For those who are very tired of the city, the hustle and bustle, the world has invented lighthouses-hotels. There are not so many lighthouses-hotels, and there are even fewer operating ones. One of these lighthouses is located in Finland, on an island in the Gulf of Bothnia.
Location and infrastructure
Getting to the Kylmapihlaja lighthouse is somewhat easier than to most other lighthouses from different countries. The nearest international airport is in Turku, at a distance of only about eighty kilometers. And the nearest town of Rauma is just ten kilometers from the lighthouse. From Turku to Rauma you can get by intercity bus, and the lighthouse itself, by agreement with the hotel administration, you will be picked up by a boat from the agreed pier.
Room stock
The hotel is located directly in the lighthouse tower itself and has eight floors. The higher the floor, the higher the room category. In total, the hotel has fifteen rooms, including single and double economy, superior and suite. Double occupancy involves either double with a large bed or twin with two separate beds. The price for the room depends not only on the category, but also on the view from the window. The best view, of course, is the bay. Sunrises, sunsets, horizons – all this is at your feet.
All rooms are clean, bright and very cozy, with a traditional Finnish table lamp on the window. But there is one nuance: since this is a lighthouse, shower and toilet shared on the floor, individual amenities are not provided.
Food
The hotel has a wonderful restaurant serving local Finnish cuisine. Herring alone is served for breakfast in six varieties. Breakfast, by the way, is a buffet with a decent choice of food. Lunch and dinner a la carte. All dishes are fresh and exquisite, and the chef is rightfully considered among the guests a true master of his craft.
Services and entertainment
Among the main additional services you can list the sauna (well, where in Finland without it), a lot of board games and puzzles, protective sides on the bed for children, an outdoor fireplace and barbecue facilities. Periodic themed dinners, guided hiking around the island and fishing are also practised.
As for the island itself, here you can find a huge number of different species of birds: terns, swans, geese … Bird gwalt and the sound of waves are the only sounds here.
The cost of the simplest double room with breakfast is just over one hundred euros per night. You can reserve a room in the Kylmapihlaja lighthouse-hotel on the website of the hotel itself or on booking. Spend a weekend on the island in comfortable conditions, enjoy the peace, sea, nature and learn how the lighthouse works – what could be better?
