Hotel Kämp: Where to Stay in Helsinki If You Want to Sauna Like a Finn

My journey to Finland began in seat 7A in Finnair's business-class cabin, sipping blueberry juice, wishing my flight was longer, and deciding I was already quite fond of Finland. 

After a direct overnight flight from New York, I landed in Helsinki at 2 p.m. to an eerily quiet airport. Birdsong played over the speakers, with little pockets of greenery and no crowd in sight. It was delightful. 

Helsinki was much the same. If you want to escape Europe's increasingly sweltering summers, I can't think of a better place. Finnair operates year-round nonstop flights from Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York, making Helsinki an easy gateway to the Nordics.

Helsinki’s storied Hotel Kämp has emerged from a major renovation, blending its historic legacy with modern luxury through redesigned rooms, new dining spaces, and a spa dedicated to Finnish sauna culture. 

When Hotel Kämp opened in 1887, it was Finland’s most modern hotel, boasting then-novel luxuries like electric lighting and an elevator. After closing in 1965, the building served as a bank headquarters for decades before reopening as a hotel in 1999. Its latest transformation is a major renovation and expansion.

The project brings together London-based Archer Humphryes, whose portfolio includes Chiltern Firehouse, and Finnish design studio Fyra. The designers have incorporated its history into a more contemporary setting. The grand staircase remains a centerpiece, while the expansion into neighboring Helander House introduces rooms with original tiled fireplaces, decorative moldings, and restored architectural details. Throughout the property, an extensive art collection of over 400 pieces adds another layer to the hotel's character.

You’d never guess that Hotel Kämp has 210 rooms. Spread across two interconnected buildings, the hotel feels much smaller than it is. Every room has been redesigned, though no two are exactly alike, and every room has a bathtub.

I recommend booking a Park View room overlooking the Esplanade, especially in spring, summer, or fall. These rooms get the best natural light and, in warmer months, the occasional soundtrack of live music from below.

For families or friends traveling together, several “Twin” room categories offer two generously sized queen beds.

For a proper Finnish experience, consider a suite with a private sauna. Finland, after all, has 3.3 million saunas for a population of just 5.7 million. The newly unveiled Mannerheim Suite features a private sauna tucked into an expansive marble bathroom, alongside a soaking tub and rain shower. The suite also includes a separate living room, dining room, private study, and a balcony overlooking the Esplanade. Guests are welcomed with signature drinks, followed by evening cocktails and hors d'oeuvres served in the suite, with the option of a Champagne breakfast the next morning.

The Sibelius Suite also has a private sauna, a grand piano, and a fully equipped kitchen overlooking the park. Select Executive Suites also offer private saunas.

À La Kämp, the hotel’s newly reopened flagship restaurant, draws on nearly 140 years of culinary history. Dishes inspired by menus dating back more than a century are reimagined with French techniques and Finnish ingredients. Guests can order à la carte or choose the seasonal chef’s menu with wine pairings, which we did. As of October 2026, À La Kämp also serves à la carte breakfast, though the ongoing renovation includes a dedicated breakfast space.

Kämp Bar is worth a stop before or after dinner. The cocktail menu spans aperitifs, Champagne cocktails, aromatic drinks, and highballs, with inventive glassware that makes each arrival a bit of a spectacle. Order the Lemon & Punsch, a tribute to the hotel's legendary Lemon Table. In the early 1900s, businessman John Grönlund regularly gathered here with a circle of Helsinki artists, doctors, and publishers. They became known as the Lemon Table because Grönlund habitually added fresh lemon to his punsch. Today, the drink arrives in an enormous, hand-blown glass vessel resembling a trophy.

Hotel Kämp’s brand-new, 1,200-square-meter spa features Finnish and infrared saunas, a steam room, a vitality pool, a cold plunge, and a spa café. The spa is a destination in its own right, whether you book a treatment or not.

In Finland, sauna is deeply ingrained in daily life. One Finnish woman told me she brings her newborn into the sauna. “We sauna together as a family,” she explained. “It would be weird to leave her out.” Sauna business meetings are also common.

On my last morning, I was back at the spa at 8 a.m. sharp, right when it opened. If this is how Finns start their mornings, I can see why they're the happiest people in the world.

Hotel Kämp sits on Helsinki’s Esplanade, less flashy than similar boulevards in other cities, unsurprisingly, given the modesty most Finns show. But they are not modest in their love of repping Finnish brands, and you’ll find several, including Marimekko, Iittala, and Artek, steps from the hotel. Don't miss Oodi, Helsinki's central library, a striking example of Finnish architecture that offers an extraordinary range of free services and is considered the living room of the city.

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Address: Pohjoisesplanadi 29, 00100 Helsinki, Finland

Neighborhood: Helsinki City Centre

Nearest Airport: Helsinki Airport (HEL)

Star Rating: 5 stars

Room Count: 210 rooms, including 15 suites

Vibe: Helsinki's grand hotel of choice, with a newly renovated spa and classically elegant interiors.

Best For: Luxury travelers, couples, first-time Helsinki visitors, and business travelers.

Amenities: Kämp Spa with Finnish saunas, a cold plunge, a vitality pool, treatments, a fitness center, À La Kämp restaurant, Kämp Bar, and concierge service.

Nearby: Restaurant Olo, Allas Pool, Löyly, Ateneum Art Museum

Our Favorite Thing: Starting the morning with a sauna and cold plunge circuit at Kämp Spa.