Best accommodation in Finland

There’s a good network of 65 official HI hostels as well as a few independents. Most charge €5–6 for breakfast and bed linen is often extra, too (€4–7), so if you’re on a tight budget it’s worth bringing your own sheets. Dorms are almost always single-sex in HI hostels; some independents have mixed dorms. The free Finland: Budget Accommodation booklet, available from any tourist office, contains a comprehensive list of hostels and campsites.

Hotels are expensive. Special offers in summer mean that you’ll be able to sleep well on a budget in high season, but may have difficulty finding anything affordable out of season – the reverse of the norm. In many towns you’ll also find tourist hotels (matkustajakoti) offering fewer frills for €45–60 per person, and summer hotels (kesähotelli; June–Aug only), which offer decent accommodation in student blocks for €25–45 per person.

Official campsites (leirintäalue) are plentiful. The cost to camp is roughly €15 per pitch, plus €4–5 per person, depending on the site’s star rating. Most open from May or June until August or September, although some stay open longer and a few year-round. Many three-star sites also have cottages, often with TV, sauna and kitchen. To camp in Finland, you’ll need a Camping Key Scandinavia, available at every site (and online: camping.fi) for €16 and valid for a year. Camping rough is illegal without the landowner’s permission – though in practice, provided you’re out of sight of local communities, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Rough Guides tip: To increase your chances of a great vacation, read everything you need to know about the weather in Finland.

Andy Turner

written by
Andy Turner

updated 26.04.2021

Ready to travel and discover
Finland?

Get support from our local experts for
stress-free planning & worry-free travels

Plan my trip ⤍