Porvoo, Finland, just an hour from Helsinki, is a medieval coastal town and cultural destination known for its vibrant culinary scene, colorful wooden houses and cozy cafés. At the heart of the town stands the new Runo Porvoo Hotel, a family-owned landmark that blends Finnish traditions with contemporary Nordic design, locally crafted artwork and the warm simplicity of American Shaker-style furnishings.
© Design Hotels
Runo is a member of Design Hotels and the redesign by Finnish interior designer Joanna Laajisto shows how historic spaces can be refreshed without losing their character. Laajisto favors unexpected places that combine charm and refinement in ways that feel both intimate and worldly.
© Julia Kivela & Visit Finland
The name Runo, meaning “poem,” weaves Finnish traditions, history and mythology into the hotel’s design. Co-founder Erkka Hirvonen envisioned the concept and collaborated with Laajisto to realize it. The Jugend-style Runo building dates from 1912 and preserves many original details: façade reliefs that reference mythical figures from the national epic Kalevala, stately staircases and early 20th-century fireplaces, all paired with contemporary Nordic and rustic furnishings.
© Design Hotels
The ground floor opens into a spacious, modern lobby that houses the hotel restaurant and lounge. Furnishings mix Shaker-style pieces with Scandinavian classics, including Hans J. Wegner’s J16 rocking chairs and Space Copenhagen’s Spine lounge chairs. The rooms and public areas are punctuated by contemporary paintings and sculptures from emerging Finnish artists such as Linda Linko, Riku Riippa, Iisa Maaranen and Inka Bell.
A theme of renewal runs through the property: the original structure was carefully restored, traditional Karelian textiles were repurposed, and many furnishings were made by local craftsmen. Some pieces were crafted from 300-year-old pine floorboards salvaged from Hirvonen’s family estate in the nearby countryside. Even small details reflect this thoughtful approach—Hirvonen’s parents sorted through old hay sticks and prepared salvageable parts that artisans turned into towel ladders and other functional accents for the bathrooms.
© Julia Kivela & Visit Finland
The Hirvonen family’s pride in their hotel extends to Porvoo itself, a city celebrated for its picturesque wooden houses and a food scene that attracts gourmets from Helsinki and beyond. Runo’s thoughtful restoration and locally rooted design create a welcoming base from which to explore the town’s historic streets and culinary offerings.
“From the start, the owners had a clear vision of what kind of hotel they wanted to develop,” Laajisto says. “They recognized the value of the old building, high-quality interior design and careful detailing. In Finland, it is rare to see a hotel project executed with such devotion and attention to design.”