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Finland is at the forefront of the luxury revolution.
Known for its design and technology prowess, Finland focuses its creative energies on sustainable design with an ethical and ecological perspective, as evidenced by Nokia, Linux, Artek, Marimekko, Angry Birds and Moomins. Design and democracy go hand in hand in Finland, a reflection of the egalitarian spirit that has characterized Finnish culture since 1906, when Finnish women were the first in the world to be given the right to vote and run for parliament.
Hotel St. George, which opened in Helsinki’s Kamppi district in May 2018, reflects the Finnish trend of redefining luxury travel. The hotel’s focus on environmental awareness coexists with refined design aesthetics, with more than 400 pieces of art on display throughout the hotel. Guests are greeted by activist artist Ai Weiwei’s giant “Tianwu,” a mythical white dragon suspended in the lobby.
The Hotel Saint George has windows and balconies in a Renaissance Revival building designed in 1890 by renowned Finnish National Theater architect Oni Tarjan. For years, the seven-story building was home to the Finnish printing and publishing industry, which included many intellectuals known as “Fenomaniacs” who, along with the preservation of the Finnish language and culture, gave birth to Finnish independence.
The Hotel Saint George is located in a Renaissance Revival building built by the same architect in 1890 behind the Finnish National Theatre. Photo credit: Courtesy of Camping Collection Hotels
Finnish art and design are on display in the hotel’s 153 rooms and suites, as well as in public spaces. Lush with foliage and plants, the hotel’s Wintergarden acts as a conservatory where guests can gather for conversation and cocktails. Suspended from the glass ceiling is Pekka Jelha’s 20-foot bird sculpture, “Learning to Fly,” an artistic expression of the concept of freedom, while its eponymous cocktail is served in a bird-shaped glass.
As one of the only design hotels in Finland, the hotel’s Wintergarden features pieces by Alvar Aalto and other Finnish designers, including antique rugs, leather sofas, oak plank flooring and wallpaper art by Klaus Hapaniemi, which shimmers like a Gobelin tapestry. Three private lounges, known as Nooks, are available for small social gatherings or the hotel’s afternoon tea.
Rooms and suites are furnished with classic Scandinavian designer furniture and abstract lithographs by Finnish artists. Serenity Studios come with desks that face the park and in-room exercise bands, king-size duxiana beds, marble bathrooms with rainfall showers and the hotel’s spa and gym known as St. George Care.
The hotel’s Wintergarden functions as a conservatory where guests can mingle with locals for cocktails, conversation and afternoon tea. Photo credit: Courtesy of Camping Collection Hotels
Focus on sustainability
As a Green Key member, the hotel is carbon-negative. The tap water in Finland is some of the purest in the world, and each St. George’s guest room offers guests a soda stream machine with carbonated tap water for their personal use.
One of the oft-cited facts about Finnish culture mentions the prevalence of sans, whose numbers may outnumber the population. In keeping with the hotel’s focus on holistic wellness, St. George Care has two saunas, an indoor pool and a cold plunge pool. Current medical treatments include on-demand sleep monitors such as Pelago bikes with jet lag options.
The St. George bakery in the hotel bakes homemade donuts and four types of traditional Finnish bread daily. At the end of the day, the bakery uses sustainable food app ResQ to sell excess baked goods to local residents.
The bakery’s reading room is a sanctuary where phones and laptops are discouraged; Shelves of newspapers, magazines and art and design books are filled with desks and cozy nooks perfect for reading — or dreaming.
Finnish art and design are features in the hotel’s 153 rooms and suites. Photo credit: Courtesy of Camping Collection Hotels
To witness design and democracy in action: an afternoon at the Helsinki Central Library, commonly known as OOD. More than a house of literature, OOD stands as a cultural center complete with a movie theater, music rooms, playrooms, educational kitchens, sewing machines, 3D printers, restaurants, cafes and youth spaces, all serving as an extension of Helsinki’s home life. . OOD’s front plaza flows into the entrance like an indoor/outdoor living room, allowing Helsinki’s public to wander every day of the week.
Drinking a glass of wine in a library may seem taboo, but OOD is reminiscent of the democratic literary salons of Paris and London.
The art exhibits at OOD are taken from the collection of the Helsinki Art Museum, known locally as HAM. In the year Built to celebrate Finland’s centenary of independence in 2017, OOD has been named the world’s best public library for its stunning architecture and the building’s focus on equality, openness and freedom of speech.
According to the World Happiness Report published by the United Nations, Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for the past five years. Maybe it’s a combination of design, democracy and homemade doughnuts.
Rates at Hotel St. George start at $300 per night for a Serenity Studio with breakfast buffet.
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