Helsinki hotels with sauna for the best spa experience

Last Updated on August 18, 2025 by Ioana

Helsinki is a great place for a city break. There are plenty of attractions to explore (The Presidential Palace, Senate Square, The Helsinki Cathedral, Uspenski Cathedral and more). And of course, trying a traditional sauna is a must. In this blog post I’ll share what are my top choices for Helsinki hotels with sauna to help you pick the best option for you. 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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The best hotels in Helsinki with sauna – Quick Answer:

• Solo Sokos Hotel Helsinki – Rooftop mixed-gender Finnish sauna with terrace views.
• Clarion Hotel Mestari – Steam sauna included in the room rate, with gender-specific time slots.
• Hotel Maria – Luxury spa featuring wood-heated sauna, cold plunge, heated pools (ages 16+).
• Lapland Hotels Bulevardi – Many rooms include private in-room saunas.

Solo Sokos Hotel Helsinki

• Location: Central, near the waterfront and Helsinki Wheel.
• Sauna Style: Newly renovated, traditional Finnish sauna on the rooftop with a terrace view of Uspenski Cathedral.
• Capacity & Access: Up to 8 people; accessible with room card. Private booking also available.
• Additional Highlight: Ranked Finland’s most responsible hotel due to its sustainability efforts.

Solo Sokos Hotel is a 4-star hotel located a short walk away from the water and Helsinki Wheel. The hotel has spectacular views because of its location in the heart of Helsinki. 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, so they 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.

In addition, their sauna was recently renovated to offer guests an improved traditional Finnish sauna experience. Their mixed gender sauna is located on the top floor, so you can step outside on the terrace to cool off with a nice view of the Uspenski Cathedral.

The sauna has a capacity of 8 people and can be accessed with the hotel room card.

The hotel also has a sauna that can be booked for private use. 

Clarion Hotel Mestari

• Ideal for: Travelers who like offbeat, stylish hotels with spa perks.
• Hotel vibe: 4-star with an industrial “rough lifestyle” aesthetic.
• Sauna Access: Steam sauna included in stay; women (5 – 7 pm), men (7:30 – 9:30 pm).

Clarion 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 guest 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, so you’ll be pretty close to the city center area. It could be a great choice if you like funkier hotels.

The hotel has a steam sauna in the basement of the hotel. The sauna is included in the room rate for all guests and it is open every day. Women can access the sauna from 5-7pm, while men can use it from 7:30-9:30pm. 

Hotel Maria

• Opening date: December 2023 (very new).
• Spa Facilities: Wood-heated sauna, cold plunge, heated pools, steam bath; bookings required.
• Age Restriction: Open to guests aged 16+.
• Hours: Daily 8 am–8 pm; extended to 9 pm Fridays and Saturdays.

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 rooms 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 pretty new hotel, they opened in December 2023. If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, The Hotel Maria is the perfect spot.

The sauna experiences

Hotel Maria also has a luxurious spa with a wellness area inspired by the Nordic culture. The spa has an age limit as it is open to hotel guests only 16 and over. They offer free access to the facility, but you have to book treatments (including sauna sessions) and access to the spa in advance.

The spa has a wood-heated sauna, a cold plunge pool with icy waters, heated pools, and a steam bath. There are also private treatment rooms and shower facilities.

The opening hours (including sauna times) are from 8am to 8pm all days except Friday and Saturday when they are open for an additional hour.

Lapland Hotels Bulevardi

• Key Perk: Over 100 rooms include private saunas.
• Extras: Award-winning breakfast, on-site dining, gym, lounge bar, free Wi-Fi, accessible rooms.

Lapland Hotels Bulevardi is a 4 star hotel located in the city center, close to most attractions. Over 100 rooms at this hotel have private saunas. So if you stay here you have your own sauna in your room. How cool is that?

The hotel offers an award-winning breakfast menu and it also has a hotel on-site for lunch and dinner. There is free wifi everywhere, a gym, a lounge bar, and a parking lot. They have accessible and allergy friendly rooms.

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 Airalo. 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.

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. 

Do I have to tip in Helsinki?

Tipping is not mandatory, but it is highly encouraged. I usually leave 1-2 euros as tip when I eat out. They highly appreciate it when you do this.

Do you recommend Helsinki as a solo destination?

Yes, I highly recommend Helsinki as a destination for solo female travelers. Helsinki is a very safe and beautiful city.

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