Finnish luxury is quieter than in many places: clean Nordic design, plenty of wood and glass, a sauna that is part of the stay rather than an extra, and service that is relaxed and unfussy.
Free WifiRestaurantBarFitness CentreSauna in Selected RoomsFamily Rooms+3 more
Why this position: The highest-ranked hotel in Finland from Helsinki, where it is #1 on the destination page. Leads the ranking: a higher guest score than #2 (9.4 to 9.3).
Helsinki is the city counterpart to Finland's Lapland icons: instead of glass igloos and the northern lights, you get design hotels, harbour views and a sauna after a day on foot. It suits a city break, a weekend for two or a stopover before heading north to Rovaniemi or Levi.
It depends on the trip you have in mind. Helsinki is the city break, with grand hotels and design hotels within walking distance of the Esplanadi, the Market Square and the harbour, and with restaurants, saunas and the sea close at hand. Lapland is about nature and the northern lights, with glass igloos and aurora suites around Rovaniemi and cabins near Levi. Many visitors combine a couple of nights in Helsinki with a few nights up north.
Helsinki is at its liveliest in summer, when the nights stay light and life moves outdoors and out to the islands, though the city works all year round. In Lapland, the northern lights season runs roughly from late August to March, snow usually arrives around November and Christmas is the busiest time. Around midsummer the sun barely sets in the north, the midnight sun, but the aurora cannot be seen in the light nights.
Most international travellers fly into Helsinki, and the ferries from Stockholm and Tallinn are a popular alternative. Domestic flights connect Helsinki with Rovaniemi and with Kittilä, the airport for Levi, and the night train to Lapland is a classic way to head north. In winter some airlines also fly direct from elsewhere in Europe to Lapland. Central Helsinki is compact and easy to explore on foot or by tram.
The Lapland icons are built around the sky: glass igloos, glass-roofed suites and cabins, treehouse suites in the forest and a design hotel in the centre of Rovaniemi. Most sit on the Arctic Circle around Santa Claus Village, a short drive from Rovaniemi airport, while the cabins near Levi lie further north. From Helsinki the flight takes just over an hour, or you can travel overnight by train.
Finland uses the euro, and cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere, so you will rarely need cash. Tipping is not expected, as service is included in prices. If you have had exceptional service in a restaurant, rounding up or leaving a little extra is a kind gesture, but nobody will be offended if you don't.
Their character lies in calm rather than show. Expect Nordic design in natural materials, generous breakfasts with local produce and saunas almost everywhere, from the hotel spa to private saunas in some rooms and suites. In Helsinki, many hotels occupy historic buildings in the city centre, while in Lapland the architecture is designed to bring the landscape and the night sky indoors. Service tends to be friendly, efficient and unobtrusive.