Here in this blog post i will show Finland Finds when it’s about travelling. A visit to Finland is a visit to the happiest country in the world. But this Disneyland effect is not all façade. From modern wood cabins and new glass huts to resorts with a touch of luxury, Finland offers a handful of unique accommodation options that showcase the country’s breathtaking natural beauty both in the materials and the locations. Here is a list of ten perfect places to stay in a country that is all smiles.
Finland Finds: Top Insights
Hilltop Forest
Inkoo, Helsinki region: This small resort located in Finland’s Helsinki region offers charming triangular wooden huts with large windows facing a lush forest. The resort’s restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, freshly baked pizzas, wine and forest-inspired dinners. Hilltop Forest is a perfect mini-vacation destination, just under an hour-drive from Helsinki.
The Torby
Fiskars village, Helsinki region: Opened in June 2023, the Torby Hotel is nestled in the charming Fiskars Village. The Torby offers an enchanting retreat for travelers seeking tranquility and inspiration. Set amidst the lush countryside of the Helsinki region, this boutique hotel seamlessly blends modern design with the rich cultural heritage of the Fiskars village.
Hotel Vihannonkulma
– Loimaa, Coast and Archipelago: The Hotel Vihannonkulma building, a private home of the car dealer Olli Vihanto, was closed for almost 30 years until the apartment was rediscovered and revived into a boutique hotel opened in 2022. Guests can choose to spend the night in a classic room with sleek Alvar Aalto inspired lines, or in a modern 70s-style room with eccentric details and teak furniture. Enjoy the small-town atmosphere of Loimaa and stroll around in cafes, shops, and historical buildings. Loimaa, located 50 minutes northeast of Turku, serves a gateway to the surrounding forests and nature.
Kanava Resort: Finland Finds
– Oravi, Lakeland: Located on a narrow headland surrounded by Lake Saimaa, Kanava Resort is a haven for happiness seekers and outdoor adventurers. The resort is a harmonious blend of contemporary design and natural beauty. The buildings, constructed with sustainable materials, seamlessly blend into the landscape, providing an immersive experience for guests. The resort offers a range of activities across the year. In the winter, take a ride on a snowmobile or slide down the terrain on a pair of skis. During the summer hop in a canoe, grab the oars and slide through the waters.
PihlasResort: Finland Finds
– Joroinen, Lakeland: Located on the shore of the biggest lake in Finland, Lake Saimaa, PihlasResort is the perfect place to embrace luxury. The recently opened new suites are equipped with a kitchen, a private sauna, and a terrace facing a private garden. Relax by the lake, have a drink in a jacuzzi or feel the rejuvenating power of an authentic Finnish sauna – relaxation is guaranteed. During your visit, dine in the resort’s own restaurant Siimes, or enjoy a unique tea menu in the nearby TeaHouse of Wehmais.
Villipeura’s Niliaitta
– Kivijarvi, Lakeland: At Villipeura’s holiday village in Kivijarvi, located less than two hours north of Jyvaskyla in central Lakeland, unique birdhouse-like boxes are elevated on pillars in the midst of a charming Finnish forest. These uncommon holiday cottages draw inspiration from traditional food storage sheds that were built on wooden pillars to protect food from animals in the past. In the holiday village area, guests have access to a range of activities, including tennis, frisbee golf, and fishing.
Glass huts of Skyfire Village: Finland Finds
– Rovaniemi, Lapland: At Skyfire Village in Rovaniemi guest may need to pinch themselves to figure out whether the view is real: the panoramic windows in the glass huts allow guests to gaze at northern lights in the autumn and winter, or the midnight sun in the summer directly from their bed. The village’s own restaurant, Sky Hut Restaurant & Bar offers tailor-made menus by a professional chef using local ingredients.
Kurula’s: Finland Finds
– Pyhatunturi, Lapland: Kurula’s in Lapland’s pristine Pyha region is the perfect vacation getaway for those who want a combination of quiet relaxation and outdoors activities. In the summer, go on a hike in Finland’s oldest national park Pyha-Luosto or ascend the fell on a ski-lift to admire the views. In the winter. embark on a husky or reindeer safari and hunt the northern lights. Each suite features it’s own private lakeside sauna.
Arctra: Finland Finds
– Rovaniemi, Lapland: At Arctra’s private luxury resort near Rovaniemi in Lapland, guests can enjoy a glamorous vacation atop the mighty hill of Ollerovaara, with stunning views of arctic nature. Explore the landscape by foot, on skis, or on a husky sled. A private 20 hectare wilderness area will guarantee that there most likely won’t be another soul in sight. Cozy up in a stylish suite or the spa area. Arctra is only a 15-minute drive from the Rovaniemi Airport.
Cahkal Hotel
– Kilpisjarvi, Lapland: Cahkal Hotel is located 400 kilometers above the Artic Circle in the northwestern most point of Finland, in the truly unique Nordic wilderness. Cahkal is an ideal destination for experiential travelers looking for a view – all the hotel rooms have exquisite mountain views. Embark on an expedition with a local guide to explore the arctic landscape and even pop by in Norway to see the fjords and the Arctic Ocean. Unwind in the hotel’s sauna after an adventure of a lifetime. Cahkal’s heating system operates by sustainable geothermal heating and solar panels provide visitors with green electricity.
For more information check out: Visit Finland
Corporate travel planning continues to be marred by a challenging landscape, especially as more agencies are taking up the baton and offering travel planning to small business owners and entrepreneurs. So, to that end, the latest SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey released last week explores some of the most pressing parts of business travel facing those travelers today, including the impact of travel disruptions and tighter budgets.
“The current economic environment is driving tension among business travelers, travel managers, and company leadership,” according to Charlie Sultan, president of Concur Travel at SAP Concur. “Balance between flexibility and cost is delicate, not to mention pressures from new distribution channels and ongoing geopolitical issues. This year’s report demonstrates the need for a mutual understanding of these realities and compromise in corporate travel programs.”
According to the latest findings of this corporate travel report that surveyed 3,750 business travelers in 24 markets globally:
Nearly all business travelers have had to take unanticipated steps because of travel disruptions, and it’s enough to make them want to decline a business trip.
The majority of global business travelers have been significantly impacted by travel disruptions in the past year. Nearly nine in 10 (88%) have been forced to take unanticipated steps in the past 12 months because of unexpected delays, cancellations, or the need to re-route during business travel.
More younger travelers have been forced to take unanticipated steps (Gen Z: 94%; millennial: 90%; Gen X: 82%; boomer: 68%). Is it because older generations are business travel pros? Perhaps, but they’re also less likely to proactively build extra time into their trip (Gen Z: 80%; millennial: 83%; Gen X: 74%; boomer: 63%).
Safety concerns are still the biggest reason that business travelers decline business trips (44%), but more than a quarter of respondents (29%) are willing to decline a business trip due to the likelihood of delays or cancellations. Thirty# three percent would also decline a trip due to safety concerns around the mode of transportation required.
Other Challanges
While these travel challenges are bad for business, they’re also bad for employees’ work# life balance. In addition to the nearly two in five (38%) who have had to cancel or reschedule meetings, many have had to spend additional, unplanned days on a business trip (38%) or sit through longer or additional layovers (33%).
Travelers have had enough of losing out on their personal time and critical career connections: Four in five (80%) are proactively taking steps to account for such events, including booking extra time for arrival (34%), departure (19%), or even both (27%).
“Planning for potential disruptions can mitigate stress and ensure smoother travel experiences. Informed travelers are naturally safer because they know how to mitigate risks and find alternatives when disruptions occur,” according to Suzanne Sangiovese, director of travel and technology at Riskline, a world class travel risk intelligence company. “Companies that invest in travel management and travel risk intelligence solutions can effectively help travelers stay updated on travel advisories and real-time destination alerts. Providing travelers with tools that can empower them to make swift, informed decisions, ensuring they can adjust plans efficiently and safely, is key.”
Two thirds feel that Finland Finds is critical for career advancement, yet just as many say they haven’t had equal opportunity to take business trips compared to their coworkers.
More than three in four global business travelers (76%) say they enjoy business travel, and 67% feel that business travel is critical for career advancement.
The younger travelers feel business travel is important for their career compared to older generations (Gen Z: 72%; millennial: 68%; Gen X: 64%; boomer: 58%).
+ Around two in three global business travelers (66%) feel they haven’t had an equal opportunity to take business trips compared to their colleagues. That’s slightly higher than the 62% from our 2023 survey.
Global business travelers attribute this opportunity inequity to the following reasons:
Their level of seniority (19%).
Also Their age (18%).
Their status as a parent or caretaker (14%).
Where they live (14%).
Their physical appearance (12%).
How often they come into the office (12%).
Their gender (11%).
Their accent (11%).
Final Words
+ Certain reasons are slightly more of a factor for women than men, including age (20% of women vs. 17% of men), status as a parent (17% vs. 13%), and gender (14% vs. 9%). More men say they’ve never felt that they didn’t have equal opportunity for business travel (38% vs. 29%).
+ Additionally, more LGBTQ+ business travelers feel they haven’t had equal opportunity because of their physical appearance (20% vs. 12% of gen pop), disability (14% vs. 8%), and sexual orientation (20% vs. 7%).
Business travelers and corporate travel managers struggle to exercise flexibility as company leadership cuts back on business travel costs.
While many factors impact business travel, the survey asked business travelers to select their company’s top focus from three choices:
Meeting employees’ needs for flexible travel options (40%).
Cutting back on travel costs (31%).
Increasing the use of sustainable travel options (29%).
+ Despite business travelers saying their company is focused on their needs for flexibility, nearly all (91%) have seen their company cut back on allowing certain options in the past 12 months.
This includes blended travel. Employees have seen cutbacks in allowing remote work while traveling for pleasure to avoid taking leave days (27%) or adding personal travel to a business trip (25%).
And business travelers don’t love it. Around one in five (22%) say they’re willing to decline a business trip that doesn’t allow them to extend it for personal travel.
Companies have also cut back on comfort# focused requests, such as staying overnight to avoid a long day of travel for a day trip (28%), paying more to get a non# stop flight or direct route (28%), using business or premium class (27%), or using options like taxis or ride# share apps rather than public transportation (27%).
Travel managers are stuck in the middle. A SAP survey of 600 travel managers across six markets found: Finland Finds
Though 35% say meeting employees’ needs for flexible travel options, 32% also say cutting back on business travel costs.
Another 33% say increasing the use of sustainable travel options.
When asked what will make their job more difficult this year, two in five (42%) say company directives to cut travel costs amidst ongoing challenges.
Their concern is valid, as more than a third of business travelers (36%) say they’ve incurred additional expenses on a business trip because of unexpected travel challenges, and a similar percentage (34%) have had to use an alternate transportation method. More than one in four (30%) have booked travel directly with suppliers because of unexpected travel challenges.
Addressing these Challenges in a Corporate Travel Program
1. Connect with employees. Regularly survey employees, between and after business trips, to learn how the challenges identified in this global study impact their experience. A few questions to ask:
Do you feel you have equal opportunity to take business trips compared to coworkers?
What challenges have you experienced during your business trips in the past year?
Do you feel safe when you’re traveling for business?
Are you familiar with the company’s travel policies?
When on a business trip, what would improve your experience or make you feel more comfortable?
What resources are most helpful to you when booking business travel?
2. Act on employee insights. Turn the responses received from surveys into an actionable plan. Ensure that the right travel tools are in place to help employees navigate challenges. Revisit travel policies and consider what might improve their experience while booking and traveling for work.
3. Enlist the help of outside resources. Work with outside resources to facilitate employee training on things like safety and inclusion. Lean on travel management companies (TMCs) and suppliers to come up with solutions to travel disruptions.
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