It’s not Sunday, but I went out for coffee with Hannu, the heart and soul owner of KOTI Apartments. This lovely interview will be attached to our previously published “Sunday Cafe” section for easy access and enjoyment later.

I first met Hannu about 2.5 months ago for a business discussion about a collaboration with KOTI Apartments. From her first meeting until now, Hannu has been not only easy to work with, but also a very warm and welcoming person who is dedicated to his work and dear to every client who walks into KOTI Apartments. did. I happily spent time interviewing him.

your name and age;

Hannu Junkaala, Libra 🙂

What is the connection between your hometown and Helsinki?

I am from Helsinki, born here and considered a “barefoot” Helsinki.

Well, there must be five generations of families from Helsinki, so not many, but most. It also explains the connection with Helsinki.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of running your business from Helsinki?

Helsinki is clean, safe, and people live here who are pure and straightforward. Helsinki is modern and constantly developing. It’s much easier for me to run my business from Helsinki. Because the hospitality market has enough space for what I do. KOTI’s apartment is very unique in that sense, which is a big advantage for me.

The downside might be that Helsinki still has larger/world famous corporate offices here, making it a more central location for business travelers who are also the majority of guests. Hmm. Comparing Helsinki and Zurich, for example, they are similar in size, but Zurich is much more advanced than Helsinki in terms of business operations etc.

Do you run a small sole proprietorship or a large business? What appeals to you about being a small business owner?

I used to work as part of a large company, but I have to say that I prefer running a small business. Decisions are sometimes made in seconds. Instead of brooding through endless sheets and PowerPoint docs, you need to follow your senses and know the right decision or next step at any given moment.

I also like the close relationships that we have with our employees. They feel like family members rather than employees. I don’t think you can do that in a big company.

Also, all my days are different. It may sound clichéd, but every day is different. You might be driving to work and suddenly you’re home at 9:00 p.m. It can be good or bad, but mostly it’s good and I like it.

Why name KOTI apartments?

Previously owned KOTI Hotel, sold the business to Forenom Apartments in 2015. I then lost the ‘rights’ to that particular name, so I half chose that name when I was about to open KOTI Apartments. KOTI means home in Finnish and that’s exactly what I wanted to create with KOTI. Of course, it can be a luxurious and classy apartment with modern design, great facilities, but the feeling should be like “home”. Not many who visit us know what his KOTI means in Finnish. A perfect name for the atmosphere of the place. 🙂

What inspires you the most or makes you happiest at work?

Frankly, I am happiest when interacting with visitors. Due to the current situation, I have been “trapped” inside my office for the past 3 months and miss my routine interactions with guests. Seeing me or Jasmine, smiling and saying hello and wishing you a nice day is part of our KOTI vibe. I am also happy to hear that you have surpassed It makes me happy to hear that someone is pitching us in a “mouth to mouth” fashion and they have nothing but good things to say.

Where’s the best hotel/apartment/etc you’ve ever stayed in?

I think my best experience was last summer at a boutique hotel in Lourdes, France. I went with my girlfriend for the Tour de France and it was easy to drive or bike from the hotel every day to see the different stages of the Tour de France. I loved the fact that it was run by an elderly couple who set up a large breakfast table for all of us each morning and sat at different seats each morning so we met and talked to different people. I liked it

As for my reference location/hotel, I always stay at the Ett Hem hotel in Stockholm. The name Ett Hem happens to mean home in Swedish, as KOTI does in Finnish. 😀

what is your life motto?

Angels live in the details. Some people say that the devil is in the details when it comes to contracts, but I thought the angels were in the details. Because my work has to have a solid foundation, but it’s the details that make a job or a place stand out and make it special. KOTI has a lot of small details, which I think is a nice touch. Placing candy in the room won’t make you happy if the room isn’t clean or the staff isn’t friendly.

Would you recommend a book, movie, or song?

My favorite book is by Simon Sinek. start with why

Kind of like Texas country music Kenny Chesney.

Michelle Obama – Documentary

Name three things everyone should do or see when staying at a KOTI apartment.

If you are visiting Helsinki for the first time and staying in a KOTI apartment, I think you should go to Loyly on Suomenlinna and hop on tram number 10 which stops next to KOTI. 🙂

Thanks for the interview, Hannu!