A place to celebrate: review of Klaus K Hotel, Helsinki

Room 707, Sky Balcony, Klaus K Hotel

There can’t be many hotel rooms in the world where, hanging up on the wall near the mini-bar, is a guitar. A full size Spanish guitar and in tune too. How do I know? I took it off the hook and had a strum.

The Klaus K Hotel is a member of Design Hotels situated, unsurprisingly, in the design district of Helsinki. Room 707 is a Sky Balcony room, one of a number of new Sky Lofts which have been created on the top floor of this stylish bolt hole.

Inspired by Finland’s epic poem, Kalevala, Klaus K’s bedrooms feature four emotional themes: mystical, passion, desire and envy. The Sky Loft rooms are unique but all have access to a private terrace with views across the city.  Our room had a comfortable lounge area – ideal for guitar playing and coffee drinking –  with the bed positioned on a raised platform and doors leading to the larger than expected balcony.

The little music touches, to complement the guitar, included a selection of old vinyl records, though these were just for decorative purposes: sadly, no turntable. The mini-bar itself was more like a snack station – a coffee machine, very cute tea bags and a fridge full of goodies. For once in our lives, throwing caution to the wind, we actually purchased something, albeit only a small bag of crisps. The row of upside down wine glasses often clinked against each other as we filled up the kettle: there was a real temptation to play them, to accompany the guitar.The management will be grateful we resisted.

 I loved the large bottles of Malin + Goetz toiletries in the bathroom and adored the bright turquoise bathrobes which I discovered were the same colour as my iPad case. This was extremely handy as I could browse the internet on the balcony, post shower, without being told that I’m ‘forever on that blasted computer’ because, of course, I was camouflaged.

The rest of the hotel oozed style with unusual artwork, cool lighting and smart areas to sit and people watch. The Living Room was the place for breakfast, Toscanini restaurant the perfect spot for an Italian evening meal with the Finlandia Bar and club Ahjo providing liquid refreshment.

We had chosen to stay at the Klaus K hotel because it was our 25th wedding anniversary (maybe that’s why Dougie splashed out on the crisps?) and it was the perfect choice for a special celebration: chilled, relaxed and very chic.

What was it Shakespeare said? If music be the food of love, play on. 
Pass me the guitar – I feel a tune coming on.

I’ve so much more to tell you about Helsinki and our magical break but if you can’t wait and want to know why you should consider Finland’s capital for a holiday, here’s my latest Lincolnshire Free Press column with reasons why…

Top Ten reasons to holiday in Helsinki