SP0

I wonder if a helpful Finn might guide me here with local ground knowledge: I've booked a rather dumb travel agenda in Helsinki.

We are travelling LHR-HEL / HEL-SYD on 27 Feb on AY; landing 1400 departing 2330 same day. My original plan for the 9 hour layover was a lovely afternoon in Helsinki, a nice dinner in town, back out to relax in the lounge ... but it has now dawned on me that:
- the AY lounges are closing at 2100 due to Covid
- so are the restaurants in town
- in any case none of the fine-dining restaurants in town are open on a Sunday
- we are travelling to Australia heavily-loaded without room for winter coats and it will be cold (not for a Finn :-) )
- the left-luggage at HEL seems to close at 2100 too.

Sadly there isn't a tighter timing from LHR -- the other options are a stopover of 5 hours (tedious at the airport with lounge closure) or 55 minutes (unworkable on different PNRs).

Any thoughts on how to make this day bearable? Take a warm room at an airport hotel for the day perhaps? Or is there a fabulous restaurant I've missed?
Or do we think the lounges may be back to a normal schedule by then?

Thanks for any advice.

OH-LGG

You mean LHR-HEL landing 14:00? What flight number is this?

lkrt

The prime minister has announced that she’d like to see all restrictions lifted by the end of February.

It’s another story if this will happen, in fact, but there’s a chance that restaurants will be allowed to stay open later.

SP0

AY1340 lands 1225 - sorry I gave the wrong time but it's not particularly material, I still have 11 hours to fill!

WilcoRoger

You could still go to town - even if the restaurants were to close at 9 pm, you'd be heading back to the airport around that time anyway. You'd heave 1-1,5 hrs to kill at the airport, which is manageable

Now, if you have only Ozzy gear with you, that might be a bit of an exercise End-Feb weather can be anything, really.

OH-LGG

Ok.
I would take a room from Sokos Hotel Flamingo-Jumbo. That is mall 2 kilometers from HEL and no coat needed, it's heated. No fine dining but food and drinks available.

Sunday winter evening in Helsinki is depressing.

ffay005

Restaurants must pay double wages on Sundays, which is not profitable, so most choose to remain closed.

I would second Flamingo in your case. There's a spa which might be open again during your visit. There's a large shopping mall, and while they may have a recommendation, it is not mandatory to wear a mask in the mall or in the shops (or anywhere else apart from the plane, for that matter), so quite bearable.

You will need to take a taxi there and back.

https://www.flamingospa.fi/en/

McCarran

How about an Afternoon Tea package at Brasserie Kämp (at Hotel Kämp). It is served on Sundays from 2.30pm to 4pm when pre-booked. They also have a small spa with saunas and lounge chairs. Flamingo spa at Jumbo is much larger and ”better” but most likely also way more crowded.

You also have time for a couple cocktails at their bar.

Helsinki city center is quite depressing on winter sunday evenings, so go to a nice hotel with services. Or go to Jumbo which has plenty of services but zero cool.

mpkz

Just a warning for OP, there are quite a few anti-maskers here, so right now the situation is that masks are "strongly recommended" in public places and hence easily >50% of people wear them (not sure about Jumbo). You will be looked at funny if you don't wear one. Up to you to decide whether you're okay with that - the people advising you here are also people who decided that it was a good idea to let the main newspaper in the country do a feature about their flying hobby in the current "climate" of climate discussion, complete with a flight to LHR to visit a lounge... (not judging the action of flying, just the idea of letting HS, especially Sonia el Kamel, run a story about it)

Purjelentaja

In the news today: government is lifting most of restrictions on 14Feb, for instance restaurants are allowed to be open till midnight (from 1Mar no restrictions for restaurants at all), which apparently will open the lounges till midnight as well.

cistavoda

You afraid of some climate rebellionists?

mpkz

Am I afraid of internet mobs? Sure. However it's more that I just don't see any potential upside to being the face of a controversial hobby and then to have that hobby plastered over the biggest broadsheet in the country by a sensationalist young reporter looking to make her name.

SP0

Thank you. Some great ideas emerging here.

Seems that a good way to avoid the depressing February weather would be an afternoon of spa treatments at either the Flamingo or the Kämp, and if the latter then a nice lunch or dinner. Even better news if the lounges go back to normal hours!

Kämp spa is significantly more expensive than Flamingo, obviously. Any opinions as to whether it’s worth the premium?

duvin

Natura is open on Sundays https://guide.michelin.com/mo/en/uus...taurant/natura

SP0

[QUOTE=duvin;33957567]Natura is open on Sundays/QUOTE]
ah, that is a very good suggestion. I must have missed that one when I looked up all the Michelin Guide restaurants. Thank you.