Finland is at the forefront of the luxury revolution.
Remarkable for excellence in design and technology, as Nokia, Linux, Artek, Marimekko, Angry Birds and Moomins attest, Finland has invested its creative energy in sustainable design from an ethical and ecological point of view. design and democracy go hand in hand in Finland. It reflects the egalitarian spirit that has marked Finnish culture since 1906, when Finnish women were the first in the world to be given the right to vote and to stand for parliament.
Opened in May 2018 in Helsinki’s Kamppi district, Hotel St. George exemplifies the Finnish trend towards redefining luxury travel. The hotel’s environmental considerations coexist with a sophisticated design aesthetic characterized by his art collection of over 400 pieces displayed throughout the hotel. Guests are greeted by activist artist Ai Weiwei’s gigantic ‘Tianmu’, a mythical white dragon that hangs in his foyer at the entrance.
With windows and balconies overlooking the Old Church Park, Hotel St. George is housed in a Renaissance Revival-style building designed in 1890 by Onni Tarjanne, the noted architect of the Finnish National Theatre. The seven-storey building has been home to Finland’s printing and publishing industry for many years, preserving the Finnish language and culture, as well as housing many intellectuals known as “phenomaniacs” who created Finnish independence. was included.
Hotel St. George is housed in a Renaissance Revival building designed in 1890 by the same architect as the Finnish National Theatre.Photo courtesy of Kamp Collection Hotels
Finnish art and design is displayed throughout the hotel’s 153 rooms and suites, as well as public spaces. The hotel’s winter garden, overgrown with foliage and plants, serves as a conservatory for guests to enjoy conversation and cocktails. Hanging from the glass ceiling is Pekkajirha’s 20-foot bird sculpture, “Learning to Fly.” This is the artistic embodiment of the concept of freedom that deserves its own eponymous cocktail served in a bird-shaped glass.
As Finland’s only design hotel member, the hotel’s winter garden features works by Alvar Aalto and other Finnish designers, with vintage rugs, leather sofas, oak floors and Gobelins tapestries by Klaus Haapaniemi. Decorated with shimmering wallpaper art. For small social gatherings and hotel afternoons his tea is available at his three private his salons, known as Nooks.
Rooms and suites are decorated with classic Scandinavian designer furniture and abstract lithographs by Finnish artists. Serenity Studio features a park-facing writing desk, in-room exercise bands, king-size Duxiana bed, marble bathroom with rainfall showerhead, and complimentary access to the hotel’s spa and gym, known as St. George’s Care Available in
The hotel’s winter garden serves as a conservatory where guests gather with locals for cocktails, conversation and afternoon tea.Photo courtesy of Kamp Collection Hotels
focus on sustainability
As a member of Green Key, the hotel is carbon negative. Finland’s tap water is one of the cleanest in the world, and each St. George’s room is equipped with a SodaStream machine so you can carbonate your own tap water.
One of the most quoted facts about Finnish culture refers to the prevalence of saunas, which may outnumber the population. In keeping with the hotel’s policy of emphasizing holistic wellness, St. George’s Care has his two saunas, an indoor pool and a cold plunge pool. Seasonal therapy treatments include jet lag options with sleep monitors available upon request, and Pelago Bikes.
Homemade donuts and four types of traditional Finnish bread are baked daily at the hotel’s St. George Bakery. At the end of the day, the bakery uses sustainable food app ResQ to sell leftover baked goods to locals.
The bakery’s reading room is a sanctuary where phones and laptops are discouraged. Along with shelves of newspapers, magazines and art and design books, there are tables and cozy corners perfect for reading or dreaming.
Finnish art and design can be found throughout the hotel’s 153 rooms and suites.Photo courtesy of Kamp Collection Hotels
Spend an afternoon at the Helsinki Central Library, more commonly known as Odi, to witness the practice of design and democracy. More than just a literary house, Oodi serves as an extension of home life in Helsinki as a cultural center with a cinema, music room, games room, study kitchen, sewing machine, 3D printer, restaurant, cafe and youth spaces. increase. Oodi’s front plaza flows into the entrance like an indoor/outdoor living room, allowing Helsinki people to come and go daily.
Drinking a glass of wine in the library may seem taboo, but Oodi recalls the great literary salons of Paris and London, albeit in a much more democratic way.
The art exhibition at Oodi is curated from the collection of the Helsinki Art Museum, known locally as HAM. Built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence in 2017, his Oodi is the world’s best public library due to its spectacular architecture and the building’s emphasis on equality, openness and free speech. Specified.
According to the United Nations publication World Happiness Report, Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for the past five years. Perhaps it’s a combination of design, democracy, and homemade donuts.
Hotel St. George rates start at $300 per night for Serenity Studios with buffet breakfast.
