For years I’ve heard so much about the sauna culture in Finland. But why is it that every hotel I am looking at doesn’t have a sauna?
I last visited Helsinki nearly a decade ago during the summer. It was before I began to appreciate the health benefits of saunas and I did not bother to seek any out during my weekend stay.
But 10 years later I love saunas and it is (was?) one of the things I was looking forward to most during my upcoming stay in Helsinki. The New York Times covers it. So does Travel & Leisure. So does GQ.
But it seems that most hotels actually don’t have saunas…
I’m a Hyatt guy, so was looking at the Hotel Lilla Roberts or Hotel Haven, both part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) portfolio. Neither property has a sauna. Ok, how about the Hilton? Nope. Radisson Blu? Nope.
I’ve read that most homes in Finland have a sauna (5.5 million people in Finland and 3.5 million saunas). I also know there are many nice public saunas. I’m considering visiting Yrjonkatu, Kulttuurisauna, Allas Sea Pools, or Löyly (or maybe all of them).
But are hotel saunas in Finland just not at thing?
One thing is certain, I am looking forward to using the sauna in the Finnair Platinum Wing…
CONCLUSION
I’m looking forward to a couple days in Helsinki, filled with great saunas and coffee…and hopefully plenty of good material for this blog.
To my Finnish readers, how would you guide me? What do you recommend?
Unless something has changed in the past year, both of the Hilton hotels in Helsinki that are not at the airport (I haven’t stayed at that one) have saunas by the pool area.
Thanks. I didn’t see a mention or picture of it on the website, but it just makes sense they would have one.
The Hilton Helsinki Strand and the Hilton Kalastajatorppa definitely have hotel saunas, as do my go-tos at the Klaus K and the Hotel Katajanokka.
Because Finns don’t stay in Finnish hotels. They stay at home or with a friend. Duh.
You may have meant to be facetious but that was actually my thought as well. Is there some truth to that?
The Hilton at Helsinki Airport offered one room saunas when I was there last winter.
I loved the 8 months I lived in Finland, every Friday night was our slot for the apartment building. That was 1.5 hours of bliss. But I’ve also found that hotel spa saunas in the US typically aren’t nearly hot enough, I prefer steam rooms in that case.
But who can stay in a 85°C sauna for 90 minutes? That’s what I don’t get about Finland. They seem to hang out and eat and drink in them. Doesn’t it get way too hot? 20 minutes is my limit.
They don’t stay the sauna for 90 minutes at a time. They stay in for 10 or 15 minutes, go out and have a beef and then go back in.
I definitely recommend Yrjokantu. They give you the option of just a locker on the first floor or a room on the second floor. Choose the latter.
All of the saunas are completely nude, but you were in the Air Force so I don’t think that will bother you.
Yup, cycle in and out. Stay in until you nearly pass out, then out in the cold water, then sit to recover. I’ve never slept better than after a good sauna
stay at the Kamp. It used to be a Luxury collection, though not sure anymore.
Great hotel right in the center of the city and great overall spa – including sauna,
Kämp Spa has a sauna, and Mannerheim Suite has it’s own sauna.
Radisson Blu Plaza even has rooms with their own sauna. Executive Business Class rooms say “Choose one of our Executive Business Class Rooms, located on the top floors of the hotel, to enjoy your own in-room sauna and access to Plaza Lounge”.
Hilton Strand has saunas by the pool in the top floor.
https://www.myhelsinki.fi/fi/my-helsinki/saunas-i-havent-been-to-yet
Too bad Hyatt Grand Hansa Hotel isn’t open yet.
Sauna is often a social event, with friends and/or family. You visit friend’s house for a nice dinner and part of the program is going to the sauna. Or you go to the summer house for a weekend and sauna is a daily thing, sometimes even more than once. Or it’s a family thing every week, either at the apartment building’s sauna or your own. It is more of a “spiritual” thing.
The sauna culture doesn’t really fit hotel rooms that well, you’re not in hotel room with your friends and in business hotels not with your family either — there are a lot of accommodations across the country with saunas that are more family oriented. Thus you’re more likely to find the sauna by the gym or spa in business hotels.
For coffee;
– Kaffa Roastery
– La Torrefazione
– Johan & Nyström
– Sävy
– Way Bakery & Wine Bar (great food and bread, but they actually make great coffee and pastries as well so works fine as a cafe 🙂
– Paulig Kulma (Corner), I haven’t been there often but it has survived (Paulig is usually associated with the traditional finnish coffee) and ~two weeks ago made one of the most perfect flat whites.
.. you’ll probably find others in Interweb lists, many are more about the location than quality of coffee. Coffee fans here tend to spend a fortune on home equipment as well so the coffee culture is sometimes stronger at home than in cafes.
Welcome to Helsinki! Hopefully the weather agrees during your visit as we’ve pretty much have had a four-month long November now. It’s getting brighter and sunnier so there’s hope for early spring now..
I never properly thanked you for this. Your insight is very much appreciated and help me to choose the Hilton Strand.
Strange, I have never not been in a hotel in Finland without a sauna. Without even necessarily choosing it for that reason, just always happened.
I stayed at (a?) Radisson Blu in Helsinki last August and it most definitely had a sauna.
I’m a frequent visitor to Helsinki, most recently this last weekend. Saunas in hotels are the norm in my experience. Unlike Germany, there are always two saunas segregated by sex.
My usual place to stay is the Scandic Simonkenttä which has saunas for the use of all guests and quite a lot of the rooms have a private sauna too. It’s a decent enough hotel for a stay of two or three nights and is ranked four star – probably three anywhere else but hotel ratings in Scandinavia and the Nordics are a little adrift with the rest of the world. The staff are unfailingly excellent, breakfast is also included and is organic and fine, other dining options are a bit limited but there are plenty of places to eat nearby and it’s just a short walk from the station and airport train.
The Radisson Blu by the station has saunas and also private ones in some rooms. The Hilton at the airport where I’ve stayed a couple of times has saunas and gym.
For a more public experience with excellent saunas try the Yrjönkatu swimming hall which is only a few meters from the Simonkenttä, I swam there last Saturday, it’s a lovely place to swim and sauna with the hottest one being 85c. Be aware though that the days are segregated, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for men. You do need to set any inhibitions aside there because trunks are not worn either in the pool or sauna – no towels either in the sauna but if you’re OK with that it’s a very laid back place and costs either €5.50 or €16 depending on whether you want a cabin, towel etc or you’re happy with just a locker. IME the locker is fine both are only places to store your kit while you swim.
Kulttuurisauna is the best. Nothing quite like jumping into the harbour in the middle of the city.
Between Allas Sea Pool and Löyly, Löyly is much better if you just want to go sauna with a dip in the sea. Allas has only one sauna per gender whereas Löyly you can access two coed saunas (swim trunks required) and maybe three if the private sauna is not occupied (you can ask the staff for permission to access if it’s not booked during your time there).
As for hotel saunas, Id say the Clarion Hotel Helsinki – one of the tallest buildings in Finland, which is only 19 floors – may have the best experience with the rooftop sauna and pool with a partial glass bottom.
(Almost) every full service hotel in Finland has a sauna.
(Almost) every Airbnb house with a price tag $150+ in Finland has a sauna (and there a lot of log houses for $50 with fully functional saunas).
Seriously dunno how poorly you did your research.
Hilton Helsinki Airport has private saunas in many rooms.
I would suggest you to rent a lake house via Airbnb for an authentic Finnish experience (would be happy to share a places Ive been to if you need a tip). Finnish “big” cities are boring and really not worth spending time there. Finland is about nature, lakes, seclusion, sauna, smaller villages and healthy food.
I stayed at the Hilton Kalastajatorppa last summer and it had a sauna. I thought it was a great property overall, a resort-like feel and easily accessible to downtown on tram. Beautiful views of the lake it sits on, and the best breakfast spread I’ve had at a European Hilton. Also a really good value, quite a bit cheaper on my dates than the Hilton Strand.
Choose carefully lest you find Tom of Finland heading your way through the steam. Many people would be thrilled at the prospect but I doubt you’re amongst them. All good fun..
Judging from the comments, I guessing that Finnish hotels don’t advertise their saunas because it is assumed that all hotels have a sauna so why bother.
Indeed.