Escape to Helsinki, Stay at St. George Hotel

A serene room inside the new Hotel St. George

The newly opened Hotel St. George, part of the Design Hotels Group, offers a luxurious escape right in the heart of Helsinki, one that blends thoughtful modern design with works from renowned artists. Situated adjacent to the historic Old Church, some parts of this imposing structure date back to the 1840s, but the main building with its elegant cream-coloredfaçade is the work of Onni Tarjanne, a prominent Finnish architect who designed andbuilt it in the late nineteenth century. Over the years, the building has served many pur-poses, including housing the Finnish Literature Society, where the country’s first news-paper was printed. Today, the hotel has been carefully restored to offer guests not only aplace to relax but also a place to get inspired--art is virtually everywhere you turn, withover 300 pieces on display for visitors to enjoy. The entryway features an imposing pieceby famed contemporary artist Ai Weiwei called Tianwu, a large scale kite made of bam- boo and silk suspended from the ceiling, but the focal point of the hotel is the Winter- garden, a glass-roofed courtyard where guests can relax on comfortable sofas and enjoy adrink. The stylish bar is decorated with a vibrant bespoke botanical wallpaper by Finn- ish designer and artist Klaus Haapaniemi, and an intricate seagull sculpture by Pekka Jylhä aptly called Learning to Fly hangs overhead. The hotel boasts 148 unique rooms withan elegant minimalist vibe, in restful tones of pale gray and powder white with brighter accents; each is stocked with toiletries from Swedish brand L:A Bruket. You will alsofind a few places to eat in-house, including Restaurant Andrea, which melds Nordic and Anatolian flavors, and the St. George Bakery, which serves coffee, pastries and delectablesourdough bread made right on the premises. At the end of the day, you can rejuvenate mind and body at St. George Care, where a swimming pool, two saunas (Finnish andTurkish), an ice-cold dipping pool and various indulgent spa services await you.