]

I don’t think I could have found a more suitable hotel for our itinerary than the U14 Autograph. The hotel was close to plaza events, the Market Square, The Old Town Market, grocery, dry cleaning, and a slew of other sites all within walking distance.

The Scorecard

• 👂 Sound: 9/10
• ✋ Touch: 7/10
• 👅 Taste: 8/10
• 👃 Aroma: 9/10
• 👁 Vista: 9/10
• 🙏 Sanctuary: 9/10
• 🧭 Wander: 9/10
• Overall: 8.5/10

Practical Notes

• Hotel: Hotel U14, Autograph Collection
• City: Helsinki, Finland
• Chain: Marriott
• Room Type: Comfort – King Bed
• Rate Paid: $202/night (summer rate)
• Booked Via: Direct
• Loyalty Status: Titanium
• Points Earned: 1000
• WiFi: Acceptable but was beat by Saily
• Amenities: gym, sauna, restaurant
• Transit: [nearest metro/tram, airport distance]
• Cancellation: No charge until 11:59 PM 1 day prior

The Verdict

The hotel is ideal for families, couples and visitors seeking a location that is walk-able to many of the key sites in Helsinki. Digital Nomads can have an awesome location to operate out of provided they don’t have need to sit and work long stretches in the hotel room.

Laundry Tip: There are no laundry facilities near the hotel, a dry cleaner is next door but charges exorbitant rates. The closest laundry is 24 Pesula located inside the Ruoholahti Shopping Center. A 10 minute drive via car (Uber $10 each way). The facility is 100% self-serve automated with a smartphone app which you will need to download. Soap included with the wash charge 6.90 euros (small loads). Dryer is 4.90 euros for 30 minutes.

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