Next to the Kamp Galleria, five blocks from the train station, this property opened in 1887 as an opulent meeting place for Finnish diplomats and artists. Following those highbrow days, the building declined and was almost demolished in 1965. It then served as a bank for more than 30 years. Meticulously restored with traditional craftsmanship and modern technology, this grande dame reopened in 1999 to receive the creme de la creme of society, now from a wider geographical spectrum.
Guests entering the hotel from the Esplanade side come into a unique circular lobby with a compass-pattern marble floor, filigreed balcony, massive fluted columns trimmed in gold leaf, and elaborate floral displays. Reception gives a good taste of the unmatched friendliness one can expect from all personnel, and the staff-to-guest ratio is the highest in town. Elegance abounds, not least in the intimate sitting areas, including one at the foot of the original double staircase.
Afternoon tea in the candlelit Library is the opportunity to enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and constant attention by the highly professional staff. Dinner in the gourmet restaurant, Cafe Kamp, combines impeccable service, vintage wines and imaginative menu selections, featuring international cuisine with a Finnish touch, some of which harkens back to dishes served to the hotel's
dignitaries and celebrities of yore, amidst magnificent surroundings of columns, crystal chandeliers and painted ceilings. Some tables are reserved for guests, but the enlightened usually book one at the same time as a room. Japanese fine dining is offered in Yume. A brasserie and outdoor cafe have buffets and international dishes in tandem.
The Bar, with its wall painting depicting 19th-century artists who frequented the hotel, is a quiet spot beckoning the rich and powerful in droves. The recently opened evening lounge on the second floor, Kamp Club, in a contemporary Kamp-style design highlighted by glittering crystal balls, offers what is billed as exclusive cocktails and champagne.
Conference rooms are named in honor of runner Paavo Nurmi, and Finns and discerning travelers from all over are rushing here to use them. Most of the six meeting rooms overlook the park, including the Mirror Room, an original and exquisite room seating 120. Even power brokers may have a hard time concentrating amid the chandeliers, mirrors, original paintings and frescoes, and gold-leaf accents on columns and archways. A fully equipped business center is open around the clock, which includes a small private room with computer and printer, available to guests for a fee.
Recreation is in an independently run club on the top floor, Kamp Day Spa. Although there is no pool, there are personal trainers to advise guests in the use of high-tech equipment, heated relaxation lounges, Finnish and Turkish saunas, and a great variety of massage therapy and other treatments. Some of the latter come with meeting facilities and refreshments.
Guest rooms are equally sumptuous. Combining raised paneling, soft yellow and blue walls, lush drapes, triple-paned windows, air-conditioning and a variety of lighting, the rooms come with plump armchairs and couches, some queen but mostly king beds, armoires with TVs (soon to be all flat-screen) and three phones. The dressers and sumptuous beds are imports from England, Italy and Spain. Everything in all the guest rooms, regardless of type, is simply the best. Business travelers smile at seeing large desks, dual-line phones, data ports, wireless Internet access (for a fee), safes, minibars, irons and ironing boards, and trouser presses.
Baths, all combination tub and shower, are gleaming chrome and glass oases with counters of Italian marble, shelves with more than the usual toiletries, bidets, tubs, scales, glass-enclosed power showers, and rubber duckies that change color according to the season. Full-length mirrors, magnifying mirrors, robes, slippers, heated towel rails, scales, 
hair dryers, satin hangers and umbrellas round out the amenities. Some rooms add chandeliers, fax machines, 110-volt outlets, CD players and dual basins. Junior suites are studios facing the side street and the impressive 19th-century building opposite. These are larger rooms that boast commodious, beautifully decorated sitting areas, and some even include private saunas. The suites are breathtaking, and butlers are always on call.
The hotel runs its own housekeeping department and laundry, maintaining an unusually high standard and offering nightly turndown service. There are 25 rooms designated for smokers, some are allergen-free, and two are wheelchair-accessible. No pets are allowed at this refined establishment. Room service is always on call. Security is premium, with guards on duty, and cameras in public areas. Sprinklers, smoke detectors and posted fire-evacuation plans are in all of the rooms.
The property closes some years for Christmas. Hotel Kamp has no rival in Finland. Indeed, only two or three other hotels in Scandinavia are its equal. For the best harbor views in town, however, and a lower price, choose its sibling, Palace Hotel.
