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Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel - A piece of history in the heart of Helsinki Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is a landmark building in the heart of Helsinki. The construction of the building was completed in 1921, and it initially served as the headquarters of SOK, Finland’s leading consumer cooperative. A new hotel wing was built in 1999. Today Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is protected by Finland’s National Board of Antiquities and represents a significant chapter in the history of commerce in Finland. The cornerstone of the SOK headquarters was laid on the eve of Finnish independence on 5 December 1917, though the ensuing Finnish Civil War delayed construction. The building was also home to the Elonvara and Tulenvara insurance companies, the Finnish Co-op School, as well as SOK employees and their families. Training services for co-operative members were also provided on the premises. Prosperity on display The main entrance to the building is located on the corner of Mikonkatu and Vilhonkatu in downtown Helsinki. The building architects, Kauno S. Kallio and Oiva Kallio, designed the entrance to lead to a spacious lobby with stained glass painting by Finnish artist Juho Rissanen. The paintings depicted scenes from SOK’s original business areas: fishing, maritime trade, consumer goods and agriculture. The same motifs were repeated as decorative patterns in the lobby’s oak panelling. From the lobby, visitors proceeded to a vaulted exhibition hall, where co-operative members could choose merchandise for their shops. Almost every type of consumer good – from canned meat to evening gowns – was displayed in the hall. There was even a Harley Davidson motorbike on display. Interestingly enough, SOK has been the principal importer of spare parts for this legendary brand in Finland since the 1920s. The motorbikes were assembled in SOK’s workshop, while travelling SOK salesmen used Harley Davidsons with sidecars to get around Finland. The former SOK headquarters has witnessed key moments in the history of Finnish commerce. Many important decisions were made in the board of director’s boardroom, which is exquisitely panelled in silver birch. At the same time countless deals were sealed with a handshake in the building’s many rooms and corridors. In 1991, after 70 years in the same address, SOK moved its headquarters to a new location in Vallila, Helsinki. The name of the new SOK headquarters is Ässäkeskus. Five-star service in a five-star location The landmark building and its immediate surroundings were modernized several times in the early 1990s. A new hotel wing with a glass facade, designed by Arkval Arkkitehdit Oy, was built on the Mikonkatu side of the hotel, and the historical was modernized. Half of it was renovated for hotel use and for example equipped with a new HVAC system. Plaza hotel was opened in 1999 – a moment in history that was in its own way as important as the year 1917, when Finland gained independence and the cornerstone of the future hotel was set in place. In 1999, Finland joined the euro zone and Finns began using the new currency in stores. Plaza became the flagship hotel of the then Radisson SAS chain, and the hotel’s rooms and services met the chain’s exacting quality standards down to the last towel. Plaza was now an international hotel with piccolos, concierges and room service attendants on duty around the clock – a five-star experience in a five- star location. Over the years Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel has had high-profile politicians and athletes as guests, including EU leaders, European track-and-field stars, and the world’s best hockey players. International celebrities who have stayed at the hotel include Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton as well as Beni and Björn from ABBA. Famous diners include former Finnish President Mauno Koivisto and his wife Tellervo Koivisto as well as Finland’s first female President, Tarja Halonen, and her husband, Pentti Arajärvi. They, like many other friends of fine dining, have enjoyed the historical interior of restaurant Pääkonttori , the exhibition hall in the former SOK headquarters, and sumptuous Juho hall. Pääkonttori was especially popular with theatre goers as the Finnish National Theatre is just around the corner from the hotel. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is renewed in 2012 A new chapter is being written in the shared history of the landmark building and Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. Faced with new challenges, hotels need to win over customers with personalized services, while providing high-quality basic services as standard. Guests want to experience services and environments that stand out. This reality is the foundation for the Plaza hotel renewal project, which is being carried out in 2012. Guests can now enjoy not only new facilities but also a new, more personalized service approach. Today the unique history of Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel can be experienced already in the hotel lobby. The lobby with its stained glass paintings and the interior courtyard are now home to restaurant Kitzens and Bar 7 Blings. In the past, SOK would export goods from around the world for display in the exhibition hall. Nowadays Kitzens offers delicacies from five different types of cuisines in that very same hall. Even the historically stately boardroom has been equipped with the latest meeting and conference technology. From now on, Plaza is Made by You, which means that you decide what kind of hotel and dining experience is best for you. You can choose the perfect room location, the services you like, and the right mood for your stay. Every day a new story is written as Plaza and its guests together create a truly memorable hotel experience. The hotel of the future remembers its past and finds inspiration for change in the present. .
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