Unioninkatu 17, 00130 Helsinki
Phone: (358) 9 681 930
Email: sales@HotelHaven.fi 

"Designed to provide homely warmth, exclusive comfort and high-quality services for the discerning guest."

We visited Haven and got a tour of the hotel. We loved the sleek, yet calm & cozy rooms and were delighted by the super friendly staff. We might very well consider this hotel for our next trip. The only big minus we would give the hotel is that the bathrooms are not equipped with double sinks - not even in the large suite. There is a small gym but no sauna or a spa: the hotel guests get to use the nearby 'Siluetti" Spa.

Bulevardi 2, 00120 Helsinki
Phone: (020) 770-4700
Fax: (020) 770-4730
E-mail reservations: rooms@klauskhotel.com

Good, central location. New York's "own"  top chef, Markus Samuelsson (Aquavit, NY Times 3-star), is acting as a  consultant at Klaus K 's Restaurant ILMATAR.

Kluuvikatu 4, 00100 Helsinki
Phone: +358 9 5840 9540 E-mail: glo@palacekamp.fi

Located "behind" Kämp, between Pohjoisesplanadi (North Esplanade) & Aleksanterinkatu (Alexander Street). Very central location. Personally, for the money, I need better views. But the hotel is promising a "service package yet unseen in Helsinki" ... So, who knows...

Hotel KÄMP

Pohjoisesplanadi 29, 00100 Helsinki
Phone: (358)(9) 576111
E-mail: hotelkamp@hotelkamp.fi

Great, central location in a beautiful, restored historic building by the Esplanade Park. We like the handy location and we also like Kämp's rooms and roomy bathrooms.

The breakfast is served in their Yume Restaurant (a Japanese restaurant during other hours) on the ground floor. Breakfast consists of an all you can eat smörgåsbord for a flat rate of around 27 Euros with some lower priced choices, such as omelets or Continental breakfast, available. There is also room service breakfast available but it is even more expensive.

Kämp is sometimes called the Ritz-Carlton of Helsinki. While we like Kämp, it is no Ritz-Carlton. When we arrived at the hotel, no one came out to help us with our luggage. We had to schlep it to the reception ourselves. We repeatedly saw this happen to fellow guests.

Other guests confirmed this and also confirmed our experience that it often took 10-20 rings for the front desk to answer a call from the room.

There was no dedicated concierge; the reception desk clerks performed concierge duties, such as making restaurant recommendations and reservations.

Getting our bouquet of flowers out of their flower storage room took a painfully long time.

During our week long stay used glasses were many times not replaced when the room was cleaned. Neither was the shower gel that we ran out of on the second day. There were broken, wooden curtain poles, dust on some surfaces and more of it under the bed. There was no alarm clock in the room, and after asking for one, it took until the next day until the hotel was able to locate an "available one" for us.

Despite being a little ragged around the edges,

the executive room was spacious and comfortable, decorated in a Ritz-Carlton like design with an "olde Scandinavian" twist, with for example lighter colors and some Gustavian style seating in the room.

Some staff members were friendly and helpful, while others seemed not as helpful as one would expect from the staff of a 5-star hotel.

At times, we found ourselves missing the service (and the wonderful, free breakfast spread) at (the now closed) Palace Hotel. While "only" a 4-star hotel, Palace treated their guests to a strong 5-star service. Professional, efficient yet warm hospitality that made us want to return year after year.

But Palace is gone, so despite the defects and the broken points on each of Kämp's "5-stars" we would happily go back to Kämp.

Kämp has been on the Conde Nast Traveler's "Top European Hotels" - list for many years.

Hotel HILTON STRAND

John Stenbergin ranta 4,
00530 Helsinki, Finland 00530
Tel: 358-9-39351
Fax: 358-9-3935-3255

24 h room service. Good services. In Hakaniemi, a bit outside the center. Not convenient if you want to be a short walk from main  shopping & restaurants, and want to explore the neighborhoods closest to the center by foot - which we recommend.

Yrjönkatu 26, 00100 HELSINKI
Phone: (020) 1234 604
Fax (09) 4336 7100
torni.helsinki@sokoshotels.fi

Central location. The Tower Bar, with terrific views over Helsinki is a "must", even if you do not stay at the hotel. Yup, you guessed it: Torni = Tower in Finnish

Lönnrotinkatu 29, 00180 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 10 3444 100
linna@palacekamp.fi

In a gorgeous Art Nouveau (or Jugend-style),  granite "castle". The exterior & the interior design of the public spaces are bustling with national romantic motives, worth to take a look at even if you are not a guest at the hotel. The hotel rooms are (unfortunately, if you ask us - but you are probably not) designed in a modern, boutique- hotel style. Neat, but not reflecting the spirit of the building's public spaces. Second link

Linna = Castle in Finnish.

Katajanokanlaituri 7
00160 Helsinki, Finland
Phone: +358 (0)9 16661
Fax: +358 (0)9 1666 500
E-mail: grandmarina@scandichotels.com
Reservation & Customer service:
+46 8 517 517 20

In historic Katajanokka seaside neighborhood a bit outside the center,  but "a couple of  tram stops" from the the Market Square in the pretty south Harbor & the Presidential Palace & the Dome.

Mannerheimintie 50
00260 HelsinkiFINLAND
Phone: +358 9 2521 0000
Fax: +358 9 2521 3999
E-mail: helsinki.cph@restel.fi

In Töölö, a few tram stops from the very center. Big hotel. High floors have good views. Close to the Opera, National Museum, Finlandia Hall.

Mikonkatu, 23
00100 Helsinki - Finland
Phone: +358 (0)20 1234 703
Fax: +358 (0)20 1234 704
Email: info.plaza.helsinki@radissonblu.com

Center of Helsinki, the hotel is close to the central railway station, theFinnish National Theater, Ateneum Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Short walk to the Esplanade Park.

Annankatu 1, 00120 Helsinki, Finland
Phone: 09 - 616 621
Fax: 09 - 602 664
E-mail: info@hotelanna.fi

Comfortable & practical hotel in a good, central location. Take a look at (scroll down) Anna's terrific location page, with a map & a good aerial shot of the neighborhood, showing parts of the center and the Railway Station in the background.

Kaisaniemenkatu 7, 00100 Helsinki
Phone: +358 (0)9 172 881
Fax: +358 (0)9 605 379
kaisaniemi.cumulus@restel.fi

Located on a heavily trafficked street, but very close to the center and a short walk to Aleksanterinkatu & the Esplanade.

Vuorikatu 19, 00100 Helsinki
Phone: +358 9 173 441
Fax: +358 9 626 880
Email: reception@hotelarthur.fi

Central location, good prices.

HOTEL LIST: Star rated hotels, provided by Helsinki City Tourist Office.

Second HOTEL LIST

List of SOKOS HOTELS in Helsinki.

APARTMENT HOTEL GELLA: Offers apartments in various sizes, from studios to 4BR apartments, scattered around town.

Be sure to find about all additional fees before booking an apartment. For example: Is cleaning included? How often?

Hotel PALACE
Eteläranta 10, 00130 Helsinki
Closed on Nov.1, 2009
We loved Palace for its terrific views and wonderful service. Palace was our home away from home.

Hotel MARTHA
Uudenmaankatu 24
00120 HELSINKI

Finnish is considered to be one of the most difficult languages for a non-native speaker to learn, although it is also considered one of the world's most beautiful sounding languages.

FOR SOME USEFUL FINNISH WORDS & PHRASES: SEE OUR ENGLISH - FINNISH WORD PAGE. Because Swedish also is spoken in Helsinki, we include some Swedish phrases as well.

Feel like flying?
Check out: FINNAIR  or  SAS.

The Finnair bus from Helsinki-Vantaa airport to the center of Helsinki (to the railway station, which is the last stop) takes about 35-40 minutes each way. To be on the safe side, reserve 1 hour each way, since especially if the trip is to be made during a rush hour.
Link to time table.

All you need to know about
HELSINKI - VANTAA AIRPORT,
or other Finnish airports.

Free shuttle bus between terminals and parking