New hotel featuring capsule-style rooms set to open in Tampere, Finland next spring

A unique hotel is set to open in central Tampere next spring, featuring exceptionally small rooms that accommodate little more than beds and a tabletop. Entrepreneur Eetu Rahkola of Uumen Hotels drew inspiration from Japanese capsule hotels, where guests stay in tiny sleeping capsules. The rooms in the Tampere hotel have been designed to be slightly larger.

“Our core idea is to stick to the basics and deliver them with high quality,” Rahkola explains. “What we compromise on is the use of space.” The hotel will feature 99 rooms, each with a floor area of about five square meters, despite construction regulations requiring hotel room sizes to be at least seven square meters. These small hotel rooms are classified not as traditional rooms but as “sleeping units” that can be closed off. The design adheres to safety regulations related to fire safety and acoustics.

As Rahkola notes, no similar modular accommodation solutions currently exist in Finland, indicating the concept’s novelty. The rooms, manufactured in a Finnish factory, will be transported to the hotel site for final assembly next year.

In addition to the small rooms, the hotel’s location is also noteworthy. It will be renovated from an old brick factory building in the Finlayson area, which currently houses offices. “Being in the heart of Tampere, yet close to nature, is a significant win for us,” Rahkola states.

Additionally, with a vision to provide affordable accommodation, Rahkola’s venture aims to attract families, groups of friends, and sports teams. The pricing will be dynamic, with a single room starting as low as €39 and a four-person room costing between €89 and €99. With a growing demand for budget-friendly accommodations, experts believe this concept will serve travelers looking for economical options in Tampere.