Hotel Kakola. Voluntarily in prison.

The area former prison covers the whole hill. It's no wonder, as the largest number of inmates at any one time in this 149-year-old prison was 1,300. The most serious criminals were held here. In the criminal world, it was an honour to be in Kakola Prison. Here, a small rose was tattooed on the shoulder of the inmate. The person who received this badge belonged to Finland's criminal elite.

Symbols were important in Kakola during the prison days and they still are. The famous rose can be found here as a wall decoration in a restaurant called Kakolan Rose. Another restaurant, Ruben, has a large fingerprint in the most prominent place on its wall. It belongs to a man who developed a different life in the former prison. The carpets covering the floor of the hotel are decorated with stylised bar marks.

For those who are looking for a real thrill and are not afraid of spending a night in prison-like conditions, the hotel's 148 rooms include 6 rooms with a particularly authentic ambience. There are many brave souls among us and these rooms are the most popular in the hotel.

The other rooms are more like hotel rooms and less like prison cells. In the Superior Rooms, the prison feeling has disappeared. It is replaced by comfort and a nice view from the balcony.

In addition, the hotel offers a wide range of settings for events and celebrations of all sizes and shapes. From a small meeting behind bars in a prison cell, to a party or conference in the former prison church, where everything that has been preserved is the result of the work of the prisoners.

Each floor of the hotel is different, offering new details of the former prison. It is difficult to find them all on your own. That is why the hotel organises guided tours inside the hotel and around the former prison. These are very popular, both with those living here and those coming from outside. It is not unusual to find people who have been imprisoned here.

In Kakola, it's not easy to tell where the hotel ends and local life begins. The whole of the former prison is integrated into such a coherent whole. The hotel's restaurant, Ruben, serves local cuisine. This is where the prison canteen used to be. Kakola Ruusu, located in the prison annex, is another restaurant with a different concept, run by the owners of the city's best restaurant, Kaskis.

The Kakola experience is not complete without a visit to the spa. Here you can experience all the nuances of the Finnish weather in the form of water treatments. It's hard to believe that a cold gust of wind in a rainstorm or wet snow on your neck can be so pleasant. A glass of champagne while relaxing in the water at the pool bar is more the rule than the exception.

For a stroll around the hotel's immediate surroundings, you'd never have a clue that there might once have been a prison here. Bicycles and prams at every turn. An important part of the comfort of life for both the locals and the hotel guests is to be found outside the rooms. The tap room of a craft drinks producer is a good place to hang out. There's also a small coffee shop where the coffee is freshly roasted on site. The bakery here is one of the best of the city.

There is a hairdresser. All of these services are available to locals and hotel guests alike. The most exclusive local shop is the Prison Souvenir Shop. It sells handicrafts made by prisoners from various Finnish prisons.

AIVAR HANSON