Finland: Tech-led short-stay / serviced apartment brand Bob W has announced two more properties in Finland, as it continues to strengthen its foothold in Europe.
In addition to its fifth Helsinki property Bob W Kaarti [due to open this summer], new property Bob W Kamppi is also situated in the Finnish capital, while Bob W Turku City Centre is the company’s first property in the historic area of Finland. Combined, the two locations will add more than 100 sustainable apartments to the company’s growing portfolio.
Known for its distinctive technology, the design-led, sustainable apartments match Bob W’s ‘best of both worlds’ approach to hospitality — the reliability of a hotel and the ‘live like a local’ experience of a home.
Bob W Turku City Centre is a purpose-made development in one of Turku’s landmark buildings at Eerikinkatu 12C known as ‘Vanun Talo’, or the Cotton Wool House. The property was named after its longest-standing tenant, a fully female-led textile company ‘Oy Turun Vanu’, which occupied it until the 1950s.
Bob W Kamppi, secured in collaboration with real estate partner Slättö, sits in an area of Helsinki that is known as the heart of the Finnish music scene where more than half of the city’s live music venues are situated.
In keeping with a growing trend in the repurposing of commercial buildings – a key ULN trend for 2024 – Bob W Kamppi is a former office block that will be transformed into apartments set around an inner courtyard with a rooftop sauna lounge, in a prime location. Office-to-hospitality conversions are bringing new life to cities, a movement that Bob W is advocating with projects such as Kamppi and others across Europe.
Opening in 2025, Bob W Kamppi’s mixture of studios and one-bedroom units will have an interior concept designed by local design agency KOKO3, merging the building’s 70s raw architecture with modern Finnish design.
Erik Möller, head of hotels at Slättö in Finland, said: “Helsinki city centre is a market we strongly believe in. There is a shortage of high-end modern offerings and Bob W Kamppi will be one of the most central alternatives for both business and leisure. The innovative, digital platform from Bob W allows to focus on both short and long stay, driving high utilisation and efficient operations.”
Every Bob W Turku and Bob W Kamppi apartment is fitted with a kitchen area, supported by technology to provide a fully-digital guest journey, including 24/7 customer service, keyless entry and access to Bob W’s local marketplace that connects guests with partners offering a range of services from breakfast to gym passes.
Niko Karstikko, co-founder and CEO of Bob W, said: “As a Finnish pan-European hospitality brand, I am thrilled that Bob W is supporting its heritage by opening more world class properties in Finland. The Finnish market is a rapidly evolving travel destination that is not only popular for guests looking for tranquillity and adventure but is a thriving hotspot for the hospitality industry.
“The city of Turku is a place close to my heart. Half of my family are from the area and I’m delighted that Bob W is supporting this destination, I believe it is a place everyone should visit. It’s such a vibrant area, bustling with museums, galleries and waterfront restaurants.
“I am a massive champion of Helsinki and it’s great that Bob W is expanding its presence in the city. Bob W Turku and Bob W Kamppi are the ideal place for the next generation of travellers and digital nomads to stay, whether it is for a night, weeks or for longer stays,” he added.
Bob W’s portfolio currently consists of more than 3,000 short-stay/serviced apartments across Europe, with further expansion secured in existing and new markets.
