About this hotel
General information
RUNO occupies a 1912 Art Nouveau building at the very gateway to Old Porvoo, its façade worked with motifs from the Kalevala and the carved faces of Väinämöinen peering out beneath the roof. The house once held a bank and some of the town’s most prestigious flats, and its restoration kept as much of the original fabric as possible – the old bathroom doors, the tiled stoves, wooden floors and walls finished in linseed-oil paint.
Runo is Finnish for “poem”, and the whole house is built around slowness and attention to detail. There are 56 rooms, furnished with natural materials, crafted pieces and vintage Arabia ceramics gathered from flea markets, while the public spaces host RUNO Biannual, a changing exhibition of contemporary Finnish art open around the clock. Every room has a copy of the book RUNO, which tells the story of the Old Town’s streets.
Location
The hotel sits on Rihkamakatu in Porvoo, where the cobbled lanes, wooden houses and small shops of Old Porvoo begin; Porvoo Cathedral is about 200 m away, and Brunberg, Finland’s oldest confectionery maker, has its shop right across from the side entrance. The bus station is 400 m away, with direct buses from Helsinki, and the courtyard has a limited number of parking spaces, some with EV charging.
Spa
The heart of the hotel is the attic sauna on the top floor, lined with handcrafted wooden panels, with armchairs and an open fire in a generous lounge and a traditional cold bucket shower to finish. The sauna is shared by men and women (swimwear or a towel), with separate changing rooms, and an hour-long soundscape of nature recordings and music shifts with the seasons. The sauna can be hired for private gatherings, and massages and treatments, for one or for two, are given in the hotel by therapists from the partner RELAX-Center.
Sports & leisure
There is no gym in the house, but guests have access to a gym nearby, and the hotel’s two bicycles can be borrowed from reception. The hotel suggests a walk past the cathedral and over the wooden bridges of Linnamäki, the 300 fitness stairs at Kokonniemi with their view back to the Old Town, yoga and Pilates studios 500 m away, and the fishing-village charm of Hamari, 6 km off. In winter the slopes of Porvoo Ski are 2 km away, cross-country trails start from Kokonniemi and the Porvoo River becomes a route for walking, skating and skiing. RUNO Bar hosts live music, and selected weekends bring creative workshops, along with retreats held in Finnish.
Restaurants & bars
The restaurant and bar fill the former banking hall on the ground floor; the cooking draws on Finnish flavours and local produce, and the sourdough bread is baked in-house from a starter kept since the hotel’s first days.
- The restaurant – an unhurried breakfast of traditional Finnish dishes, a weekday lunch buffet, a weekend bakery brunch and a monthly jazz brunch, plus private dinners and celebrations
- RUNO Bar – cocktails inspired by Finnish drinking traditions and northern nature, with occasional live performances
- Café menu – light bites served around the clock
Swimming
The hotel has no pool; nearby are beaches and the outdoor pool at Kokonniemi, winter swimming spots and the Porvoo Swimming Pool with a water slide, steam sauna and jacuzzi.
Skiing
The downhill slopes of Porvoo Ski are 2 km from the hotel, cross-country trails start at Kokonniemi, and in winter the frozen Porvoo River becomes a route for skiing and skating.
Pets
Pets are welcome for a fee in Large Rooms and above, including all suites (two pets at most); pet-friendly rooms are limited, so the number and size of pets should be mentioned in advance.
Rooms
The 56 rooms and suites fill the upper floors of what were once apartments; each differs slightly in layout, and preserved doors, tiled stoves and arched windows recall the building’s past.
Rooms have DUX x RUNO beds, a 50" Samsung TV with Google Chromecast, air conditioning, a garment steamer, hairdryer, soda maker and kettle, with a minibar and safe from the Large Room upwards.
Small Room
The most compact room, best for a solo traveller, with a 140 or 160 cm bed and no desk, wardrobe or minibar; two adults can share, but it is snug.
Medium Room
A compact room with a 140 or 160 cm bed, best for one; layouts vary, and alongside the bed each has a writing desk, armchair, wardrobe or minibar.
Large Room
The room for two from which the whole hotel was conceived, with a king-size or twin beds, minibar and safe.
Extra Large Room
A roomier choice for two with a king-size or twin beds; some have striking arched windows.
Corner Suite
One of four corner suites with windows on two sides and the brightest light in the house; king-size or twin beds, and in three of them a 120 cm sofa bed for two children.
Fireplace Suite
A suite for two with the building’s original tiled stove (decorative, its colour different in each room) and views over the main street of Old Porvoo; king-size or twin beds.
Balcony Suite
The most spacious suites, on the quiet courtyard side, with a balcony over the inner courtyard and the roofs of old wooden houses; four of the five have a sofa bed, sleeping up to three.
Connecting Rooms
Two rooms linked by an interconnecting door or a shared hallway, for a family or friends of up to four who want their own space; each has a 180 cm king-size or twin beds, a minibar and a safe.
RUNO Suite
A Corner Suite and a Medium Room joined by a private hallway, for a family or friends of up to five: a king-size (or twin) bed, a 140 cm double and a sofa bed.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.