Can anybody reccommend a good hotel and of course in a good location for sight seeing and using rail ?

Hey fran<BR><BR>I was over in Helsinki in March, stayed in a place called Hotel Arthur which was clean and comfortable, and quite reasonable (bearing in mind Finland is VERY expensive!). It's about 15 minutes walking time from the main train station in Helsinki, and about 15 minutes walking time from the Uspenski cathedral and harbour. While you're there it's worth getting a trip down to Suommelina, former fortress island about 2 miles away. Have fun.<BR><BR>www.holidaycityscan.com/arthur-helsinki/<BR><BR>is a good start.

We stayed at the Sokos Hotel Klaus Kurki and liked it. It's a chain hotel, in a good location with a great breakfast buffet.

I stayed at the Lord Hotel in June. It was downtown a little west of the city center. I didn't have any problem walking to where I wanted to go or taking a tram.<BR><BR>Personally I didn't think Helsinki was all that expensive, but then I'd just been to Oslo and Stockholm so it might just have been my sense of perspective.<BR><BR>Jimbo's comment about Suommelina is right on. Had an old submarine to tour, an old fort, an artillery museum and a WWII museum. It had several little places to stop for a beer or coffee and a snack. The pizza at the restaurant in the fortress was good too.<BR><BR>At about $35USD I thought the city pass was a decent deal. Unlimited tram, subway and bus rides, and entrance to most of the musuems. I think it even covered the ferry to the fortress even though literature I had read said it didn't.

Finland is not more expensive than any western European country. And A LOT cheaper than for example Norway. Even UK is more expensive. With euro it is easy to compare prices, and see that "expensive" is just a myth.

Hey EP<BR><BR>My apologies! I toured the Baltics immediately afterwards so I think my inflated view of the cost of living in Finland was because a beer cost about 0.12 euros in Tallinn! You're right, I think prices in Finland are reasonable, and, in fact, London for instance is WAY overpriced.

Yeps, Jimbo! There are two things that are way more expensive in Finland, and those are alcohol and cars. We have such a nice taxation system. But otherwise it is not more expensive than any other place. And cheaper than other Scandinavian countries.

We stayed at the Radisson SAS. There are a few in the city but ours was closest to the train station. I believe we paid $112 a night, via the internet. Great hotel, nice buffet. The city is reall compact and walkable so unless you are out of the city, location should be no problem.

It's Suomenlinna not Suommlina....The best place in Finland is Heinola, especially Vierum&auml;ki and Vici's bar.. Finland is a very beautiful country and we love to live here! You're all welcome!!!