nantucketgirl

We are a couple in our mid-30's that will be in Helsinki for about 2 nights - not much time there and no time really for side trips. SO, we'd like to stay somewhere really nice - I'm not sure if it's best to stay near the water or in the center of town - but maybe not the TOP hotel (they look to be about $400+ per night - although I realize weekends are less - we have one weekday night and one weekend night) but something wonderful...and possible with a staff where someone would speak English at the concierge perhaps? Thank you for reading!

HunterGatherer

I really like Hotelli Torni, which is recently refurbished and is of some historic interest. It has a panoramic bar at the top of the hotel which is well worth a visit even if you stay somewhere else. The only bad point is a truly hideous website. Check out what people say on Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...n_Finland.html

A more expensive choice is Palace Hotel where the best option is a suite with a balcony. It is a small but very classy hotel, be careful with its restaurant however, as it's one of the best in the city with prices to match. http://www.palacekamp.fi/etusivu.asp...st=palacehotel

If only the best is good enough check out Hotel Kämp: http://www.hotelkamp.fi/en/Index/

All these hotels are in the city centre (Kämp and Palace also close to the water), and you'd be hard pressed to find hotel staff that don't speak english.

Try different online booking services or contacting the hotel directly to get the best rate.

elina

That 400 would be Kämp, the best ***** in town, a historical place that once harboured Finlandīs cultural elite. You can well find good class places for way less.

That "historic interest" of Hotel Torni: It was a KGB headquarters after WWII.

http://www.matkailu.com/kunnat/helsinki/1/main.htm

There you can see official prices of hotels. Check also one named Klaus K. It is a new boutique hotel in the center. But in my experience you get best prices from international dealers. Just type "Helsinki hotel offer", and you can compare prices.

elina

"and possible with a staff where someone would speak English at the concierge perhaps?"

I just wanted to add that not a single hotel would hire a person who doesnīt speak at least three languages, usually even more are required. And usually English is among those languages, so you can expect everybody to speak English.

HunterGatherer

Further to Torni's historic interest:
It was the first skyscraper in Helsinki, also the first fully electrified building. It is now one of the oldest hotels in town. Famous people (long ago) such as Herbert Hoover, Charles Lindberg, Josephine Baker and Lee Harvey Oswald (!) have stayed there.

After WWII it was occupied by the Allied Control Committee (bunch of Sovjets, including KGB) making sure that Finland followed every bit of the bitter peace agreement and in fact scheeming to conquer the rest of Finland. This might be the time Torni is now (in)famous for, but the hotel with it's bars has always been place for intrigue and boozing (even during the Prohibition).

There are of course other nice hotels as well.