Best Hotel Room
A bed two meters wide, two meters long. Mahogany finished doors, five tv sets, stereos by Bang & Olufsen, a dressing room and a bathroom sauna with hand finished benches of Lapland spruce.
At the main door a sign tells about the man who gave his name to the suite, marshal Mannerheim.
The Hotel Kämp’s Mannerheim suite’s each square meter – and there are 258 of them – is in its own class. Only the minibar contains standard merchandise: a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck, Mars bars, Durex Conforma condoms. This can be upgraded at request. The suite has two bedrooms, two living rooms, a dining room, a kitchenette, two balconies above the Esplanade, two bathrooms and two rest rooms. There are no less than five entrances. And a green duck to play with in the bath.
At Christmas the duck, formerly known as the yellow duck, changes it’s color to red. Many clients want to take the duck home.
Hotel Kämp, Pohjoisesplanadi 29.
Best Chef
“Fast food is out. Can´t you sit down at the dining table with your family and friends, just for a moment? Why the f--k is everyone in such a hurry?, asks Hans Välimäki, owner and chef de cuisine at Chez Dominique.
Chez Dominique is a small restaurant for big gourmands. It was rated with two stars in the latest Michelin Le Guide Rouge. The restaurant has moved to bigger spaces during the summer and opens again in October.
Chez Dominique, Rikhardinkatu 4.
Best Small Bar Size doesn´t matter.
“You can have a good party in an elevator or in a bike storage room. It´s the attitude of the staff that counts”, says Joni Kanerva, the owner of tiny bar Palmu.
Palmu is half the size of a one-room appartement. It´s a small soul cave playing black funk and French rap music. A disco ball hangs from the ceiling and a ladder leads to a loft with a couple of more seats. Palmu is so small, that you can´t hide from the other customers - you are bound to meet strangers.
Palmu, Liisankatu 17. Open Mon-Thu noon to midnight, Fri-Sun noon to 2 a.m. Tel. 260 0024
Best Promenade
Although there are a few competitors, Helsinki’s most beautiful and most varied walk is along the shores of Töölönlahti (Töölö Inlet). This route features wooden villas, views of the old blue-collar district of Kallio and the Finlandia House, designed by Alvar Aalto.
Also worth noticing are the elevations on this route. You could also find yourself in one of the two fabulous fill-up spots: Töölönranta restaurant or the little Café on the Linnunlaulu (singing bird) ridge.
Töölönlahti walk, 2,2 kilometers.
Best Living Room
Restaurant Strindberg’s second floor is like a dream home. Here you can find all the papers: from news to Vogue. A chandelier domi-nates the room. The carpets are real. On the sofa you are bound to begin a chat - this is after all a living room.
Strindberg, Pohjoisesplanadi 33.
Best T-shirt
My friend went to Helsinki and all I got was this lousy T-shirt... not this time. These T-shirts are something else. The shirts have the names and postal codes of different boroughs of Helsinki printed on them. For example the area around the gigantic construction site downtown is called Kamppi, and the postal code is 00100. The blue collar part of town is called Kallio, 00530. Someting nicer, more posh? Eira, 00150. To wear a T-shirt that connects you to the part of town where you live is a way of com-municating who you are.
The original borough shirts were introduced by stylist Anna Komonen, but copies can be found all over town.
Union Five, Erottajankatu 15-17
Best Karaoke Bar
Called ’the people’s restaurant’ due to its location in the working class district of Kallio, karaoke is alive and well in Populus. Its growing reputation has spread out-side Helsinki and singers come from surrounding towns to air their cords.
The low price level makes it possible to lubricate the voice box well before step-ping up to the microphone.
On weekdays the singing starts at nine in the morning and lasts until midnight and at weekends the cacophony continues on up to 2.30.
The ages of the clientele range from 18–70 and the most popular numbers are Finnish love ballads like ’What the current brings, the current takes away.’ Dress down and be casual.
Populus, Aleksis Kiven katu 22.
Best Sauna
Two saunas, animated dressing rooms with aquaria and absurd hair-dryers, a funky cabinet and a spacious bar with pool and snooker tables. When you can find all this under the same roof the choice is clear: Sauna Bar is number one.
Temperatures in both saunas are kept at 82 degrees celcius. After the sauna, you can order food and drinks from the bar.
Sauna Bar, Eerikinkatu 27, tel. 586 5550. Non-stop sauna heated on Sunday and Monday 3 pm to midnight. You don´t have to book in advance. Prices: 4,50 €, plus 2,50 €/towel.
Best Muffin
In Wayne’s Coffee, a Swedish chain, muffins represent the best Swedish product development available. Although the recipe is secret, head chef Kosti Takala will reveal something.
”The moisture in our muffin is based on freshness and optimal temperature. Right before baking the muffins are treated with an additive of either cloakbutter, brown sugar or cottage cheese.”
Wayne’s Coffee, Kaisaniemenkatu 3. Raspberry-, blueberry- and chocolate muffins all 3 e each.