The best neighborhood to stay in Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki feels like a pretty underrated European capital. But the Finnish capital is definitely worth visiting. Quaint restaurants, the Baltic Sea, gorgeous city views, green spaces, and tourist attractions make it a great place for a city break. In this blog post I’ll share about the best neighborhood to stay in Helsinki as well as some of the best hotels. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

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Table of Contents

Helsinki card

Before I dive into the main attractions in Helsinki, I want to give you a heads up about the Helsinki card. If you have the card you get free entry to the main attractions, free public transport, and also a free train ride to the airport.

It also gives you discounts for shopping, tours, dining. It’s much cheaper to get the card rather than buying individual tickets for everything.

Kruununhaka neighborhood

This neighborhood is located a bit above the city center area. However, most attractions in the city center are within walking distance. And it takes only about 10 minutes to get to them.

Because you’re not exactly in the city center the area is a bit quieter and has a more neighborhoody feel, which I liked.

It’s an elegant neighborhood, full of shops and upscale dining options. In my opinion this is the best area to stay in Helsinki because you’re a short walk away from attractions like Helsinki Cathedral or Old Market Hall, but you’re in a quieter area.

The Hotel Maria

I stayed at The Hotel Maria. It’s a luxury, 5-star hotel in central Helsinki. I loved my stay here. It was the best luxury hotel I’ve ever stayed at in Europe. The staff was amazing, the suite I stayed in was the epitome of luxury, and the breakfast spread was delicious.

Everything in the hotel room was high tech. They have a tablet that allows you to control everything: room temperature, music, the flat-screen TV. They even had Japanese toilets. Everything was ultra modern, but the decor of the room was classic and elegant.

The hotel has four buildings that are interconnected through passageways and an outdoor courtyard. They are historical buildings in Helsinki that used to be the ministry of agriculture.

The hotel is owned by a 3-time Olympic gold medalist at ski jumping. You can see his medals exhibited in the hotel lobby. It’s a new hotel, they opened in December 2023. If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, The Hotel Maria is a great choice.

Helsinki City Center

The Helsinki City Centre is a prime location and it might make sense to stay here if it’s your first time in Helsinki. You’re in the heart of the city and you can get to a lot of attractions very easily.

As you can imagine, there are plenty of hotel options in this area. You can find upscale elegant hotels, mid-range hotels, and boutique hotels. There is something for every budget in this area.

the author sitting down on the steps of helsinki cathedral

Hotel Kämp

Hotel Kamp is a 5-star hotel and one of the most luxurious Helsinki hotels. It’s an elegant hotel with spacious rooms, great breakfast, and all the other perks that come with 5-star hotels: a spa, room service, a well-equipped fitness centre, free wifi, and so much more.

It has a central location, right by Esplanadi Park. It’s the ideal spot if you want to explore the city life, eat at popular restaurants in the centre of Helsinki, and be close to main attractions like the Senate Square or the Parliament House.

If you’re a fan of shopping then this hotel is in a prime location for that too. You’ll be very close to the headquarters of Stockmann, a Finnish department store with multiple locations in Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. And you’ll also be very close to Kamppi Shopping Centre, another good option for all your shopping needs.

Hotel NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa

Hotel NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa is located opposite Central Station, the main train station in Helsinki. It’s the perfect location if you’re planning on taking day trips by train since you’re so close to the train station.

It’s a 5-star hotel with great rooms and staff. I stayed at an NH brand hotel in Madrid and I loved my experience there. I’m sure the one in Helsinki is great too.

If you stay here you’ll be very close to Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki Central Library Oodi, the Finnish National Theatre and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Hotel Indigo Helsinki – Boulevard, an IHG Hotel

Indigo is an award-winning boutique hotel that is part of IHG. It was designated Finland’s Leading Boutique Hotel in 2024. If you’re an IHG loyal fan, then this hotel could be a great option.

The location is not the best compared to other hotels on my list, but you’ll still be at all major attractions in about 15 minutes if you decide to walk.

Hotel Haven

Hotel Haven is a boutique, 5-star luxury hotel in central Helsinki. It’s very close to both Esplanadi Park and Old Market Hall. This could be a great choice if you prefer boutique hotels. The rooms are cozy, the decor is cute, the location is amazing, and the breakfast spread is delicious.

Hotel U14, Autograph Collection

The cool thing about Hotel U14 is that it’s a boutique hotel under the Marriott umbrella. So you get the best of both worlds: the coziness of a boutique hotel, and the perks that come with a large hotel chain (Bonvoy loyalty points being one of them!).

If you like to explore a city by bike, then you’ll be happy to know that U14 is offering free bikes to guests. They are located about 2 blocks away from Esplanadi Park, so you don’t need the bikes as you can easily walk to all the central locations. But I think it’s a nice perk to have the free bikes.

Hotel F6

Hotel F6 is a family owned luxury boutique hotel located very close to Esplanadi Park. It’s a really cozy and warm hotel designed in an Art Deco style. I personally love the fact that it’s family owned.

For breakfast they focus on locally sourced and organic ingredients to offer the best of the best to their guests. You can’t beat the location. If you choose to stay here you’ll be in the heart of everything.

Hotel St. George Helsinki

Hotel St George is a spa hotel. That’s what makes them unique. If you want to be pampered and are looking for a more relaxing vacation, then this hotel is perfect for you.

They have a pool, five treatment rooms and two saunas. Plus, they have an amazing gym too. They are a hotel that focuses on holistic well-being. I think staying here to enjoy their top notch amenities could be a wonderful choice.

Katajanokka neighborhood

Katajanokka is a harborside neighborhood in Helsinki that’s home to the famous Uspenski Cathedral. It has beautiful Art Nouveau buildings and lots of restaurants. It’s the perfect place for a stroll or run by the water.

You can also find the Helsinki Wheel here as well as the Allas Sea Pool, an outdoor swimming and sauna complex that’s always busy during the hot summer days.

Clarion Collection Hotel Katajanokka

Clarion Collection Hotel Katajanokka is a unique hotel in Helsinki that used to be a former prison built in 1837. It has that cool, mysterious factor because of that.

It’s a boutique hotel with 106 rooms. And, of course, because you’re in Finland, the hotel also has a sauna. You must try it no matter which hotel you end up booking because the sauna is such a big part of the Finnish culture.

The Uspenski Cathedral is about 10 minutes away from Clarion Collection Hotel Katajanokka.

Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4

Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4 is a 4-star hotel located right by the water and Helsinki Wheel. The views from this hotel are amazing because of its location. It also has a rooftop terrace with an incredible 360 view of the sea.

The cool thing about this hotel is its big focus on sustainability. They are striving to be carbon negative and switched to exclusively renewable electricity. Because of all of their efforts towards sustainability they were voted Finland’s most responsible hotel brand in the Sustainable Brand Index survey.

the author at uspenski cathedral in helsinki

Scandic Grand Marina

Scandic Grand Marina is another hotel located by the sea, very close to the Market Square. It is located in a former warehouse built in the early 1900’s.

Some of the rooms have a private sauna, so if you want a more luxurious stay and incredible views of the sea, this hotel could be a great option for that.

Kluuvi neighborhood

Kluuvi is the neighborhood that’s north of the city center. It’s one of the commercial hubs of Helsinki. You can find a lot of department stores here, including Stockmann, the famous Finnish department store.

The Atheneum Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art are also based in Kluuvi. The Central Railway Station is located here too, which is quite convenient if you plan on taking a day trip by train.

Radison RED Helsinki

Radison RED Helsinki is a 4-star hotel that has a distinctive bold and modern design. The rooms are spacious and come with all the amenities you would need.

The hotel has a fitness center, a terrace, restaurant and bar to offer you plenty of dining and entertainment options if you choose to spend a relaxing day at the hotel.

It’s located right by Kaisaniemi Park, so you can take a stroll here when you need some fresh air or quiet time after a full day of exploring Helsinki.

Radison Blue Plaza Hotel

Radison Blue Plaza Hotel is located in a historic building from 1917. It’s a 4-star hotel next to Kaisanemi Park and 5 minutes away from the Central Railway station. It offers a blend of historic charm and modern design and amenities.

Scandic Grand Central Helsinki

Scandic Grand Central Helsinki is a 4-star hotel located in an Art Nouveau building in Kluuvi. It’s right by the Finnish National Theatre and also very close to the railway station in case you need to catch the train to go to a location further away from Helsinki at any point during your trip.

It has a classic style and stylish rooms. This hotel offers free bikes to all its guests if you prefer to explore Helsinki by bike. It also has a fitness center, a garden and a shared lounge.

Kamppi neighborhood

Kamppi is a commercial hub with lots of big malls, boutiques and vintage shops. The popular Hietalahti flea market is also located in this neighborhood.

It’s one of the busiest neighborhoods in Helsinki and it has a lively atmosphere.

Hotel Mestari

Hotel Mestari is a 4-star hotel. It has a unique style and for some reason it reminds me a bit of Brooklyn and that industrial style. When you look on their website they brand themselves as a “rough lifestyle hotel”. Not sure what exactly that means, but the hotel does have an interesting vibe.

The rooms are nice and stylish. They offer an excellent breakfast spread. And they have a lot of space to host professional events in case you’re traveling for business.

The hotel is in a convenient location and you’ll be pretty close to the city center area. It could be a great choice if you like funkier hotels.

FAQs about Helsinki

Is Helsinki safe for solo female travelers?

Yes, I felt very safe in Helsinki. I traveled a lot in Western Europe and I have to say Helsinki feels much safer than Western Europe. I personally didn’t see any scammers or pick pockets even in crowded areas.

People mind their business and tend to be friendly towards tourists. I think Helsinki could be a great destination for a first solo trip.

How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?

The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.

I use Nomad eSIM (use code IOAN43TM for 25% off your first purchase). You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.

You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.

What is the best time for a trip to Helsinki?

I think the best times to visit are either the summer or the winter. If you go in the summer the days are longer and the weather is around 20+ degrees Celsius. So it’s warm, but much colder than Western Europe, and you can walk around and explore the city.

If you’re combining your trip to Helsinki with a visit to the Finnish Lapland, then winter is the best time to visit. You get to do all the winter activities, see the Aurora Borealis in Lapland, and see the major attractions in Helsinki too. There is plenty to do indoors in Helsinki if you’re not a big fan of the cold.

Do I need to book tickets for attractions in advance?

I highly recommend you book all the tickets online in advance of your trip. While Helsinki is less touristy than other places in Europe, I still think it’s a good idea to book things in advance. I’m a planner, though, so I’m biased.

Do people speak English in Helsinki?

Yes, people speak English in Helsinki. They are friendly towards tourists, but a bit cold. What do I mean by that? For example, in a store, they will help you at the register, but there won’t be much chit chat and there is rarely a smile. As I said, friendly, but not warm.

Do I need cash?

I didn’t use cash at all when I visited, I paid for everything with a credit card. But it’s always recommended to carry some cash with you so you can tip tour guides or buy souvenirs or something else from small mom-and-pop shops in case they don’t accept credit cards.

Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the airport instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.

How many days do I need in Helsinki?

I think 2 or 3 days are enough to see the main attractions in Helsinki since it’s not such a large capital. If you want to explore some hidden gems or do some day trips, then I recommend 4-5 days.

How can I get to the city center from Helsinki Airport?

There are a lot of options to get from the airport to the city center. You can take the train, located under the terminal. Local I and P trains both go to and from the airport. You can buy tickets at the train station. It will take about 30 minutes to get to the city center.

You could also take the bus. The ride takes about 40 minutes. The bus station is outside the arrivals hall. You can buy a ticket there.

If you have a lot of luggage and don’t want to deal with public transportation you can take a taxi or order a car on ride-sharing apps.

Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.

How can I get around Helsinki?

Helsinki, like most European cities, is very walkable. They also have great public transport options, so you can take the subway, tram, or bus to get to all major attractions.