PRE-OPENING BETA EVENTS

Before Hobo Helsinki opened its doors, we introduced ourselves to the city through five “Beta” events—our way of showing what Hobo would become once the lights turned on for real. Food Beta, Drink Beta, Room Beta, Vibe Beta and Art Beta each carried a piece of the future with them, shaping the Hobo you now know.

That pink semolina porridge on our breakfast table? It earned its place because people fell for it during Food Beta. The disco balls and LED lights in our “Party House” room package? Those came from Room Beta, where we hit the streets, asked locals to describe their dream hotel room, turned their ideas into a video, and then built those dreams straight into our suites. And the art on our walls? Art Beta invited the community to vote for their favourites, creating a collection chosen by the people who live around us.

With Vibe Beta, we wanted to open a conversation about the difference between commercial and non‑commercial spaces in a city’s cultural landscape. What does the city actually need, and what are we instinctively drawn to? It became a moment to reflect on how places shape people and how people shape places right back.

All of this happened in the middle of a construction site—dust, cables, concrete and all. But that was the point. We brought people together before the hotel even existed, and built the house around what they told us they wanted.

Hobo is our idea of community. A place to live, work, create, learn and have fun together. We believe travel should be more than a bed for the night; it should be an experience that connects you to the city, its culture and the people who call it home.