The Best Hotels in Helsinki for Every Traveller

A shining architectural star in the Design District, GLO Hotel Art is located within an art nouveau castle – that’s right, castle – which dates back to 1903. Inside the stone walls, arched windows, colourful stained glass, ornate vaulted ceilings and bohemian-inspired design adorn the common and dining areas, while the rooms provide a modern yet sumptuous ambience for guests.

This centrally located boutique has elevated the classic hotel experience in more ways than one. Forget the usual breakfast buffet, the family-owned Hotel F6 offers a quintessential Finnish spread every morning made from local, organic ingredients. The hotel bar? It serves cocktails garnished with herbs from the hotel courtyard greenhouse, where guests can enjoy a quiet moment. Seeking to promote sustainable tourism, the property is entirely reliant on wind and water-derived electricity.

Minutes from Central Station and the Temppeliaukio Church, Aallonkoti offers guests a base which feels like home. Varying in size, the apartments all have practical features – such as a kitchen – as well as more indulgent ones, such as a furnished terrace with park view. The apartment hotel also puts Scandinavian design front and centre, with furniture made by notable Finnish designers, including Unikulma and Iittala.

You don’t necessarily need to visit the Arctic to get a taste of Finnish Lapland. The four-star Lapland Hotels Bulevardi in Helsinki draws inspiration from Lappish culture on all fronts: from a sleek and functional aesthetic to Nordic spa packages and steamy saunas. Some of the hotel rooms, such as the Mystique Deluxe Sauna, even have private saunas. The in-house restaurant, Kultá, serves Lappish dishes highlighting Northern ingredients such as flavourful mushrooms, rich reindeer and birch leaves.

The height of elegance, Hotel Kämp has been welcoming guests to its grand location in the heart of Helsinki since 1887. Looking onto the pleasant Esplanade park, where picnickers revel in the warmer months, the five-star hotel has several luxury features, including a spa with a Finnish sauna and eucalyptus steam bath. In the rooms, modern touches, such as a TV and streaming service, complement traditional design elements, such as richly upholstered sofas and cascading draperies.

With a strong stylistic vision, Hotel Lilla Roberts is right at home in the Design District – in fact, the hotel is just around the corner from the acclaimed Design Museum Helsinki. The art deco style is perceptible at every corner: from the tall, geometric windows to the glossy black lift buttons. In a distinct turn from typical Nordic design, which favours simplicity, the rooms are opulent, with dark, rich textures and dramatic accents.

Notable for a monumental 1920s art nouveau architecture, Scandic Grand Marina majestically overlooks the Katajanokka waterfront. The immediate grandness continues inside, with a high-ceilinged lobby and warmly lit lounge. The restaurant is slightly more laid back, with a changing menu inspired by street food trends and a casual atmosphere complemented by water-facing windows. The rooms are simply decorated and comfort-forward.

Hotel Indigo is the ideal place to stay for the eco-focused traveller, with solar-powered air conditioning and energy-saving schemes throughout. The boutique hotel on the historic cobble-stoned Bulevardi also has a keen eye for design, with bold-hued rugs and eye-catching murals designed by local illustrators Linda Linko and Pietari Posti. The restaurant, Bröd Punavuori, which serves up Finnish and Scandinavian dishes, specialises in its namesake, bread.

While most hotels use architectural or design trends as inspiration, Klaus K has turned to a more unlikely source: poetry. Room decor in the four-star hotel is inspired by Kalevala, a 19th-century Finnish epic mythologising the creation of the Earth. Illustrated carpets, egg-shaped details, plus an impressive pike mosaic evoke themes in the poem. Klaus K has also collaborated with a number of celebrated Finnish artists, including Katja Tukiainen and Jani Leinonen, to design special art rooms.

Scandic Paasi opened in 2012 and has since made a name for itself with an excellent location and quirky design. Inside the ecru-coloured, curvy exterior is a vibrant lobby, with whimsical circus-inspired patterns and high-backed chairs. The rooms also feature creative details, such as lively wallpaper, a top-hat lamp and heart-shaped pillows. Many rooms also have a private balcony.