Location:
Strömfors Bed & Bistro is located in the centre of the idyllic ironworks village of Strömfors. The village was founded in the 1690’s and was a prominent industrial site rooted in the iron industry harnessing the Kymijoki River for its water-powered forges and mills. The site ceased operations in 1950 and today it is a well preserved historic village with museums, craft shops, and unique timber architecture, offering a glimpse into Finland’s industrial past.
Arrival and check-in:
From Helsinki, it’s just a 75 minute drive to Strömfors making the area an ideal location for a weekend break. For guests arriving by public transport, there are regular express bus services from the capital to Loviisa from where a taxi can be taken for the 20 minute transfer to the hotel. Strömfors Bed and Bistro is located in the village centre in a beautiful old manor house.
The rooms:
Check-in takes place just inside the main entrance. We received a warm welcome and were soon handed our room keys and jugs of chilled water. Due to the age of the building there isn’t a lift but as all rooms are located on the first floor there was only one staircase to climb.
The Manor House is filled with old world charm and we were delighted with the cosy rooms that we had been allocated. The larger of the two had its own sitting room beneath the eaves which led onto the traditionally styled bedroom. With windows to two sides, the room was flooded with natural light and we had lovely views across the village green to the historic buildings beyond.
Our second room was located further along the corridor and although considerably smaller, it was very pretty and felt very cosy for a short break. As a stay at the historic manor house is designed to take one back to bygone days, there are unfortunately no en-suite bathrooms. We weren’t aware of this before we checked in and I hadn’t packed a dressing gown however this wasn’t too much of a problem. Both our rooms had bathrooms next door and whenever we needed to use them they were always free so we didn’t have any complaints whatsoever.
Dining:
Soon after we had checked in we enjoyed early afternoon coffee and home-made cinnamon buns in the hotel’s restaurant which is elegantly furnished and quite spacious comprising three rooms. Dinner is served on a regular basis during the summer season and by advance request at other times of year, but due to our busy schedule we were unable to experience it for ourselves.
Breakfast is served buffet style each morning and what a feast it was for such a small place. The dining room was beautifully laid out with a large table filled with fresh fruit, yoghurt, traditional rye bread, pastries, ham and cheese whilst over on the dresser we helped ourselves to bowls of delicious porridge, egg flan and bacon.
With glasses of freshly squeezed juice and pots of tea and coffee, it was the ideal start to our day. On warm sunny mornings breakfast can also be enjoyed out on the garden terrace.
The Facilities:
The accommodation has its own small car park and if this is full there is ample free parking just across the road. Additional accommodation is located in the single level Krouvinmäki building which has a total of 8 rooms, some of which can accommodate up to five people and are ideal for families. This building also boasts its own well equipped kitchen for guests own use, if desired. Wi-Fi was simple to connect to and worked well throughout the accommodation.
Out and About:
Explore Strömfors Village
A joy of staying at Strömfors Bed and Bistro was that we could enjoy the peace and quiet of the Strömfors cultural heritage village right on our doorstep. It’s possible to join a guided tour as we did, otherwise you can just wander around at your own pace. Strömfors village is one of the best preserved historical ironwork sites in Finland.
During our walking tour we visited the museum where we inspected the country’s only water powered bundle hammer still in operation, which is to be found in the Forgery Museum (free admission). The village has just 300 permanent inhabitants and it felt like stepping back in time with its idyllic views and photogenic buildings.
The majority of the village’s buildings with the exception of the hotel are painted in the traditional Finnish dark red colour. This distinctive shade originates from iron oxide pigments which were often mixed with linseed oil and flour to create a durable paint-like wood preservative.
Within the heritage buildings are several small gift shops offering locally made handicrafts that are a pleasure to view and alongside strolling across the ornate old bridge and enjoying a swing on the ‘scenery swing’ it’s a delightful place to visit.
Take a Canoe or Kayaking trip along the Kymijoki River
Whilst staying in Strömfors we took advantage of the opportunity to take a two hour guided canoe trip. Both kayaks and canoes can be hired either with or without a guide. As there were three of us, we opted for a canoe and after being kitted out with life jackets we were given instructions on how to hold and use the wooden oars, as I had only tried kayaking previously.
Once confident, we took our seats in the large wooden canoe and paddled off behind our guide who kept pausing to check that we were following along and doing fine. I would highly recommend booking one of these guided canoe trips as it was a wonderful opportunity to experience the diverse waterways of the Kymijoki River. From lengthy wide stretches through to navigating narrow creeks and paddling beneath low bridges it was great fun and excellent upper arm exercise out in the fresh country air. There was even one building towards the end of the trip where we needed to duck our heads down as we floated beneath it. More details of Strömfors canoe and kayak trips can be found here.
Overall:
For a cosy stay in a historic old Finnish ironworks village, Strömfors Bed and Bistro is definitely the place to go. With its old world charm, picture-perfect accommodation and delicious home style cuisine it all felt very relaxing. The village is only just over an hour’s drive from Helsinki but feels a world away with its authentic setting and unhurried lifestyle.
Details: Strömfors Bed and Bistro, Ruukintie 10, 07970 Strömfors, Finland
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During our stay we were guests of Visit Kotka Hamina and, as always all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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