Finnish Manor House Hotels – Haikko Manor – Porvoo

Historic and attractive old Manor Houses are scattered across Finland, mostly in the southern regions. Quite a few of these are now operating as museums, restaurants or hotels. There are quite a number of Finnish Manor House Hotels, although for the non-Finn they can be a little hard to track down. But it can be worth the effort if you do. A good example of this category being Haikko Manor, which is near Porvoo, less than 50km east of Helsinki and on the Gulf of Finland. Dating back to at least 1362, Haikko Manor is now a hotel, conference centre and Spa, with 224 guest rooms. There is also a Spa offering comprehensive spa treatments, wellness pools and saunas with a high level of personalised care.

Reviews in general rate Haikko Manor as very good, with rooms a little small but of a good standard. Reception service and staff are consistently rated highly. Dining receives some mixed reviews (some very complementary, some less so), not unexpected given the size of the hotel and the number of guests. A standard comment seems to be that the Spa facilities are small and that booking ahead for spa sessions is recommended.

The centrepiece of the Hotel is the beautiful old Manor House, but be aware that most of the Hotel Rooms are in a large concrete annex which is architecturally uninspiring. On the other hand, everyone seems to agree that the grounds are outstanding.

The History of Haikko Manor

Haikko Manor’s history  dates back to at least 1362, when the Manor was owned by the Dominican Monastery of Vyborg. The Manor was bought by a Jöns Olofsson sometime later and was owned by the Stenbock family for the next four hundred years. In 1871 the Manor was bought by General Sebastian von Etter (who made a name for himself in the Russo-Turkish War). General von Etter’s descendants owned the Manor for almost a hundred years. The von Etter’s hosted members of the Russian imperial family, including Grand Duke Wladimir and Grand Duke Kiril among their guests. Finnish artist Albert Edelfelt was also a guest – inspired by the archipelago and its people, he spent 24 summers painting in his studio nearby (which incidentally is open to visitors from mid-Mat till mid-September and is only a ten minute walk from Haikko Manor).

After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Grand Duke Kiril Vladimirovits escaped to Finland with his wife and daughter. They stayed at Haikko Manor and their son, Vladimir, was born and christened at Haikko Manor in 1917 before they moved on, first to Germany and then to France. Vladimir would become the head of the Romanov family.

The present Haikko Manor House was built in 1913 from original plans by Finnish architect Armas Lindgren, although the exterior with pillars wasn’t completed until 1966. Sato and Leo Vuoristo bought Haikko Manor in 1965 and opened it as the first of the now rather more common (across Finland) Finnish Manor House Hotels in 1966. They seem to have been the early leaders in what has become somewhat of a trend for restoring these old houses and opening them to the public in one form or another.

A large and modern (i.e. concrete box architecture) Spa Hotel was built in 1974 and a Conference Center completed in 1983 and expanded in 1989. Spa services were added in 1999. A Banquet and Meeting Centre was opened in 2007 and Haikko Arena, used for sports and outdoor activities, was opened in 2008. The modern buildings are out of character with the old Manor House (which is featured in all the advertising and photos of the Hotel – you will very rarely see any photos of the new buildings, which is a little misleading in many ways).

Today, Haikko Manor is a Holiday and Conference Hotel with 224 rooms overall, run by the Vuoristo family in a beautiful park setting right on the Gulf of Finland. All in all,

Hotelli Haikon Kartano – Haikko Manor Hotel

 Haikko Manor Hotel – Rooms

Haikko Manor actually consists of two hotels buildings, the historic old Manor house with 24 rooms available, and the rather more modern Spa Hotel and Conference Centre with 199 rooms. If you wish to stay in the historic old Manor House, be sure to specify this when you book.

Historic Manor House Rooms

The old Manor House has 24 rooms available. Butler service is included in the room rates, as is a private Breakfast Room and separate parking for guests in the Old Manor House. Rooms are categorised as Suites, Imperial Rooms or Classic Rooms, with each room having original interior decor based around the history of Haikko and the nearby town of Porvoo.

All Manor House rooms have Finnish-design and made Unikulma double beds and large-screen TV’s. All Suites and Imperial rooms have individual air-conditioning, coffeemakers and Multimedia connectivity devices. An elevator provides easy access between floors. If the “old Manor House experience” is what you’re looking for, this is the part of the Hotel to request a room in. The look and feel of the old Manor House takes you back to the now long-vanished world of the Russian Imperial era, the Tsars and the old Russian aristocracy in a way that is impossible in Russia itself. As of 2013, all rooms in the Old Manor House had been completely renovated.

• Old Manor House Suites have a separate lounge and bedroom area, a bathroom with a tub / shower, sea or park views and a 180-200cm king-sized bed (395-595€ per night)
• Imperial Rooms are spacious, come with a bathroom with tub, have a Balcony and sea or park view and a 160-200cm Queen-sized bed, also a sofa bed (298€ per night)
• Classic rooms are smaller, with a manor-house style interior, a 160cm Queen-sized bed (258€ per night) and a bathroom with tub / shower

Spa and Conference Hotel Rooms

There are a total of 199 Rooms available in the Spa Hotel. This is however the modern part of the Hotel and, while most rooms are cheaper than rooms in the Old Manor House, it doesn’t to my mind have quite the same ambiance as rooms in the Old Manor House (one reviewer commented that the Spa Hotel building “looks like a retirement home”).

Also unfortunate for those who prefer their old Manor Houses in an appropriate setting, the new Spa Hotel is modern “concrete shoebox” architecture and is built to the front and left of the old Manor House. Most photos of Haikko Manor rather conveniently leave this out but the small photo to the left hints at this, with one corner of the Spa Hotel visible.

That said, it’s a nice enough place to stay but typical of a 1970’s hotel – just don’t expect pristine historical buildings and nothing else. In early 2009 many of the rooms in the Spa Hotel were completely renovated, although some current reviews have commented that the rooms “are tired looking” and “obviously from the seventies”. The rooms in the Spa Hotel are not particularly soundproof, and as it’s a “Conference Hotel” (and its Finland) you may find drunks partying in the hallway – and if your neighbours have the TV on loud, you’ll hear that too.

Most reviewers on various hotel review sites have commented that the food was great, particularly the restaurants in the old Manor House. Also, if you’re interested in the Spa facilities, be aware that they’re small, they may feel crowded and you may need to book in advance – check with Reception when you check in to avoid being disappointed.

• Spa Hotel Single (149€ per night) and Standard Double/Twin Room (198€ per night) – 151 of these rooms. At 17 sq meters, quite roomy and equipped with WLAN, hotel-TV, telephone, WC, shower, hairdryer, towels, bath robes, slippers and a minibar.
• Spa Hotel Superior Double/Twin Room (238€ per night) – 46 of these rooms. At 21 sq Meters a little larger and equipped with individual air-conditioning (summer-time), WLAN, hotel-TV, safety box, telephone, WC, shower, hairdryer, slippers to keep, towels, bath robes, ironing equipment and minibar.
• Spa Hotel Junior Suite (365€ per night) – 2 Suites. These suites include a bedroom, living room and bathroom with jacuzzi for two. Individual room air-conditioning (summer-time), WLAN, hotel-TV, safety box, telephone, WC, rain shower, hairdryer, slippers to keep, towels, bath robes, ironing equipment and minibar.

Room Bookings

You can only book single and double rooms online. There are some family rooms for 3-4 people and some double rooms with one extra bed. These rooms need to be booked directly with Haikko Maor Hotel by phone. If you’re wanting to stay in the old Manor House part of the Hotel and you want one of these rooms, you will need to check when you call.

An extra bed for children is 25,00 €/night (one per room). A Baby cot is 25,00 €/night.

Children under 4 years are free of charge when staying on their parent’s room without an extra bed.

Check-in on the day of arrival is 15.00 at the latest while check-out on the day of departure is by noon 12.00 unless you have previously made alternative arrangements with Reception.

Haikko Manor Hotel – Restaurants

The historic old Manor House has two large and elegant dining rooms together with several charming smaller rooms. Antique furniture and historic ambiance from the Russian imperial era add to Haikko Manor’s attractiveness. The Yellow Room, with its genuine paintings by Albert Edelfelt together with antique furniture is a rather more formal dining setting. The Manor Terrace next to the Yellow Room offers beautiful sea views of the Gulf of Finland as well as overlooking the manicured grounds of the Manor.

Other Dining Rooms within the historic old Manor House include:

• The Main Dining Room. This room was originally designed as a Chapel, but now serves as the main dining room, serving Breakfast Buffet’s for guests.
• The Romanov Dining Room. Named after the Imperial Russian royal family, who were often guests at Haikko in the nineteenth century.
• The Library. Perfect for coffee.
• The Louis Sparre Room. This room is furnished with Birchwood dining furniture designed for Haikko Manor by Louis Sparre. This is one of the few sets of original furniture within Haikko Manor.
• The Clock Room. This is a smaller corner room that can be used by smaller groups. The room is furnished with an antique sofa set made of birch, previously owned by Councillor Tammenoksa, a confectionery factory owner. There is also an antique clock, giving the room its name.
• The Chrystal Room. Another small room that can seat up to ten guests, the Chrystal Room is furnished with chandeliers, a massive wooden table and antique sofas.

Meal Menu’s are in Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian. Haikko provides a culinary experiences “in a classic manor house style”, serving delicacies based on seasonal ingredients. The service is pleasant service and the wine selection is good and not unduly overpriced – and is selected and stored in Haikko Manor’s own wine cellar. They also (ahem) stock half a dozen  rather nice New Zealand Pinot Noir’s and Sauvignon Blanc’s- as a New Zealander myself, something I’m happy to see.

Other restaurants include the Spa Bistro and Café, serving light, quick and tasty selections such as Haikko Burgers, Salads, Pastries, Baked Potatoes, Pasta and snacks. Sauna beverages are also sold here – organic and local beer, cider, wine and juice. The Manor House Club is a relaxed restaurant for after-dinner drinks with a small dance floor and a good whisky selection. Last but by no means least is Villa Haikko, a archipelago-style Villa seating up to 250 guests  where live music provides the evening entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere.

 Haikko Manor Hotel – Activities

Haikko Manor is only fifteen minutes drive from the charmingly beautiful old town of Porvoo and ideal for visitors interested in sightseeing in and around Porvoo. Porvoo is well worth exploring with shopping, museums, boat cruises, historic old buildings, a museum train, great restaurants and cafes and more.

As well as numerous outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking and fishing, there are several Golf Courses to be found near Haikko Manor, including Nevas Golf, Porvoo Golf, Talma Golf and Virvik Golf.

Haikko Manor itself has a number of activities in and around the Manor.

• Needless to say, as a Spa Hotel, the Spa Facilities are superb.
• And being Finland, there are numerous Sauna’s.
• The Yellow Room of the old Manor House displays historic Finnish works of art.
• The Hanna Kaarina Gallery in the Spa Hotel hosts contemporary art exhibitions (works of art are for sale). Open daily.
• Finnish Artist Albert Edelfelt was a frequent visitor in the nearby area and his studio is only ten minutes walk from Haikko Manor House. His studio is open to visitors from mid May till mid September.
  
• One of the most pleasant ways to spend a summer day is to take a boat cruise through the local archipelago. The traditional old ship J L Runeberg stops at Haikko Manor by advance request.

Haikko Manor Hotel – Contact Info and Getting There

Haikko Manor Hotel can be contacted at +358 19-576 01 or by email at  hotelli.haikko@haikko.fi.

For directions to Haikko Manor, see here.

Other Finnish Manor House Hotels

There are a number of other Finnish Manor House Hotels that are worth looking at for somewhere different to stay – these places have character, unlike the mostly modern hotels you’ll generally find.

• Hämeenkylä Manor, Vantaa (Helsinki)
• Hirvihaara Manor Hotel, Mäntsälä
• Hommanäs Manor, Vessö Island (south of Porvoo)
• Jokela Manor House, Hameenkoski
• Karhulan Hotek, Kotka
• Karolineburg Manor House Hotel, Kajaani
• Katinen Manor, Hämeenlinna
• Sannäs Manor, near Porvoo
• Satulinna Hotel, Hirvensalmi
• Svartå Manor, Mustio
• Wiurila Manor, Salo
• Vuojoki Manor, Eurajoki

Most of them are rather nicely restored. Overall, if you’re on holiday in Finland and want to stay somewhere that’s historic and offers something a little different to the standard hotel, these Finnish Manor House Hotels are definitely worth a look.

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