Even the most cursory glance will tell you that there is no shortage of beautifully proportioned 19th- and 20th-century architecture in Helsinki. Little wonder too that savvy hoteliers have long been spoilt for choice in scouting locations in which to open new outposts.
Like the Kämp Collection Hotels group whose latest venture, Hotel St George, is set in an imposing edifice built in the 1840s, but which wasn’t fully completed till 1890 by local architect Onni Tarjanne, who also worked on the Finnish National Theatre. A landmark in central Helsinki, the seven-storey building has now been restored into a sleek 153-room hotel. The interiors by Nordic Light and Mirkku Kullberg (the ex-CEO at Artek and head of the home department at Vitra) are dressed in a calm palette of pale olive hues, parquet floors, Santo Tomas marble tiles, and warm chocolate drapes, alongside modernist furniture such as Hjort af Örnäs armchairs and Finnish abstract art.
The best room in the house is the third-floor St George Suite whose windows open out into Old Church Park. The hotel’s heart, though, is the Wintergarden Bar, awash with light streaming in through the glass roof, though the Finnish and Turkish executive chefs Antto Melasniemi and Mehmet Gürs certainly deserve some attention at the house restaurant Andrea.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
Yrjönkatu 13c
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the worldCelebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Finland has been named the happiest country in the world, again – here’s what to do in this Nordic utopiaIf you want a taste of life in a country deemed the happiest in the world for eight years running, be sure to check out Wallpaper* editors’ favourite spots while you’re there
-
Finlandia Hall apartments: now, you can stay at a modernist masterpieceThe two Finlandia Hall apartments, Finlandia Homes, have now been restored to their former glory and are open to the public for booking, offering stays at Alvar Aalto's modernist masterpiece
-
Finlandia Hall bistro blends culinary indulgence with reborn modernismFinlandia Hall bistro opens in Helsinki, adding a foodie dimension to the Finnish modernist architecture marvel by Alvar Aalto
-
Welcome to Solo Sokos Pier 4, Helsinki’s fascinating new timber hotelArchitecture director Ellie Stathaki visits Helsinki’s timber hotel Solo Sokos Pier 4, designed by Anttinen Oiva Architects
-
Helsinki’s Hotel Maria is marked by history and opulenceThe Hotel Maria sets out to redefine the Nordic hospitality landscape with luxurious interiors, in-room saunas and a sumptuous spa
-
Panorama Landscape Hotel and Forest Spa is a serene retreat in the Finnish forest
Panorama Landscape is a new hilltop hotel in eastern Finland sporting a sauna on stilts and pared-back cabins
-
Finnair marks a century of connecting horizonsFinnair celebrates its 100th anniversary with global festivities
