Hilton Helsinki Strand

Nordic culture has a reputation for connecting with nature and where better to celebrate it than in one of the happiest cities in the world.

Helsinki’s top priority is wellness, and it shows. From the ease of reaching the city from the airport to enjoying a slower pace of life, with a smile on the face, of course, simple pleasures are big in Finland’s capital, and everything is designed to allow the 675,000 natives to really enjoy every day of their lives.

Packed full of stunning architecture, arts, culture, magnificent food and friendly locals, Helsinki is a joy to visit. Currently going through significant urban development focused on sustainability, densification and improve connectivity, including the major Crown Bridge, costing up to £3m, it’s a great place for a weekend break.

The Hilton Helsinki Strand is the perfect base to explore the city and seaside. With a wonderful waterfront to enjoy from the hotel bedroom, it’s a 10 minute walk from the centre and trams, metros and buses are in abundance to help with efficient transport.

A revolving door reveals a reception with smiling hotel staff, ready to help with a perfect break. With a modern, classic and vintage feel to it, the interior has been designed to create a home away from home atmosphere.

Opened in 1988 as the most expensive hotel project of its time, the building was fully renovated and transformed with original features including the marble staircase and granite aspects highlighted to show off their beauty and thoughtfully and seamlessly incorporated.

The open plan style hotel has the fabulous BRO Restaurant by the reception. Here there are comfy settee style tables for larger groups, mixed with modern upholstered dining furniture, with low level balloon style lamps catching the eye and a huge bar groaning with goodies in the middle.

Flavour is the key to this lovely restaurant, which serves up scrumptious breakfasts with Finnish food rubbing alongside a traditional Western meal.

At night it’s transformed with the best ingredients used and served on classy glass and tableware. BRO is Swedish for bridge, and the idea is to join man and nature and producer and customer.

Italian food is served with a classic Finnish twist, and the speciality is a thin and crisp, Roman style pizza, which really hits the mark.

The middle of the hotel is dominated by a huge glass lift, which gives it a really different and classy style.

Bedrooms range from regular guest to executive rooms, from compact to king and a couple of suites too. Modern facilities are provided in the big rooms, with super comfy beds, bathrooms with Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries and work areas, Wi-Fi and mini bars and refreshments to make the stay special.

Executive rooms also get the benefit of a luxury lounge which includes a “Happy Hour” from 6 to 8pm, where drinks and food flow freely and allow guests to enjoy a fabulous view of the city. Connecting rooms are available and pets welcomed too for a fee.

A 24 hour gym on the rooftop is only surpassed by a relaxing sauna and swimming pool to while away the day’s stresses. Valet parking and EV charging is offered and there’s great room for business and leisure events on a grand scale.

Ten minutes gentle walking admiring the city, will land you in the centre for some serious exploring. The Helsinki Card allows free access to activities such as a sightseeing tour aboard a double decker bus. There are hop on and off and panoramic services and from May to September and boat trips too. Views are a plenty and landmarks along the way from the start at Senate Square, one of the oldest in the city.

The square is dominated by four buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, who lived from 1778 to 1840. He was the man behind the fabulously simple cathedral, the Government Palace, university’s main area and the National Library of Finland, with a statue of Alexander II standing in the middle.

Two photo stops are included in the tour, the famous Löyly sauna, a modern glass building right by the water and a great place to relax and the iconic Sibelisu Monument, a tribute to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and is made of 600 pipes. It’s impressive and weighs 24 tons.

Art is big in Helsinki and two of the best galleries are the Amos Rex, currently showing a fabulous exhibition of the works of artist Leandro Erlich from Argentina and whose immersive art is shown through huge, large scale objects and aims to blur perceptions. Using play to get the mind working, it allows visitors to climb the façade of a typical Helsinki building and hang out literally or take a long hard look at clouds which are more than a ball of fluff.

The museum is home to iconic and walkable concrete mounds which serve as a popular public space for skateboarding, leisure and urban play.

Helsinki Art Museum is the place to see some of the best in Finland. Currently showing is an exhibition in honour of Tove Jansson and her family. Tove was the inspiration behind the famous Moomin books and came from a family of brilliant artists.

Also, on show is work by Petri Ala-Maunus and Mauno Markkula, separated by half a century but joined together by determination to reach beyond visible reality to create scenes which evoke the state of mind, a brilliant connection to the city’s pledge to inspire wellness.

The Details

Hilton Helsinki Strand, John Stenbergin ranta 4, Helsinki, 00530, Finland.

Tel: +358 300 308488

Website: www.hilton.com

Email: sales.hiltonhelsinki@hilton.com

A magical view of the water greets visitors to the Hilton Helsinki Strand where exploring city and sea is a must. Bus and train services run regularly between Helsinki Airport and the city centre, check out www.hsl.fi for more information on planning your journey. Parking is available at the hotel and there are EV charging facilities. Flights via a range of low cost options are available from the UK and APH Parking can help with long stay or hotels with parking.

Type of Hotel: 4-Star Hotel

Number of Rooms: 190 Guestrooms, 5 Signature Suites and 10 Junior Suites, including free Internet access.

Price Band: Rooms rates typically vary depending on seasonality, room type and demand but are a premium, high quality option in the Hakaniemi area, often priced higher than mid-range local hotels.

Insider Tip: Fabulously steeped in history, with new surprises at every corner. It’s a walkable city and one which the beauty of is enhanced by the loveliness of its people.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10

Author Bio:

Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.

Photographs courtesy of the Hilton Helsinki Strand