Hotel Lilla Roberts — Hotel in Helsinki sub-region

Following a blessedly flat crossing from Tallinn our VJV group were taken off for a 2 hour plus route march round Helsinki shortly after checking in. There was barely enough time to clock the marvellously quirky Art Deco interior and decorations (full sized horse lamp in the bar/reception area anyone?)|After our tiring walking tour, all we wanted was somewhere to eat (this was Friday evening, mind) without having to walk to get there. The hotel did really well to fit in our largish party of around 15 people at no notice and the food was excellent. The hotel is spread over several buildings (it has a really splendid Art Deco exterior) and an attractive internal courtyard, through which you went to the restaurant/breakfast/dining room. |The bedroom was a good size, beautifully furnished (I really wanted that armchair!) with a bathroom with a spacious wet room, good toiletries and bathrobes. First time I didn’t pack a dressing gown, and none of the other hotels provided them! Breakfast was beautifully presented – cloth napkins, cruets, cutlery and place mats on tables, and happily, no coffee machines. Tea and coffee (in large heatproof jugs and a jug of milk) was brought to your table so you could then help yourself. There were unusual local specialities, as well as standard buffet and hot food. Definitely the most civilised breakfast surroundings of the trip!|I absolutely loved this hotel and its décor, perhaps because I’d lived in a famous Art Deco block in London and furnished it with replica Art Deco, but it might not be to everyone’s taste. A word of caution – I was in Room 535, at the farthest end of the building, necessitating opening many sets of doors, (some of which had to be opened with room key cards, others by pressing things) and a flight of unavoidable 6 stairs up to another level. It took about 5 minutes to fight one’s way back to reception and carrying suitcases up the stairs and through all the doors would be difficult for some. There was a lift shaft near the room, but it was not in use. Apparently there was another one at that end of the building which came out in the courtyard, but I never found it. This is an observation, not a criticism, and if booking all one would need to do would be to specify a room not too far from Reception. Receptionists were lovely – friendly and smiley, and all spoke impeccable English (which seemed very much the norm in Helsinki). If you want something a bit different from the bland, corporate lookalike hotels, but still close to things, this is an...

Review:|We stayed at Lilla Roberts for one night in late July, booking three rooms for our group. Unfortunately, the overall experience was mixed – while some aspects were fine, the service and procedures left us puzzled.||Upon check-in, we were charged a €550 deposit, even though all rooms were prepaid. When I asked what the charge was based on, the answer was simply: “The minibar.” No further explanation.||Next, the receptionist asked us: “What time breakfast?” – which left us wondering whether they meant when breakfast was served or when we planned to eat. When we asked for clarification, the same question was repeated: “What time you eat?” This was the first time we’ve ever had to pre-declare our breakfast time at check-in – quite odd.||We were also encouraged to try the hotel restaurant and bar. When we said we already had dinner plans, the reply was: “You don’t like cocktails?” The whole check-in process felt more like a sales pitch than a welcome.||Rooms were spacious and relatively clean, but unfortunately, the air conditioning didn’t work properly in any of them. The temperature stayed at 25°C throughout the night, even with the A/C on full power.||Breakfast was of good quality, but again the service tone was off – we were immediately presented with a list of extra-charge items (omelets, specialty coffees), and it took 17 minutes to receive regular filter coffee. Much like check-in, the experience felt subtly geared toward upselling rather than guest comfort.||At check-out, we inquired again about the deposit amount. A different staff member simply said: “I don’t know how my colleague calculated it.” One would expect a hotel of this standard to have a clear and consistent deposit policy that all staff can communicate.||Summary:|A beautiful hotel in a great location, but the service felt inconsistent, oddly transactional, and lacked warmth. Not the relaxing experience we...

Excellent location. Clean, warm, well-maintained rooms. Modern decor with an appealing, sleek Art Deco aesthetic. Very comfortable bed, which is a must for me. The front desk staff was attentive and helpful. I would rate this as a 4-star hotel. Definitely not on par with 5-star hotels we've stayed in. Sorry, but I'm being honest.

So why two stars? The room service person presented the check for me to sign and directly pointed out there was a place to add a gratuity. Coming from the USA, which has a generous tipping culture, I find tip grubbing quite rude and off-putting. And as a very well-seasoned international traveler, I was shocked to find this at Lilla Roberts in Helsinki. To be honest, direct tip grubbing is very rare and that's good because it's insulting. Does Lilla Roberts encourage tip grubbing? What is going on here? Then there was the breakfast/brunch at the restaurant. Nice display, but there were no eggs when I went through the buffet, the cut fruit was not ripe at all... not even close, the bacon had a heavily porky flavor and I know this isn't the case throughout Helsinki b/c the lovely hotel we had just stayed in prior to Lilla Roberts served quality bacon and ripe fruit. And when I asked for water at the table I got a pot of hot water. Just hot water. I tried to get attention to politely explain to the wait person what I had asked for, but it was too busy. Sadly, I didn't expect to have negative experiences at Lilla Roberts based on the reviews. It was disappointing and I would not stay here again. There are lots of...