The summer sun shines for 19 hours a day in Helsinki, providing almost constant illumination for the magnificent Ai Weiwei sculpture that dominates the glass-roofed lobby of Hotel St. George. The seven-headed dragon is one of several works of art in the new address – a fresh-faced contemporary boutique that breathes new life into Helsinki’s hotel portfolio.
Located in a beautifully restored heritage building in Helsinki’s historic centre, the St. George boasts 148 rooms and five unique suites, all of which feature parquet flooring, contemporary artwork and thoughtful, pared back interior design that brings a homely flavour to modern Scandi-style. Light also pours through the glass ceiling of the Wintergarden, where a six-metre metal creation by Finnish sculptor Pekka Jylhä hovers above social nooks and an open lounge bar and bakery.
The Monocle magazine kiosk and reading room provides space for intellectual nourishment, while the St. George Care Spa has a pool, sauna and treatment rooms for physical and mental wellbeing.
The hotel is the first in the Nordic region to offer guests the integrated wellness concept known as “Care”, which encompasses outdoor exercise, seasonal massage treatments, meditation sessions, and detoxification programs – all designed to alleviate stress, making excellent use of the two saunas and pool.
Finnish-Turkish chef Mehmet Gürs works culinary magic at Restaurant Andrea, the hotel’s signature restaurant, where sharing plates of Nordic-Anatolian dishes promise to tantalise adventurous eaters. Hotel St. George is located in central Helsinki on Vanha Kirkkopuisto (Church Park), also home to the city’s second oldest church that dates back to 1826. Surrounded by art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and cafes, the square is a common meeting spot for locals and a cosmopolitan hub in the city.
