7 Best Hotels in The Lakelands, Finland

Situated on the idyllic Punkaharju esker ridge a 30-minute drive southeast of Savonlinna, surrounded by quintessential Finnish lake-and-forest scenery, this is one of the most beautifully located hotels in Finland, if not the most beautifully located. Originally built as a gamekeeper's lodge for Czar Nicholas I in 1845, the beautiful wooden manor has been modernized, renovated, and converted to a design-conscious but unpretentiously stylish hotel, with nine new rooms and suites in the exquisitely renovated Villa Czarine. The manager's passion for mushrooms and other fresh local produce is captured in the prominence of these ingredients in delicious set restaurant menus and lunch buffets, but be sure to book in advance during the opera festival season. The hotel also organizes outdoor activities such as mushroom-picking walks and hosts music recitals. More modest lakeside forest cabin accommodations are available throughout the summer, when a steamboat from Savonlinna calls in at the quay. There is a beachside sauna by the lake.

In the heart of Savonlinna overlooking the lake, this 1930s building on historic Linnankatu has small, unpretentious rooms, all individually decorated in period styles. The bistro-style restaurant has a lovely lakeside summer terrace and serves an excellent "Opera Buffet" during the festival. Sauna access is included in the room rate.

The level of comfort within this historic and iconic hotel convenient to the rapid-paced city center is belied by the rather staid facade. The rooms are modern, but the lobby and entrance areas have an Agatha Christie, art nouveau ambience, with elegant furniture and fittings. There is a pleasant outdoor terrace that is also popular with locals in summer and a sheltered winter garden. Breakfast is served in the opulent Tammer Hall, while lunch and dinner are served in the Bistro.

In one of the most modern local hotels, rooms here are spacious by European standards, with large beds and fluffy towels. It's on the lakefront and also close to town. The on-site restaurant, Bord, specializes in traditional Finnish fare.

This Scandic property in the heart of the city center, directly opposite the train station, offers newly renovated rooms that exude a restrained and tidy Nordic elegance. The overall decor is in clean and calm simple beige and gray color schemes. The Scandic chain conveniences include free Wi-Fi and a free breakfast buffet.

Torni means "tower," which gives you an idea of what to expect with this 88-meter-tall building on the edge of converted rail yards, with decor and rooms referencing various elements of Tampere culture and history. The Moro Sky Bar (moro being a local-dialect greeting) on the 25th floor, with an outdoor roof terrace and stunning views, is the coolest spot for well-heeled hipsters. Room themes vary according to the level, starting with Solo Twin on Floors 2 to 16 and ascending to Junior and Ultimate (with sauna) suites on the 24th. There is a gym, a guest sauna, and an ample buffet breakfast.

About 5 km (3 miles) from the town center, Rauhalahti is a self-contained spa resort near Lake Kallavesi and consists of the Spa Hotel, apartments, and a new studio hotel. The hotel has three places to dine—the Sofia C Restaurant, the Irish-style Old Man Lode Bar and Café, and the Jätkänkämppä lumberjack-themed timber lodge—and has live dance music three times a week. The spa offers a full range of treatments, from facials, pedicures, and manicures to clay massage, and it houses various pools.