The hotel’s cosy atmosphere and warm service impressed the guests – the iconic Hilton Helsinki Strand is a double winner 2021

Hakaniemi’s iconic landmark Hilton Helsinki Strand, an effortless combo of city life and a relaxed seaside atmosphere, is the winner of the Finland’s Leading Hotel award this year. The hotel’s cosy and warm service charmed guests. Hilton Helsinki Strand took already a second win this autumn. The previous victory came in the business hotel category of the World Luxury Hotel Awards.

“Our success is all thanks to the hotel’s warm-hearted service. Our team has managed to create a warm atmosphere that has made us a favourite among our guests during this challenging time,” says Jani Jernström, the hotel’s Director of Operations. “We do our best to be present and listen to our guests. This way, we receive genuine feedback that helps us to develop and grow. This is also reflected in the Hilton Hotel’s customer satisfaction rankings, in which during Q2, our hotel ranked fourth among nearly two hundred Hilton hotels,” Jernström continues.

Hilton CleanStay was among the first global programmes in the hotel industry. It quickly created a sense of security and safety for travellers when considering a hotel stay. Visible measures visually proved to guests the hotel’s commitment to particularly thorough cleaning; room seal, remote control cover, 10-point disinfection programme.

The change in customer base also drove the hotel to consider revising restaurant services, among other things. The result was the hugely popular Pizzorante BRO, a restaurant that focuses on Italian food, with a crispy-based Roman-style pizza as its signature dish.

The annual World Travel Awards™, the travel industry ‘Oscars’, were handed out for the first time in 1993. Nominations are made by an international expert jury. This year, the monthly voting figures for the WTA programme were a record high, as tourism professionals and consumers were eager to cast their votes, and there was more search traffic on the WTA website than in any previous year. The awards are given to hotels and companies providing tourism services in different categories and regions. Hilton Helsinki Strand has now received the title of Finland’s Leading Hotel six times in the 21st century. This year, Hotel Kämp, Klaus K, Naantali Spa Hotel, and Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel were runners-up.

Hilton Helsinki Strand – has been chosen as one of the best in Northern Europe when the hotel won the Luxury Business Hotel 2021 title. The hotel’s excellent service and cool, elegant décor, combined with the original stunning details of the 1980s, have long delighted guests and regulars alike.

“This victory is a reward for the welded team of our entire hotel,” says Jani Jernström, Director of Operations of Hilton Helsinki Strand. “Our domestic and international guests appreciate the genuine care of our team members and the warm atmosphere”

The World Luxury Hotel Awards (WLHA) is a luxury hotel competition founded in 2006, where more than 300,000 international travelers and hotel professionals annually vote for their favorite hotels as the best in their category.

Hilton has developed a global program that will introduce a new standard of hotel cleanliness and disinfection to ensure Hilton guests enjoy an even cleaner and safer stay.

Hilton CleanStay builds upon Hilton’s already high standards of housekeeping and hygiene, where hospital-grade cleaning products and upgraded protocols are currently in use. The program will include:

• Hilton CleanStay Room Seal to indicate that guest rooms haven’t been accessed since they were cleaned
• Extra disinfection of top 10 high touch areas in guest rooms including light switches and door handles
• Increased cleaning frequency of public areas 
• Guest-accessible disinfecting wipes at entrances and high traffic areas
• Enhanced cleaning for fitness centers  
• Reduced paper amenities (like pads and guest directories) in rooms
• Enhanced cleaning & other changes to buffets, in-room dining and meeting spaces
• Industry-leading contactless check-in and check-out with Digital Key at more than 4,700 properties globally
• Evaluation of new technologies like electrostatic sprayers with disinfecting mist and ultraviolet light to sanitize surfaces and objects
• Enhanced Team Member safety and well-being with personal protective equipment and enhanced training and protocols

The rollout of Hilton CleanStay will begin at Hilton hotels worldwide this month.

HOW OUR HILTON HOTELS ARE HANDLING OF GUEST SAFETY IN LIGHT OF COVID-19

At Hilton, we are continuously monitoring the development of COVID-19 in Finland and around the world. Our number one priority is the well-being, health and safety of our guest and team members. In order to secure just that, we have set-up procedures, plans and routines in place. All of our hotels are open and operate as normal and our guests can feel safe when staying at or visiting our hotels.

At Hilton, we follow the guidelines of local health authorities and act according to our set-up routines and procedures in the event of a case of COVID-19 at any of our hotels. Our team members are trained to handle situations that may occur at our hotels and we have confidence in their abilities.

At our hotels, hygiene and cleanliness are always prioritized. We are also emphasizing the importance of good hand hygiene based on recommendations from local health authorities. We have strict hand hygiene policies for our team members before eating or preparing food and after using the bathroom. We also encourage guests to frequently wash their hands with soap and warm water.

What we do at our hotels for securing the safety of our guest:

• We follow the guidelines and recommendations of local authorities
• All our hotels have been provided with information about COVID-19 and management instructions
• Increased focus on hand hygiene on all of our hotels
• Increased cleaning and hygiene protocols
• Regular disinfection of exposed surfaces such as door handles, card terminals and elevator buttons with anti-bacterial liquids
• Offer disinfectant dispensers in public areas to our guests
• Observance of the procedures for dealing with colleagues who are ill

Security precautions that anyone can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19

• Frequent hand washing
• Have hand disinfection ready
• Avoid unnecessary hand contact
• Avoid touching eyes, mouth and nose
• Cover the mouth with the elbow when coughing and sneezing
• Keep at least one meter away from coughing or sneezing persons

All of our hotels are open and operate as normal, and with safety as our main priority and we are taking every precaution in order for our guests to feel safe when staying or visiting out hotels.

This information is valid until further notice and may be updated.

Read more » https://www.hilton.com/en/corporate/coronavirus/

Kalastajatorppa becomes the first hotel in Finland to offer a digital room key

The legendary Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa becomes the first hotel in Finland to adopt the Digital Key service. A member of the Hilton Honors customer loyalty program may choose the fast, digital check-in and room key option using their own mobile device instead of the traditional alternative.

The Digital Key service provides Hilton Honors members an easy way to manage their hotel visit by, for example, checking in with a mobile device instead of using the traditional reception.

“Digital check-in saves our loyal guests’ time and gives our staff more resources to focus on our guests’ more individual needs and wishes. We are the first hotel in Finland to adopt a digital room key. We are extremely excited and proud to be able to be the first to bring new and latest technology to the Finnish hotel market,” says Director of Operations Juha Martikainen from Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa.

“A digital key has already been in use at Hilton hotels in North America and Great Britain, and it has aroused great interest among our loyal customers,” Martikainen continues.

A digital key allows quick access to the room

To get a digital key, a Hilton Honors member will download the Hilton Honors App and make a reservation directly through the brand’s reservation system. Check-in can be done using a mobile device the day before arrival. The guest may choose the room they would prefer from the hotel room map in advance. On the day of the arrival at the hotel, the app will send a notification when the selected room is ready. At the same time, the digital key is activated, and the guest may go directly to their room.

The digital key uses Bluetooth technology. One guest in each room can use a digital key, for others, a traditional key card will be created at the reception.

The Hilton Digital Key has undergone several security tests and precautions before adoption. A digital key and a plastic key card offer the same level of security.

The Hilton Honors customer loyalty program is open to all guests, and you can join the program at HiltonHonors.com. When you join the loyalty program and book a hotel room through the Hilton reservation channel, you get a better price, free Internet connection and an opportunity to earn points and reward nights.

Hilton Digital Key

• Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa is the first hotel in Finland to offer a digital key for its 238 rooms.
• Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa’s Hilton Honors guests have been able to use their mobile device also as a room key since the autumn of 2018.
• Hilton acts as a forerunner in digitalisation of the hotel industry.
• Digital Key has been available in the United States since May 2015 and in Great Britain since March 2017. Digital check-in and room key are in use at almost 4,000 Hilton hotels and in over 600,000 hotel rooms. Over 90 per cent of users have been satisfied with the experience.
• The Hilton Honors App can be used for booking a room, checking in, room selection and as a key for the elevator as well as the room and service area doors. In the future, the application will also act as a flexible digital control device for other room functionalities.
• There are already almost 80 million Hilton Honors members around the world.

For more information and testing the digital key:

Johanna Uimonen, Communications Manager, Scandic Hotels Oy, +358 40 713 4120, johanna.uimonen@scandichotels.com

Juha Martikainen, Director of Operations, Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa,
+358 40 718 6055, juha.martikainen@hilton.com