Views from the 6th floor of Clarion Hotel Helsinki were quite different depending on the weather! On the day of our arrival it was clear skies, but next morning a cool mist had taken over the horizon.

Having been open for ca. one year now, the Clarion towers have already become a landmark in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki. In March, for my boyfriend’s 35th birthday, I organised a surprise day filled with differenct activities. I already knew that I wanted us to spend the night in a good hotel, but since we are both big fans of swimming and spas, we killed to birds with one stone with Clarion and its famous rooftop pool. 

I booked the room early and got us a room in the 6th floor. I had read elsewhere that the standard room is quite small (16,5 to 20,5 m2) and so I decided to splurge a little and got us a superior room instead. And indeed, the room was fine, but not spacey by any means, which leaves me wondering how tiny the standard room actually is… The view from the room on the other hand was great! The whole wall was basically a window, and since it was March, we were able to see floating ice rafts on the water below and complimented by the cranes and the industrial setting, the whole view was quite amazing. We headed out to the rooftop pool and bar, as that was another one of the day’s activities. Needless to say the view was even better up on the 16th floor and having a swim in the heated pool above the skyline was a pretty great experience. Even though the pool is heated, lounge area was windy (of course – it was March! :D) so we ended up spending most of the time either in the pool or the sauna. 

Back in the room we noticed the only drawback to our room: there were no hooks in the bathroom to hang our wet towels and bathrobes from, so we had to spread them out on chairs. 

After a few minutes of getting ready (well, it might have taken me a little bit more time than my boyfriend to be honest) we headed out to the city for a surprise dinner. Even though Clarion is a bit further out from the main activities, there is a tram stop right in front of the hotel, so it is easy to get to the city and even Kallio district, which was our destination at the time.

It is such a lovely feeling crawling onto those clean white sheets after a night out!

In the morning we enjoyed a very nice breakfast at the hotel restaurant. The whole hotel is nicely decorated with Finnish design and the restaurant was no exception. The breakfast was everything I expected too, I always look for things that would set the breakfast buffet apart from the other ones, and this time it was mango smoothies and the dessert selection which included pancakes and the traditional Finnish cinnamon roll. 

Clarion is a great choice for someone who expects a beautiful interior and wants to spend some time in the hotel. The Skybar as well as the rooftop pool are both worth visiting and since the pool is included in the price, it’s just a bit of extra luxury to add to your holiday.

Location:

Clarion Hotel Helsinki is located in Jätkäsaari which has quickly evolved from a harbour district to a residential disctrict, and even though there isn’t that much to see or do in the area yet, I’m sure it will change in just a few years. Even though a bit further away from the immediate city centre, there is a tram stop right outside the hotel and even the walk to Kamppi or Punavuori districts, which are both filled with shops, restaurants and bars is only 20 minutes. Take a walk to Hietalahti market square (ca. 10 mins) where you find a market hall filled with delicacies, and during the summer months the classic open air flea market will take over the square outside the hall. For eating out, some nice choices closeby include Cargo Coffee + Vegetarian Food, a nice vegetarian restaurant with a rooftop terrace to enjoy on sunny days. Just a few minutes away is also Forum Box, a gallery for contemporary art which quite often hosts some interesting exhibitions and is free to enter.

Clarion Hotel Helsinki, Tyynenmerenkatu 2, 00220 Helsinki

Well, wasn’t this just the loveliest way to begin a new week! Me and my sister were invited to have breakfast at Lilla Roberts, and we naturally accepted the invitation gladly. I’ve never been at Lilla Roberts before and was quite eager to see the premises, and of course, to enjoy the breakfast.

Lilla Roberts is a stylish art deco hotel at Pikku Roobertinkatu, Punavuori, Helsinki. The hotel atmosphere is modern, yet cozy at the same time. Breakfast is served at the adjacent Krog Roba, which acts as an independent restaurant as well. This means you have to step to the street to reach the restaurant, which is always a bit of a bummer if you are an overnight guest at the hotel. The restaurant itself, though, is very nice with dimmed lighting and Finnish design objects. Breakfast tables are set with my favourite coffee mugs, the Tanssi-series by Iittala. 8 am on a Monday morning the place is filled with the hustle and bustle of hotel guests, but by 8:30 the hurry dies down so if you have a bit more time to sleep in, I recommend coming in a little later.

The breakfast prides itself to focus on quality and Finnish delicacies, and it shows. On the buffet table you find the traditional saaristolaisleipä (archipelago bread, which is a specific type of sweet rye bread – delicious) as well as carelian pies, home cheese, rhubarb pie and gravlax. Then you have your basic breakfast offerings such as porridge, eggs and bacon and a nice assortment of fruit (including cherries, which was a nice surprise!). Another Finnish novelty is the shot of buckthorn juice, which you can hardly call a juice since it’s so strong, but it is promised to be really good for you. What I loved especially was that in addition to yogurt, the breakfast buffet featured raw porridge with chia seeds as well as a berry quark, and the variety of toppings for those was impressive: everything from cereal and berries to coconut flakes, dried berries and different sorts of nuts.

While I can’t say anything about the rooms at Lilla Roberts, I definitely recommend its breakfast, which can be enjoyed by non-staying guests as well (24 € pp).

Location:

Pikku Roobertinkatu (or Pikku-Roba, as locals like to call it) is a nice location for a hotel. It is definitely within walking distance from the city centre which means great public transport connections anywhere you would like to go, but being a couple of blocks away from the main tourist sites, it also means a quieter area. Pikku-Roba is also the host for some of the best restaurants in Helsinki, try restaurant Ox, Vinkkeli and Pastis for some amazing dining experiences. And if you prefer something more relaxed, cross the street to Pikku-Roba’s big brother Iso Roobertinkatu (Iso-Roba) to find the best falafel pitas in town at Fafa’s. Pikku-Roba is also the home for the classic cultural arena Gloria as well as the newly opened G Livelab, which both host a range of music performances almost every night.

Lilla Roberts, Pikku Roobertinkatu 1-3, Helsinki. Website: lillaroberts.com