An interesting new super-luxury Helsinki hotel opens

Preferred Hotels isn’t a hotel loyalty programme we cover much, although it has some interesting properties. Recent London openings include The BoTree in Marylebone and Hotel Saint in the City, near Hilton’s Canopy.

It operates along the lines of Leading Hotels of the World and WorldHotels, acting primarily as a marketing consortium. The loyalty programme is primarily rebate driven, with stays earning cash credit towards your next visit.

Preferred Hotels has just opened The Hotel Maria in Helsinki. This caught my eye for a few reasons:

• Helsinki is not renowned for its amazing hotels

• it comes with 117 rooms, including 38 lavish suites, two restaurants, a grand ballroom, serene chapel, state-of-the-art spa, and a destination boutique showcasing jewellery of Faberge and esteemed Finnish designers

• rooms are a very impressive 460 sq ft, which is double the size you’d typically find in a city centre hotel in the region

• 19 top suites have their own private traditional Finnish sauna or steam room

• the hotel is a collection of four architecturally and historically prominent buildings dating back to 1885, protected by The Finnish Heritage Agency.

You can find out more on the hotel website here.

You can find out more about Preferred Hotels and its iPrefer loyalty scheme on this dedicated website.

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Hotel offers update – June 2025:

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