Lilla Roberts

Location

Overlooking Kasarmitori Square, this hotel is perfectly placed as a base from which to explore Helsinki. It was originally founded as a power station in the early 1900s and was then converted into the local police station some 50 years later. Its most recent incarnation now serves as one of Helsinki's most historic and charming hotels.

Accommodation

Rooms feature king-size beds with Egyptian cotton bedding, parquet flooring, large area rugs and Art Deco-inspired bathrooms. Each room features a Bluetooth-enabled audio system, free WiFi and 47" televisions, while the larger rooms have suitably larger TVs and theatre sound systems to appropriately take advantage of them. Upgrade to a suite for up to 100m² rooms with bubble baths and an impressive view over the square.

Dining

The in-house restaurant, Krog Roba, is an excellent purveyor of Nordic cuisine, and is proud to use as many regional ingredients in their cooking as possible. Baltic-caught fish guarantee the locally-caught experience, while its meat is sourced from farms just outside the city. You can expand your knowledge of Scandinavian food thanks to the menu's insightful origin information of each dish. Breakfast is included and, if you happen to be close by during lunch, be sure to pop in for a three-course meal. Presentation is exquisite, and befitting of the boutique experience.

Facilities

Despite Lilla Roberts's history, the interior of the hotel brims with contemporary splendour. Rooms are very much on the chic side, although a more traditional welcome is afforded to guests on first entry, as immaculately-kept marble floors, a cosy fireplace and impressive ebony statues combine to create a welcoming lobby. The hotel gym has an array of fitness machines and free weights, though we recommend you instead opt for the nearby art-nouveau museum squares for a cultural fill. Next door, board a ferry and head for the island where Suomenlinna fortress is found, or head for Kiasma for a touch of modern art.