Raahe is a small town located in the northwest of Finland. It’s ranked as the 77th largest town of Finland with a population of about 24 thousand which makes it the 42nd most populated in the country.
I stayed a few days in Raahe and I chose Hotelli Raahen Hovi hotel which is located downtown, close to a walking street with a small shopping mall, restaurants and other shops but also close to a small harbour.
It was very pleasant to walk around in the evening. The town is very quiet and if you continue a bit farther than the harbour you will find a small beach and a path in the woods. Joggers will enjoy this area.
Booking.com
When I booked my room I didn’t know the hotel is made of several buildings. Some rooms are in the same building as the reception and restaurant while others are in a building a bit further. I was lucky, my room was in the main building.
The hotel has free outdoor parking which is very convenient like most of their guests are travelling by car.
I booked a Standard room for two. It was spacious with 2 single beds. I think it has been renovated but the furniture looked very old. I had a view of the parking and sunset.
Inside the room, there was an LCD TV, an empty fridge, a desk and free Wi-Fi.
The bathroom was fine and practical with a toilet and a shower. There were soap and shampoo dispensers with enough towels. Concerning the cleanliness, it could be better. There were lots of hairs on the sink and the plastic glasses were very dusty without any protections.
The room was extremely quiet, I didn’t listen to any noise at any time and I slept very well.
The second day I came back to my room I was surprised to see it hasn’t been cleaned at all. The trash bins were still full, the bed wasn’t done and the bathroom was in the same condition as I left it in the morning. I didn’t know that I had to put the “Please clean my room” sign on the handle before leaving it. What I did the days after and my room was then cleaned daily.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant was empty and I didn’t have the opportunity to try it.
The breakfast which is included in the price was made of a buffet. Nothing extraordinary but it was fine.
I found the price of the rooms a bit high compared to what I had but it’s the only real hotel in town. There are a couple of budget B&B but they are almost as expensive for less service.
