Europe cruises

Helsinki is known for being one of the most distinctive cities in the world, and when I had a chance to visit the charming Finnish capital, needless to say I grabbed at the opportunity.

The only issue now was finding a reasonably decent place to stay in that wouldn't cost too much, and I was weighing my options carefully when I chanced upon the Hotel Rantapuisto. The hotel came with a respectable enough pedigree, belonging to the esteemed Finlandia Hotels group, and it seemed to have exactly what I was looking for in tasteful-yet-reasonably-priced accommodations.

The Finlandia Hotellit group is definitely no fly-by-night operation, and it has a stellar reputation built on a line up of 30 world-class hotels, each of which is distinct in its own right. Given the favorable reviews of many of its hotels, I felt reasonably certain that it was well worth checking out.

Before leaving for Finland, I had already looked at several pictures of it on the web, but I have to say that nothing could have prepared me for the tastefully elegant accommodations that lay in wait. Sitting on a broad expanse of well-manicured grounds, Hotel Rantapuisto is ideally positioned to provide a great view of the sea. The hotel facade offered more than a hint of the elegance that lay within, and while the hotel is definitely one of the most visually appealing ones I had ever seen at this price point, it had none of the stuffiness and pomposity of many other hotels that commanded higher rates. In fact, it was quite homey and charming, albeit with an elegant slant.

The Rantapuisto has no less than 92 rooms throughout the facility, and judging from the room I checked into, all are quite roomy and tastefully designed. I was very pleased with the amenities provided in my room, and I have to give it's management top marks for making sure that every thing is spic and span.

By now, I was beginning to feel the familiar hunger pangs creeping in and my thought began to turn to lunch. Thankfully, there were no less than three outstanding restaurants right in the hotel, and the two that I checked out over lunch and then dinner were nothing short of excellent. I had no doubt that the third restaurant was equally satisfactory.

One other feature I particularly enjoyed was the sauna, which is a great way to soothe the various aches and pains that so often result from traveling. And the best thing about it is that the saunas at the Fair Hall are available free of charge! There is even a sauna down by the waters edge, which is great for more urbane pleasures in a natural setting.

Finally, Hotel Rantapuisto offers comprehensive conference facilities that can seat as many as 300 in a fairly large hall. There are 14 conference rooms in varying sizes, making it ideal for anything from large conventions to smaller, more intimate gatherings.

Europe cruises

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Kari Harju is a marketing specialist from Finland. To know more about Finlandia hotels and Kokoushotellit please contact Kari.

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