Finland’s vast stretches of snowy, white, wild wilderness, undercover of dark skies lit by the magical colours of the Northern Lights are what some travellers to Finland are seeking. But today there are just as many visitors looking for hip art, high concept design, and culinary adventures in vibrantly colourful, yet achingly elegant Helsinki, the “Daughter of the Baltic’ originally built by the Russians - they based it on St. Petersburg, but added more Art Nouveau details. Our pick of the best places to stay in Finland ensure that whatever your reason for visiting, you'll have a suitably good bed for the night, be it a chic city pad or a rustic log cabin in the middle of nowhere.
Finland’s other moniker is ‘land of a thousand lakes’, but this is a serious understatement, as Finland has about 188,000 lakes. So it’s a great place for sailors and rowers. Finland has a similar number of islands too.
Come in the short, sparkling summer and revel in the great, sunny outdoors, the bright colours and wonderful sense of optimism. Hike through towering forests to lakes serene as mirrors, where you can canoe or kayak or swim. Or cruise the waterways in style. Then camp out overnight in one of the regularly spaced huts along Finland’s extremely well planned network of hiking trails. You might even see elk or bears. Summer is also a time for music and arts festivals, for food markets and beer gardens and terraces.
Winter doesn’t stop the call to explore, it just makes this country more appealing to skiers, cross-country and otherwise. And as the lakes freeze over it becomes easier to get around on skates. And you might even be tempted to try ice fishing, or a Baltic cruise, or a few nights in one of the Snow Queen’s palaces, a real life ice hotel? Or with Santa and his reindeer in Lapland?
Where to stay - which city/town or region?
- Helsinki is where most people start. It's a city with a vibrant arts and cultural scene, plus a great reputation for design and a burgeoning foodie scene. It's also a good destination for outdoorsy types, as there's plenty of beautiful countryside very close by with endless opportunities for hiking, on the water activities etc.
- Helsinki isn’t the only city worth visiting, Tampere, which has one of Finland’s best indoor markets, with picturesque chalet-stye stalls selling cured meats and fruits, fresh fish and sorts of local specialities.
- Turku is lively too, and has a magnificent castle and cathedral - befitting of a capital city, which is was until 1812.
- Of course Finland might just mean Lapland to you, a vast white wilderness; where you come to experience the midnight sun and the Northern Lights, to see reindeer herds and maybe even meet Father Christmas! It’s huge and relatively empty, but the Sámi people have made it their home and their communities are some of the region’s largest. Lapland is a surprisingly flat region. There are vast forests and numerous swamps - when they’re not frozen over - and gently sloping, rounded fells or small mountains. There’s lots of ski terrain, though not much of it mountainous, but the region is ripe for Nordic skiing and trekking.
- At the opposite end of the scale from bright, white Lapland are the bright white sands of the Åland Archipelago, a sunny stretch of land surrounded by tiny wooded islands and remote beaches. The largest and most central islands are connected by cable ferries and bridges, while the outer islands can be reached by car ferry - or boat of course. There are many tiny hamlets on the islands, and almost all are charming and friendly. This is a great place to cycle too.
- Hanko is another popular beach resort - but a more more elegant one. It came to life as a Russian spa town in the late 19th century and the opulent seaside villas from this period remain.
What Not to Miss
- Helsinki has some amazing churches, but the highlights are probably the vast, square Lutheran Cathedral in central Senate Square, the classic onion domes of the Uspenski Cathedral and the amazingly minimalist ‘Church in the Rock’, which has been dug out of solid rock, with a roof of copper strips added over the top - which really looks a lot like a UFO.
- Then there are the many art and design museums. Maybe start at Suomenlinna, the Swedish-built maritime fortress, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to several museums as well as Finland’s only remaining WWII submarine. The Mannerheim Museum, which was the home of Gustav Mannerheim, former president, commander in chief and civil war hero, is another popular one. There are also the Ratikkamuseo and Helsingin Kaupunginmuseo, a group of small museums that sort of make up a city museum.
- On an island just out of the city is Seurasaaren Ulkomuseo, an outdoor museum with historic buildings transferred from other parts of Finland. There are also costumed re-enactments and folk music, dancing and crafts.
- Then there’s the shopping and the food. Helsinki’s designer chic boutiques and galleries are well known and the foodie scene is incredibly vibrant with plenty of locally sourced options, local craft beers and spirits from local micro-distilleries and locally prepared coffees. Helsinki really knows about coffee, with each inhabitant consuming around 12kgs of coffee each per year!
- If you're visiting Lapland and you fancy learning more about the Sámi people, the Siida museum in Inari is the place to visit. Set within a complex of old farmhouses and huts, this very fine museum explains the region’s ecology and offers plenty of detailed information on Sámi lifestyles. Rovaniemi’s Arktikum museum is another excellent spot with fascinating information about both the Sámi people and the Arctic region as a whole.
- Rovaniemi is also where you’ll find the ‘official’ Santa Claus Village, which is a sort of amusement park of Arctic activities cum permanent Christmas festival.
Use our guide to the best places to stay in Finland and start to plan your visit to this fascinating part of Northern Europe.
The Best Places to Stay in Finland
For a Helsinki City Break
- Hotel Haven overlooks Helsinki harbour and offers 77 five-star rooms and a very good Finnish restaurant. The rooms have large beds and elegant furniture. The harbour is actually a pretty central location.
- Right in the centre of town, by Market Square, the Hotel Fabian is a trendy, cosmopolitan hotel with 58 luxurious rooms: think parquet floors, monochrome details and super modern bathrooms. There’s also a chic bar.
- The Hotel F6 is a chic, family-run hotel in the heart of the city, with 66 beautifully designed rooms and suites, which are airy, light and contemporary feeling. There’s a central courtyard where they serves excellent organic breakfasts in the summer months.
The Most Romantic Places to stay in Helsinki
- If you want to see Helsinki in style consider the Hotel Kamp, an opulent, five start hotel with 179 19th century style guest rooms and suites decorated with elegant furniture and Imprimo Collection prints. There’s also a spa and sauna, and an elegant lounge.
- Equally elegant, but with a much more minimal, Scandinavian look, the Hotel St. George is a similar sized hotel in an equally good spot. There are two restaurants, both serving innovative Nordic cuisine, plus a fabulous spa and a great wine bar.
The Best Design Hotels in Helsinki
- Klaus K is a 137 room design hotel - supposedly Helsinki’s first - in the centre of town with rather opulent fabrics and splendid bathrooms. There’s also a gym and spa, an Italian restaurant and a nightclub. Rooms start from around £145 per night, which is good for Helsinki.
- If you're looking for a hip spot, book into the Hotel Lilla Roberts located in Helsinki's Design District. The interiors are Art-Deco inspired and there's a fabulous restaurant specialising in Nordic cuisine.
The Best Value Hotels in Helsinki
- Helsinki isn’t the most affordable city, but we think you’ll be impressed with this stylish, 4-star option, which has a room rate which starts at £125 per night: The Original Sokos Hotel is right in the centre of town and has 206 rooms - all decorated in a typically Scandinavian style, with balconies facing onto a courtyard. There are two restaurants, a sauna and a gym. So it’s not cheap, but it is affordable and really good value.
The Best Places to Stay in Lapland
- Kakslauttanen is the perfect all-round Arctic resort. It’s super romantic, offers some amazing activities for those looking for Arctic adventure and is ideally located for people seeking the Northern Lights. It’s also a wonderful spot for families wanting Christmas in Lapland. You are surrounded by the snowy expanses of the Urho Kekkonen National Park and you stay in wonderful glass igloos or log cabins. They also have Santa’s house!
- Boasting traditional log cabin accommodation with chic, boutique interiors, Javri is a splendid country retreat. With stunning walking trails surrounding the property as well as top-notch grub regional served up, what's not to love? Ideal for active yet romantic getaways.
For the Great Outdoors
- The Chalet Ruka Peak is an eight room hotel surrounded by stunning mountains views and an incredible, untouched wilderness. The rooms are cosy, with exposed stonework - but the also have floor to ceiling windows. And their own sauna and hot tub. There’s a restaurant serving contemporary Scandinavian cuisine and warmed by an open fire. Of course this is paradise for skiers too.
- Kakslauttanen is the perfect all-round Arctic resort. It’s super romantic, offers some amazing activities for those looking for Arctic adventure and is ideally located for people seeking the Northern Lights. It’s also a wonderful spot for families wanting Christmas in Lapland. You are surrounded by the snowy expanses of the Urho Kekkonen National Park and you stay in wonderful glass igloos or log cabins. They also have Santa’s house!
- Boasting traditional log cabin accommodation with chic, boutique interiors, Javri is a splendid country retreat. With stunning walking trails surrounding the property as well as top-notch grub regional served up, what's not to love? Ideal for active yet romantic getaways.
For Skiers
- The Chalet Ruka Peak is an eight room hotel surrounded by stunning mountains views and an incredible, untouched wilderness. The rooms are cosy, with exposed stonework - but the also have floor to ceiling windows. And their own sauna and hot tub. There’s a restaurant serving contemporary Scandinavian cuisine and warmed by an open fire.
Prefer an Apartment or Villa?
- If you’d prefer to stay in an apartment or private villa we recommend you visit our online partner, booking.com.
Travel Information
- Most visitors will enter Finland through Helsinki and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, which located 18km north of the city. There are also airports in Rovaniemi in Lapland, and in Turku and Tampere-Pirkkala Airport in Tampere. It’s also possible to travel by train from St. Petersburg - they run daily, and from other European centres too. And you can catch the car ferry over from Stockholm and other Swedish ports too, and from Rostock in Germany.
- If you’re thinking about hiring a car we recommend checking what our online partners, Rentalcars have to offer.
- Finland is cold and dark in winter, and you’re probably either coming for that reason precisely, or you’re not. If not, then come during the summer for those extra hours of daylight and positive atmosphere.
Still not sure?
