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Hotel Kämp
Grand hotel in Helsinki, Finland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hotel Kämp (Finland Swedish: [ˈkemp]) is a historic hotel in Kluuvi, Helsinki, Finland. It is a member of Leading Hotels of the World.[1]
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The capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland grew at a remarkable pace in the latter half of the 19th century. Helsinki’s location between Stockholm and Saint Petersburg on the Baltic Sea made the city a busy port and commercial hub.[2][3]
Industrialist Fredrik Wilhelm Grönqvist purchased the current plot of the Kämp hotel. Helsinki needed a new, modern hotel. Grönqvist hired architect Theodor Höijer to design the hotel. Höijer designed a neo-Renaissance style building, which became a landmark of Helsinki’s Parisian flair and modernity.[2][3]
In 1887, the hotel became Helsinki’s most modern luxury hotel, serving both domestic and international guests. The hotel featured a lobby, a grand main staircase, suites, hotel rooms, two shops, a large restaurant hall, a two-story-high mirror hall, a beer tavern, a street café, and Finland’s first American bar.[2][3]
The hotel represented contemporary luxury and was described as continental and cosmopolitan. It was also modern technologically, as it was Finland’s first hotel with an elevator. The hotel had both electric and gas lighting.[2][3]
The hotel was managed by Carl Kämp, who passed away only a few years after the hotel opened. His widow, Maria Kämp, continued to manage the hotel. Kämp was the originator of the idea for the new luxury hotel, but he did not have sufficient funds to finance the hotel project, which is why Grönqvist financed the hotel venture.[2][3]
The hotel became a popular meeting place for social life. Finnish artists made the place their own. Jean Sibelius, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Eino Leino, Armas Järnefelt, and other famous artists enjoyed what the hotel had to offer.[2][3]
The painting Symposium by Akseli Gallen-Kallela from 1894 is based on celebrations held at Kämp.[2][3]
Major world events affected the hotel’s operations. The First World War and the Russian Revolution of 1917 led to the disappearance of wealthy Russian aristocrats and industrialists from the customer base.[2][3]
The Second World War put a stop to the arrival of international guests from Europe, North America, and other parts of the world. In the post-war period, capital was scarce. The hotel continued to operate until 1965. The building was reconstructed in 1967, as the soft ground beneath the hotel had undermined its structures. The property’s owner, Kansallis-Osake-Pankki, tried to find a new operator for the hotel, but one could not be found. The bank took over use of the hotel’s premises as its headquarters. In the 1990s, major upheavals took place. The Cold War ended, and Finland became a member of the European Union. Finland’s economy grew, driven by Nokia and the IT industry. Globalisation expanded. There was demand in the Finnish market for a new luxury hotel. In the 1990s a new hotel operator was found.[2][3]
The director of Sheraton Hotels, William Bauer, was searching for a location for a hotel in Helsinki. Bauer contacted Erkki Tammivuori, who was serving as Finland’s consul in Istanbul. Tammivuori telephoned entrepreneur Mikael Bonsdorff and informed him of Sheraton’s interest. Bonsdorff suggested that the new hotel should be opened along the Esplanadi, on the former site of the Kämp Hotel.[4]
The Kansallis-Osake-Pankki and Suomen Yhdyspankki banks merged to form Merita Bank, after which ownership of the property passed to SYP. Merita Bank’s director Ove Ohlström was receptive to Sheraton’s proposals. In 1995, Ohlström, investor Heikki Hyppönen, and Bonsdorff met with Sheraton representatives in Helsinki. In addition to the hotel, the plans came to include a new shopping centre. A major restoration project, started in 1996. Hotel Kämp and the Kämp Galleria shopping centre opened in 1999.[4]
Marriott International’s Luxury Collection reopened the Kämp in 1999. A shopping centre, Kämp Galleria, was also opened within the same city block.[2][3]
In January 2014, Berling Capital, owned by investor Esa Karppinen, sold the Kämp Hotel to investment company CapMan.[5]
Nordic Choice Hotels, now known as Strawberry, owned by Norwegian billionaire Petter A. Stordalen, bought the Kämp hotel from the private equity company CapMan in 2019. Renovations at the Kämp began in 2023 and are expected to be completed in 2025.[6][7]
Celebrities who have stayed at the hotel include Madonna, Shakira, Whitney Houston, Elton John, Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Backstreet Boys, Justin Bieber, Bruce Springsteen, Mel Gibson, and U2.[8][9][3][10][11] Royal guests have included Queen Noor of Jordan, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway.[8][12]
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