School gyms and classrooms can be used as accommodation in connection with various events and camps aimed at children and young people. Young people refers to persons under the age of 29 as defined in section 3 of the Youth Act (1285/2016). Granting temporary accommodation for events other than those for children and young people requires a strategic event partnership with the City of Helsinki.
Temporary accommodation in school facilities may only be granted to registered organisations, such as associations and companies. Accommodation is not granted to private individuals.
The minimum number of persons to be accommodated is 50.
Application period
Accommodation in summer 2027
Accommodation in school premises is available primarily during the school summer holiday period.
- If the number of persons to be accommodated is over 1,000, the application must be submitted by 31 October 2026. These applications will be processed by 15 December 2026.
- If the number of persons to be accommodated is under 1,000, the application must be submitted by 31 January 2027. These applications will be processed by 26 February 2027.
Accommodation during the school year
Accommodation in school premises is also available at weekends during the school year and during school holidays. The accommodation available during the school year is limited, as arranging the accommodation has a significant impact on the smooth running of the school.
- Applications for accommodation during the school year must be submitted no later than two months before the accommodation.
Application instructions
Before the accommodation
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Learn about the accommodation schools
The accommodation facilities include a dining hall and gym, various classrooms and washing facilities. The persons to be accommodated must bring their own mattresses and other necessary sleeping equipment.
Use of the professional kitchen, the food counter and the dishes is not included in the booking. If necessary, a separate agreement will be drawn up regarding the use of the kitchen, subject to a separate price lists. The kitchens of the schools that can be used for accommodation are run by Palvelukeskus Helsinki.
Schools that can be used for accommodation (maximum accommodation capacity):
- Aleksis Kivi Comprehensive School (597 people)
- Arabia Comprehensive School (417 people)
- Kalasatama Comprehensive School (200 people)
- Kankarepuisto Comprehensive School (405 people)
- Kulosaari Primary School (222 people)
- Meilahti Primary School (350 people)
- Munkkiniemi Primary School (305 people)
- Comprehensive School Pakilan peruskoulu (295 people)
- Porolahti Comprehensive School (171 people)
- Vuosaari Upper Secondary School (499 people)
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Submit an accommodation application
Complete the accommodation application form on the lomake.hel.fi website.
Open the school accommodation application form(Link leads to external service)
We will confirm receipt of your accommodation application within three working days of it being submitted. We confirm accommodation bookings in accordance with the application periods.
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Contact the school providing accommodation
Contact the school providing accommodation and arrange a meeting with the site manager to arrange a viewing of the premises. During the visit, you will receive the information that you need to draw up a security and rescue plan for temporary accommodation. You will be provided with the plan template with your booking confirmation.
Please confirm the final number of persons to be accommodated to Varaamo’s customer service email address no later than 14 days before the start of the event: varaamo@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program).
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Submit a notification to the Rescue Department
Submit a notification of temporary accommodation to the Rescue Department at least 14 days before the start of the accommodation booking. The Rescue Department recommends that the notification be submitted as soon as the safety arrangements for the accommodation have been finalised, ideally at least one month before the accommodation booking is to begin, or even earlier. This ensures that you have time to take any necessary changes into account before the accommodation booking begins.
Go to the Rescue Services’ notification page(Link leads to external service)
You must submit an event-specific security and rescue plan for temporary accommodation with the notification. You will have received a plan template to fill in with your booking confirmation. The school's security and rescue plan and the owner's permit will have already been submitted to the Rescue Department, so there is no need to include them with the notification.
If the temporary accommodation is linked to a public event, this must be taken into account in the event’s emergency plan. The emergency plan for a public event must be submitted to the local emergency services authority for information no later than 14 days before the event.
Once the Rescue Department has confirmed to you via email that the accommodation arrangements are approved, please forward the email to varaamo@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program) . If the accommodation arrangements are not approved by the Rescue Department, the City may cancel the booking for the accommodation.
During the accommodation
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Read the accommodation guidelines and prepare the facilities
Please read the accommodation guidelines provided with your booking confirmation carefully.
Prepare the facilities that you have booked for accommodation. Take a photo of the furniture in the classrooms so that you can be sure that you can put it back in its original place.
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Ensure the safety, supervision and tidiness of the facilities
Brief the persons being accommodated on how to use the facilities safely.
Ensure that the facilities are supervised, that there are people trained in first aid and that there are enough first-aid supplies on site.- The facilities must not be left unoccupied during the booking period.
- At night, there must always be at least two adult supervisors and at least one adult supervisor per 30 persons being accommodated.
- Arrange for the facilities to be supervised during the day as well.
Only use the facilities specified in the safety instructions for accommodation. Entering other facilities is prohibited.
Make sure that the facilities are kept clean and hygienic throughout the accommodation booking. Stock up on toilet paper, hand towels, hand soap and bin bags so you can top them up as and when needed. There is no restocking service for the school’s toilet paper or hand towels during temporary accommodation bookings. Make sure to also pack some all-purpose cleaner, cleaning gloves and cleaning cloths, or disposable wet wipes for spot cleaning.
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Put the furniture back in its place and lock the doors
Put the furniture back in its place.
Make sure that the facilities are tidy and take any rubbish to the waste room, sorted as required.
Make sure that all the persons being accommodated have left the building and lock the doors.
The facilities will be checked and cleaned after the accommodation booking. If the facilities are not left in a tidy condition, the customer will be charged for a special clean in accordance with the cleaning services price list.
After the accommodation
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Return the keys
Return the keys as agreed.
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Respond to the feedback survey
Provide feedback on the accommodation. You will receive a link to the feedback survey via email after the accommodation booking.
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Pay the invoice
The booking will be invoiced for after the event.
Priority criteria
Accommodation is allocated on the basis of the following priority criteria:
- Strategic event partnerships with the City of Helsinki or its divisions.
- The accommodation organiser is based in Helsinki.
- The event related to the accommodation takes place entirely in Helsinki.
- The event related to the accommodation is aimed at people under the age of 20.
- The applicant for accommodation is the event organiser.
- The event related to the accommodation takes place in an suburban regeneration area (Kannelmäki, Malmi, Malminkartano, Mellunkylä, Meri-Rastila).
Terms and conditions
School accommodation is subject to the terms of agreement for reserving the City of Helsinki’s premises and equipment(Link leads to external service).
Furthermore, the person making the booking agrees to submit a notification of temporary accommodation to the Rescue Department and to follow the instructions issued by the Rescue Department. If the accommodation arrangements are not approved by the Rescue Department, the City may cancel the booking for the accommodation.
The City of Helsinki reserves the right to change the confirmed school for justified reasons. Such reasons may include renovation work at the school during the summer.
Accommodation fees
The daily fee is €250 per 50 people per location. The accommodation fees include VAT at 13.5%.
The fee includes the use of designated facilities at the location and one day of preparation per location when accommodation is being provided for more than 200 people. Each additional day of preparation is subject to a fee of €50 per location per day with VAT at 25.5%.
The fee does not include use of the kitchen or meal services.
An accommodation booking can be cancelled free of charge one (1) month before the start of the accommodation. After that, a cancellation fee of €150 will be charged.
Contact information
- Varaamo contact form(Link leads to external service)
- Varaamo customer service varaamo@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
f you would like to discuss arranging school accommodation over the phone, you can request a call back via the Varaamo contact form or by email.