The decor was absolutely amazing. They haven't shied away from the fact that this used to be a prison, but instead embraced it and somehow managed to marry the concept of luxury with its past. The irony (hah) is not lost on them, and they clearly expect the same from you as their guest. They straddle the line between being a full-on theme hotel and a "regular" upscale hotel, but in my eyes they do so gracefully. The staff were all around incredibly friendly and professional. That, along with the attention to detail in the entire hotel made it truly feel luxurious. All those small details that add up; from live flowers in the breakfast area (Restaurant Ruben), tied together not with a rubber band, but with string made from natural fibers (hemp/flax?), to the wooden room key cards. These decisions feel intentional and give the hotel personality, making it stand out from your typical minimum-effort Ikea-esque hotel. Then there's the endless little winks and nods to its history: from the floors with stripes and scratched day-counts, to the steel cups during breakfast. These details all add up to a cohesive and fun experience. It almost becomes a game, trying to spot the references. There was clearly a vision in designing the hotel, and it's not something they seem to have compromised on. Facilities were all great as well. The beds were very soft and comfortable, the TV was responsive and had options for casting content from your own devices. Then there's the bath tub! It is the best hotel tub I've encountered so far! We both fit comfortably in it and had some good champagne and music to wind down in the evening. (Big thank you to the staff, who readily handed us some champagne glasses upon request.) A notable and unusual amenity was the SodaStream, which was a first for me in any hotel. An appreciated one at that. The ability to select mood lighting, from a switch, that affects the entire room was also very cool.

The air-conditioning didn't seem to work. I tried to set it as low as 17C to test and set the speed to max, but it reverted to "auto" speed and did nothing despite the room certainly being significantly warmer. Luckily it was a cold night and we could cool our room by simply opening the window. This one was slightly disappointing as I prefer to be able to set room temperature for high quality sleep. I consider room-controlled AC a must in any hotel I voluntarily stay at. There was no mini-bar in the room, not even an empty little fridge to keep our champagne cool. Luckily, again, it was almost the right temperature outside and the full bar downstairs was a short walk away.

Ambiance was superb All staff friendly and helpful in all ways Restaurant meals were superb Breakfast fabulous Beds comfortable Shower hot Bus was convenient Taxi excellent

Evening groups eating at the restaurant interfered with availability for guests to sit in restaurants, and those who arrived in late afternooncouldnt get a reservation. No notification was given to guests . We could sit in the lounge/bar area and were well looked after.

Terrific vibe. It was fascinating to be staying in this historic prison. The breakfast buffet had lots of good options and the staff was terrific. The bar was a fun place to have some drinks, and the outside area with ambient music was a chill place in the evenings. My sushi bowl was amazing, and my husband's pizza was excellent as well. The beds were extremely comfortable.

The beds were very comfortable, but the pillows were not. Also, a few more cocktail and wince options would have been nice.

The whole hotel atmosphere is very nice. As an old prison you can feel the history there with thick brick walls. Very good breakfast with lots of choices. Please remember to try their famous oat porridge with some jam, very good. I have stayed 3 times in here, one of my favorites in Turku and will definitely visit them later again.

Depending where you want to visit in the city the location can be very good or not that good, it´s little bit on the side from actual central but it´s close to Turku Castle and harbour area.

This was the second time staying in this hotel and at the first time (in Spring 2024) the breakfast was very good! This time (Spring 2025) unfortunately I have to admit that the breakfast did not exceed the expectations. It was quite bland. Otherwise the room was very nice and the hotel in general.

Breakfast was lacking this time. In general it was very tasteless when I compare it to the first time when I visited hotel Kakola.

Hotel atmosphere as an old jail is still living in there but everything has been updated and upgraded for modern hotel. The stairs between floors are the biggest reminder of old purpose of the building, nice that they have not been replaced. Even though they were so quiet to step so maybe some upgrade has been made? Breakfast included famous Kakola oatmeal porridge which was good, maybe better than previous residents had?

If I need to find anything bad to say I would say that the rug for toilet/shower which was on shelf was still damp from previous use/laundry even I arrived at 8pm. The bed was really soft so if you like hard one, it's going to bother you.

Located within easy walking distance of the town centre. An interesting and beautifully executed rennovation of an old prison. The beds were very comfortable and the ensuite contained everything to comfortably enjoy a hot shower. The breakfast was delicious with a great choice of food and the staff were very pleasant, helpful and friendly.

That we had to leave after our only one night

Hotel Kakola is already my go-to hotel when visiting Turku, been there few times already. I think this says enough how much I like it. Breakfast is good. Especially the oatmeal porridge which reminds of the building history.

This time my room location wish was not fulfilled and that caused some irritation for me due some noise from the corridor near the elevator.

Great character, this hotel in a former prison. Everything super modern and new, sustainably run (except for black paper napkins - not so ecological). Good food, nice personnel (everybody says hello in passing), gorgeous bedroom and bathroom. The general atmosphere is ine of quietness and rest.

The insisting on checking in and out digitally doesn't fit into a sustainable management vision. Sustainability is not only about the environment but also about human interaction and avoiding alienation. So please do not economise on human contact.

Hotel Kakola is a converted prison so it has a very interesting aesthetic. Our room was spacious, with a huge bathtub and a balcony. It was very quiet and the bed was comfortable. The pizza served in the restaurant is very good. Breakfast had lots of interesting choices, something for everyone. The hotel spa had a fantastic saunas and pools, but it is extra, not included. We’ve been traveling all over Scandinavia for five weeks and this was by far the best hotel we stayed in.

The location is up a hill and the funicular wasn’t working. It’s a bit of a hike to everything you want to see, like the Castle and museums.